The primary role of the Fit for Duty (FFD) Program is to provide departments with access to post-offer of employment testing (POET) for prospective university employees. The FFD Coordinator is responsible for coordinating all aspects of the program. 
 
POET tests are administered after an offer of employment has been made, but prior to a candidate’s tentative start date. POET tests are crucial to help determine if a candidate can safely perform the essential functions of a job, which may include lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling and other tasks, depending on the job.  
 
Physical demands analyses (PDAs) are a crucial part of the FFD/POET processes. PDAs are comprehensive evaluations that identify and document the specific physical requirements of a job. PDAs provide the necessary information to develop and, when necessary, update and modify POET tests to maintain alignment with the current physical demands of a job. 

Learn more about physical demands analyses and ergonomic evaluations here. 
 

Benefits of Post-Offer Employment Testing (POET) 

POET testing offers several key benefits for the university, including: 

• Reduced injury rates – the least costly injury is the one that never happens. A 2003 study that looked at plant operators in Chicago demonstrated an 18.5% decreased injury rate and 79% cost savings on injury spending^1. Another study in 2006 (Rosenblum et. al) suggested that employees that were not screened with a pre-employment test were nearly 2.5 times more likely to develop a musculoskeletal condition from overexertion on the job².  

• Lower work comp costs – POET testing programs demonstrated a combined yearly savings of $797 for costs associated with workers’ compensation, medical, drug and short-term disability. If savings were scaled for the hiring of 1000 workers, an employer utilizing POET testing could expect savings of nearly $800,000³. 

• Increase employee retention – POET testing programs demonstrated a 7.2% lower employee turnover rate over a 4-year period ³. 

• Legal compliance – POET tests are EEOC and ADA compliant and legally defensible, complying with all federal legislation.  

 
Candidates are tested in 4 main areas during a POET test: 

• Medical history – detailed medical history is obtained to ensure that a candidate may safely undergo POET testing. Certain past or current conditions may require physician clearance to continue testing, for example if a candidate had a recent orthopedic surgery.  

• Musculoskeletal Exam – licensed physical therapists complete a full screening with over 100 baseline measurements including muscle strength, reflexes and range of motion. 

• Dynamic Lifting – this portion includes lift testing in 4 standard lifting postures to gather baseline lifting data. These lifts are used as a qualifier for a candidate to attempt job specific tasks. The required weights will vary depending on the specific job that is being tested for. 

• Job Specific Tasks – candidates perform simulated job tasks that relate to the essential functions of the job. These are derived from physical demands analyses (PDAs) as well as information from official job listings, and in collaboration with hiring departments to determine the most representative job tasks.  

POET Test Results and Hiring Decisions 

Once a POET test is complete, the results are provided to the hiring department supervisor and the appropriate HR representatives, as well as the FFD Coordinator. At that point, the department will make the final determination to continue with hiring the candidate, or rescind the job offer if the candidate was deemed not capable of completing the essential functions of the job. Though there is no official university policy, it is a strong recommendation by the FFD Program and the testing vendor that a job offer should be rescinded if a candidate is deemed not capable.  

CSU’s current POET testing vendor is Select Physical Therapy in Fort Collins.  
 
POET testing capacity is limited and based on available resources.  

If your department is interested in participating in the POET testing program, or you have any other questions about the program, please contact the Fit for Duty Program Coordinator, Dan Piemontese. 

1. Littleton, Michael. “Cost-Effectiveness of a Prework Screening Program for the University of Illinois at Chicago Physical Plant.” Work (Reading, Mass.) 21.3 (2003): 243–250. Web. 

2. Rosenblum, Keith E, and Arti Shankar. “A Study of the Effects of Isokinetic Pre-Employment Physical Capability Screening in the Reduction of Musculoskeletal Disorders in a Labor Intensive Work Environment.” Work (Reading, Mass.) 26.2 (2006): 215–228. Web. 

3. Hoffman, Ben, and Justin Schaneman. “Post-Offer Employment Testing and Its Impact on Health Care Costs for Employers.” Journal of occupational and environmental medicine 65.2 (2023): e57–e60. Web.