Before diving into the details, it helps to think of a Fitness for Duty Evaluation (FFDE) as a journey. Each phase guides you from problem statement to action and monitoring. Below, you’ll find the steps, what happens in each, and key reminders to keep things fair, transparent, and defensible.
1. Referral & Preparation
This is where the journey begins: the employer or referring party defines why the evaluation is needed. They collect essential documents — job descriptions, past performance reports, incident history, and any relevant background.
Key note: The referral must be legally justified, specific, and well documented — vague requests or assumptions can weaken the evaluation’s credibility.
2. Consent & Pre-Interview Disclosure
At this stage, the center shares procedural information, how the evaluation will go, what will be shared (and what won’t), and obtains informed consent.
Keep in mind: Transparency is vital. If the person understands what to expect, it builds trust and reduces anxiety.
3. Initial Assessment
This is the start of the evaluation process. The doctor meets with the employee or candidate and gathers background information, ranging from educational, vocational, job history, medical and personal details, as well as legal or disciplinary issues they may have had. It is critical for the evaluators to understand the demands of the job and how you are or not unsuited for it. The clinical team and comprehend the mind also reviews any notable records, such as prior evaluations, doctors’ or therapist’s notes, or complaints
4. Data Collection
This is the start of the evaluation process. The doctor meets with the employee or candidate and gathers background information, ranging from educational, vocational, job history, medical and personal details, as well as legal or disciplinary issues they may have had. It is critical for the evaluators to understand the demands of the job and how you are or not unsuited for it. The clinical team and comprehend the mind also reviews any notable records, such as prior evaluations, doctors’ or therapist’s notes, or complaints
5. Integration & Analysis
Now, all the pieces come together. The clinical team at Comprehend the Mind reviewed all the information gathered at the different stages. We score, report, analyze, and confer to produce results in both a narrative and technical format. Report & Feedback
From the analysis, a written report is drafted. The reports includes detailing and explaining standardized data interwoven with background information, and behavioral observations. . Sometimes the evaluator shares feedback directly with the employee or the needed parties, whether it be the patient or the requesting agency. The report makes recommendations based on the data to either recommend or not, or recommend with reservations.
*Please note that some reports cannot be shared with the patient, such as with NYPD fitness evaluations, for instance. They can only be sent to the NYPD Psychological evaluation or medical department.
Rule of thumb: The report must directly address the referral questions and be written in a way that nonpsychologists can understand.
6. Organizational Decision & Communication
With the report in hand, the organization decides what happens next: accommodation, conditional return, further evaluation, or termination.
Important: All decisions should be documented and communicated carefully, always respecting confidentiality and due process.
7. Follow-Up & Monitoring
If the return is conditional or the employee is under treatment, follow-up is essential. Ongoing review, reassessments, and check-in points should be preplanned.
Pro tip: Set clear timelines, metrics, and triggers for further evaluation to ensure continued fitness for duty.
Get started at Comprehend the Mind
At Comprehend the Mind, we understand that going through a Fitness for Duty Evaluation process can feel overwhelming — but you don’t have to face it alone. Our compassionate team of licensed psychologists specializes in clear, fair, and professional evaluations that help both employees and employers make confident decisions.