Candidates Already Working

  • Occasionally, applicants begin employment before completing their psychological evaluation or present for evaluation after already assuming their duties. This section provides guidance for determining when an evaluation should be considered a Pre-Employment Psychological Evaluation (PEP) versus an Existing Employee (EE) evaluation, and how current employment should be considered within the clinical formulation. The emphasis should remain on the individual's current psychological functioning rather than employment status alone.

  • An evaluation should be classified based on how long the individual has been employed at the time of the psychological evaluation.

    General Guidance:

    • Applicants who have only recently started employment (e.g., within the past one to two weeks) may still be evaluated using the Pre-Employment Psychological Evaluation (PEP) format.

    • If the individual has been employed for approximately one month or longer, the evaluation should generally be completed as an Existing Employee (EE) evaluation.

    • The hiring agency should determine how to proceed if a candidate begins working before the psychological evaluation is completed.

    FMRT's role is to provide an objective clinical opinion regardless of the individual's employment status.

  • No.

    The fact that an individual is currently employed does not, by itself, indicate psychological suitability.

    Clinicians should evaluate the individual's current functioning using the same clinical standards applied to applicants.

    Consider:

    • Observable psychological symptoms

    • Functional impairment

    • Emotional regulation

    • Judgment

    • Treatment participation

    • Medication compliance

    • Insight

    • Psychological testing

    • Reliability of self-report

    • Risk to public safety

    Current employment, satisfactory job performance, or the absence of formal discipline should not outweigh significant untreated mental health concerns or other clinically relevant risk factors.

    Clinical recommendations should remain based on the available psychological evidence rather than employment status.

  • Existing Employee evaluations use different recommendation categories than Pre-Employment evaluations.

    General Guidance:

    • No Barriers should be used when the employee does not meet the threshold for a negative recommendation, even if minor concerns are present.

    • Potential Barriers is functionally equivalent to a Not Suitable (NS) recommendation in an Existing Employee evaluation.

    • Areas of concern that do not rise to the level of Potential Barriers should still be documented within the report narrative.

    If the evaluator is uncertain whether concerns reach the Potential Barriers threshold:

    • Consider providing a verbal recommendation of Deferred/Pending Consultation.

    • Consult with a Lead Psychologist before issuing the final report.

    • Classification as PEP vs. EE depends primarily on the individual's employment status at the time of the evaluation.

    • Current employment does not establish psychological suitability.

    • Existing employees should be evaluated using the same clinical standards as applicants.

    • Functional impairment, untreated symptoms, or significant risk factors should be addressed regardless of work history.

    • "Potential Barriers" represents the equivalent of a negative suitability determination in EE evaluations.

    • When in doubt, defer the recommendation and consult with a Lead Psychologist before finalizing the report.