Our Services

Functional Abilities Evaluation (F A E)

The functional evaluation is an essential component of an effective disability management program.  The FAE/FCE is an objective tool used to determine a person’s ability to complete physical tasks.  When an injury occurs, there are physical impairments that can include restricted movement, reduced strength and limited ability to repeat tasks.  The FAE objectively measures the person’s current ability to lift, hold, handle, push, carry, reach, bend and any other physical tasks.  With a quantified value of these functional components, you can determine:

  • Activities of normal life.
  • Housekeeping and Home Maintenance.
  • Attendant care of children, disabled persons and elderly family members.
  • Job demands.

 If an injury has meant time off work, then a FAE can determine a safe return to work plan using accurate functional limitations as the basis.  Even while an injury is being treated, the functional assessments can determine transitional duties to allow for continued productivity at work and at home.  Similarly, a Functional Requirement Evaluation (FRE) is a functional evaluation used to assess the physical suitability of a prospective new-hire employees with respect to their proposed job demands.  The FRE will limit future injuries by preventing a person from engaging in work that they are not physically suited to perform.  This proactive disability management tool can prevent future injuries and lost-time employment claims which both protects the individual and the employer. 

When considering FAE/ FCE/ FRE, not all functional assessments are created equal.  All functional assessments work under the premise of assessing physical capacity but the process needs to:

  • Directly relate to applicable employment demands.
  • Be standardized with a scientific methodology for objective test results.
  • Based on peer-reviewed studies so the results are legally defensible.
  • Assess both general work capacity and the unique demands of a specific job demand

We use an ARCON Computerized Functional Evaluation System to meet all of the process requirements listed above and apply 12 years of experience in the disability industry to tailor our assessments and reports to meet the needs of our clients.