The Accessibility for Ontarians with
Disabilities Act – What you need to know
Ontario Chiropractic Association
April 6, 2016 Presented by: Jacinta Evans, Accessibility Directorate of Ontario
Webinar Overview
1. Accessibility – it’s about everyone
2. The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities
Act (AODA) – an overview
3. Ongoing and upcoming requirements for
businesses with 1-49 employees
4. Some resources to help your organization
Accessibility
is
About Everyone
Giving people of all abilities
opportunities to participate fully
in everyday life.
It’s about...
Attitude
Inclusion
Understanding that people
with disabilities may
have different needs
What is considered a disability?
• The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act definition covers many different types of disability, such as:
• Deafness or hearing loss
• Intellectual or developmental disabilities
• Learning disabilities
• Mental health disabilities
• Physical disabilities
• Vision loss
• A disability can be permanent or temporary
People with Disabilities
Today
1 in 7
People with Disabilities In the near future, as we age
1 in 5
Today there are
more seniors than
children aged 14
and under
Accessibility
is
Good for Everyone
Benefits for Everyone
Seniors
Families
Shoppers
Visitors
People
with
Disabilities +
63% of the
Population
Friends, Family,
Colleagues =
Accessibility for
Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA)
The AODA applies to all organizations with one or more
employees in Ontario:
• That provide goods, services or facilities to the public, to
other businesses or other organizations
– Includes businesses and not-for-profit organizations
• That are not federally regulated
– Examples: Greyhound Canada, CIBC
14
Does the AODA and its standards apply to me?
Accessibility Standards
Customer Service
Employment
Information and Communications
Transportation
Design of Public Spaces
Summary of Requirements in Effect As of January 1, 2016
Requirement 1-19 20-49 50+
Provide accessible customer service
Provide emergency and public safety information in accessible formats
Provide staff with accessible and customized emergency information
Create accessibility policies
Consider accessibility when purchasing or designing self-service kiosks
Train your staff on Ontario’s accessibility laws
Make it easy to provide feedback, when asked
Create a multiyear accessibility plan
Make new websites accessible
Make employment practices accessible
Make public information accessible, when asked
Provide Accessible Customer Service
Create a policy and include how you will:
• Consider a person’s disability when communicating with them
• Allow assistive devices and service animals
• Welcome support persons
• Inform customers when accessible services are temporarily unavailable
• Invite customers to provide feedback
Train your staff who work with customers or create policies and procedures
on how to interact with people with different disabilities.
If you have 20 or more employees:
• Maintain records of training
• Document your accessible customer service policy and make it available
to people who request it.
How
can I
help
you?
Provide Emergency and Public Safety
Information in Accessible Formats
Work with the person to figure out how you can
meet their needs, as soon as possible
Make emergency and public safety information
accessible, upon request
18
Provide Staff with Accessible and
Customized Emergency Information
Provide individualized emergency response information
Share information, with consent
Review when:
• employee changes work locations
• you review the employee’s overall accommodation needs
• you review your organization’s emergency response
policies
19
Train your staff on Ontario’s
Accessibility Laws
Train all staff on:
• areas of the accessibility standards that are relevant to their work
responsibilities
o employment
o information and communications
o transportation
o design of public spaces
• the Ontario Human Rights Code (where it relates
to people with disabilities)
• when you make any changes to your
accessibility policies
Consider Accessibility when Designing,
Purchasing or Acquiring Self-Service Kiosks
• Consider accessible design, criteria and features when purchasing
new goods, services or facilities.
• Strive to include accessibility features where possible.
• Consider the accessibility needs, preferences and abilities of the
widest range of users.
Make it Easy to Provide Feedback
• Make your feedback processes
accessible, when asked
• Let the public know that you will provide
accessible formats and communication
supports
Create Accessibility Policies
Create policies to help you achieve your accessibility goals
• Include a statement of commitment
• Tell your employees about your policies
https://www.ontario.ca/document/how-create-accessibility-policies
What’s coming up in 2017?
Requirements for Organizations with 1 – 49 Employees 2017
Make public information accessible, when asked
Make employment practices accessible
File an accessibility report (if you have 20 or more employees)
Make public information accessible
Let the public know you will make information accessible upon request
Work with the person to figure out how to meet their needs, as soon as
possible
You don’t have to:
• have accessible formats on hand
• make information that comes from another organization
accessible
Make employment practices accessible
• The Accessible Employment Standard requires you to
make your employment practices accessible to meet the
needs of employees and job applicants with disabilities
Builds on existing requirements of the
Ontario Human Rights Code
Will help organizations support and
keep more skilled employees
Applies to paid employees:
• Full-time
• Part-time
• Apprentices
• Seasonal employees
Accessibility Standard for Employment
Accessible Employment
What are the benefits?
Employees with disabilities:
• stay on the job longer
• perform the same as other employee groups
Inclusive workplaces:
• enhance corporate image
• strengthen competitive capability
• are better, more energizing places to work
• are more profitable over the long-run
Accessibility Standard for Employment Requirement Areas
• Recruitment and hiring
• Accommodation plans (50+ employees)
• Performance management
• Career development
• Job changes/redeployment
• Return to work (50+ employees)
• Accessible formats/communication supports
• Workplace emergency response information
Accessibility Standard for Employment Recruitment and hiring
• Accommodate disabilities during the selection process and let
applicants know
• Consult with job applicants and make adjustments that best
suit their needs
• Notify successful applicants of your accommodation policies
Accessibility Standard for Employment Performance management, career development
and job changes
• Take into account employee accessibility needs
• Applies to organizations that:
o use performance management
o provide employees with career development opportunities
o move staff from one job to another
Accessibility Standard for Employment Accessible formats and supports
Make workplace information accessible:
• when an employee with a disability asks for it
• in an appropriate format or with communication supports
Workplace information means:
• information needed to perform a job
• general information available to all employees
Accessibility Standard for Employment Workplace emergency response information
• Provide individualized emergency response information
• Share information, with consent
• Review when:
– employee changes work locations
– you review the employee’s overall accommodation needs
– you review your organization’s emergency response policies
Resources to help you 1/2
Visit ontario.ca/accessibility
for additional information
and resources
Working Together
• Multiple formats
• Interactive web-based video and
audio format
• Condensed booklet version
• www.accessforward.ca
• Ontario Human Right Commission Training
• For all sectors
• www.ohrc.on.ca/en/learning/working-
together-code-and-aoda
AccessForward
Resources to help you
Resources to help you
Human Resources
Professionals Association
Conference Board of
Canada
www.conferenceboard.ca/accessibility www.hrpa.ca/Pages/AODA.aspx
Resources to help you 2/2
Accessible Digital Office Document Project
• Create accessible documents
• Choose which accessible office
programs your organization should use
• www.adod.idrc.ocad.ca
Any questions?
Contact information:
ontario.ca/accessibility
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