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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