The Ontario Human Rights Code requires all employers to meet the accommodation needs of employees with disabilities to the point of undue hardship. Under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), the Employment Standard builds on this requirement.
As of January 1, 2017, all employers must integrate accessibility across key stages of the employment life cycle.
What is required?
Generally speaking, organizations must now ensure that their HR practices, policies and procedures explicitly consider accessibility issues in the areas of:
Recruitment, Assessment, Selection and Hiring
- Notify candidates about the availability of accommodation during recruitment process.
- Provide assessment and selection materials in an accessible formats.
- Notify successful candidate of the policies for accommodation of employees with disabilities.
Employee Management
- Establish a written process for the development of individual accommodation plans.
- Provide individualized workplace emergency response information to employees who have a disability.
- Develop a return to work process for employees who have been absent due to disability and require accommodation.
- Consider accessibility for performance management and career development programs or when redeploying as an alternative to layoff.
- Provide training on the requirements of the accessibility standards to all employees.
Information and Communication
- Provide all employment-related information in accessible formats (e.g. application forms, employee orientation material etc.).
- When requested, provide information that is needed for the employee to perform his or her job that is generally available to employees in an accessible format.
Policies
- Develop an organizational accessible employment policy statement.
- Develop and maintain policies that support the implementation of the commitments made in the policy statement.
- Inform employees about these policies.
Where to start?
Here are a few suggested steps to help you to ensure that your workplace is compliant with AODA.
- Develop a comprehensive organizational plan on accessibility and accommodation.
- Review all existing practices and to ensure they comply with the employment standards under the AODA.
- Understand how to better support your employees with disabilities and develop a process to create individual accommodation plans.
- Train your managers and employees on policies that can support employees with disabilities.
Article provided by Bromelin HR Consulting
Bromelin can assist your company in navigating AODA requirements and implement inclusivity practices to empower your organizational talent as a competitive advantage for business success.
For more information, please contact us at:
1.855.566.4827
www.bromelin.ca
Headquarters
18918 Clark Graham, 2nd floor
Baie D’Urfé, Quebec H9X3R8
Canada
Newsletter Issue:
HR Microscope March 2017