aoda integrated accessibility standards overview of the regulation facilitated by: melissa magder...

AODA Integrated Accessibility Standards

Overview of the Regulation

www.prolearningonline.com

Facilitated by:Melissa Magder – Director of Diversity, HR and Cross Cultural TrainingTel: 647-727-5652Email: [email protected]

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• Full Service HR Organization with a focus on:▫HR▫Diversity and Inclusion▫AODA

• Assisted hundreds of organizations across the province with Customer Service Standard compliance and employee training

• Offer Classroom, eLearning and Blended Learning Solutions

• Strategic Learning Alliance with the Human Resources Professionals Association

Who Are We:

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Background• AODA released in 2005• Objective: To remove all barriers to persons with disabilities

in Ontario• Comprised of 5 standards:

1) Customer Service Standard *compliance required Jan 1, 2012

2) Information and Communications3) Employment4) Transportation5) Built Environment Standard


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Customer Service Standard• Understanding that persons with disabilities may have

different needs. Making changes to how we serve persons with disabilities

• Private sector compliance required Jan. 1, 2012• Public sector compliance required Jan. 1, 2010• Applies to organizations with 1+ employees in Ontario and

that provide goods or services directly to the public or to other organizations in Ontario

• Small organization: 1-19; Large organization: 20+• Requirements: create plan, train staff, document, reporting• Reporting date – Dec 31, 2012


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Customer Service Standard Plan ..\..\..\..\

1. Statement of committment2. Assistive devices3. Communication4. Service animals5. Support persons6. Notice of temporary disruption7. Training8. Feedback process


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• Became law July 1, 2011

• Combines 3 Standards▫ Information and Communications▫Employment▫Transportation

• Phased compliance across public and private sectors

• Small organization: 1-49 Large organization: 50+

Integrated Accessibility Standards


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• Governed by Accessibility Directorate of Ontario• All organizations are subject to government audits and

inspections• Fines for non-compliance are in the thousands of dollars• Fines for offences are up to $100,000 per day• License Appeal Tribunal (for organizations)• Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (for individuals)

Compliance Provisions


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General Requirements• Statement of Commitment

Jan 1, 2014 large organizations • Accessibility policies (for all)

Jan 1, 2014 large organizations Jan 1, 2015 small organizations (not written)

• Multi-year accessibility plan Jan 1, 2014 large organizations

• Training (for all)Jan 1, 2015 large organizationsJan 1, 2016 small organizations

• Reporting large organizations, schedule every 2-3 years


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Multi-Year Accessibility Plans• Outlines organizational strategies to prevent and remove

barriers to accessibility (present and future)• A schedule of short and long-term objectives and the specific

month/year in which your organization will meet these goals• Specific to your organization (not one size fits-all)• Must be posted on your website• Reviewed and updated every 5 years

* Large organizations


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Components of an Accessibility Plan

• Statement of objectives• The process by which your organization will identify, remove

and prevent barriers• A review of efforts made to date to remove and prevent

barriers• Describe the measures (policies, procedures and practices)

your organization will take to identify, remove and prevent barriers

• Describe how your organization will make the accessibility plan available to the public


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Strategies to Prevent Barriers

Ways to identify current and potential barriers include:

•Audits

•Affinity Groups

•Focus Groups


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Requirements:ALL staff require ‘general’ training on IAS requirements and Ontario Human Rights Code

ALL staff include:•Full and Part-time employees, volunteers, including those who do not have contact with customers/public•Anyone involved in policy development; includes Board Members •Any persons who provide services on behalf of the organization (representatives, agents, etc.)

Training


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Requirements:•Appropriate to job duties

- look at function of the job Example: front line vs. facilities/maintenance

- scope of responsibility and accountabilityEmployee – Supervisor – Manager – Director – Board Member•Must be tracked and documented (large organizations)

Training


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• Procuring or Acquiring Goods, Services or Facilities- All private sector organizations are

advised to consider accessibility

• Self-service Kiosks- Organizations must make accessibleJan 1, 2014 – large organizationsJan 1, 2015 – small organizations

*Must consider accessibility features to meet customer needs prior to compliance deadline

Other General RequirementsproLearning innovations

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Information and Communications Standard

Scope:•Focus on accessible information & communication relating to the provision of goods and services

•Make more accessible the ways that information & communication is sent and received


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Accessible Formats and Communication Supports

• Electronic formats i.e. HTML, MS Word• Braille• Audio formats• Large print• Text transcripts• Reading information aloud• Captioning• Assistive listening systems• Sign language


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Jan 1, 2016 – large organizationsJan 1, 2017 – small organizations

Information and Communications Standard

Websites: http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20/

NEW Internet and Intranet Websites and Web ContentJan 1, 2014 – large organizations

ALL Internet Websites and Web ContentJan 1, 2021 – large organizations

Examples :• Optimized for screen readers• Text in place of images • Descriptions of images• High contrast and colour schemes • Ability to enlarge text • Line and letter spacing for maximum readability


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Scope:

•Prescribe how organizations are to provide accessibility for employees and job applicants

•Does not apply to unpaid employment

Employment Standards


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Employment Standard

Workplace Emergency Response Information*Jan 1, 2012 – immediate for all organizations

•Individualized plan•Inform appropriate parties•Must be tracked and documented (large organizations only)


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Employment Standards• Recruitment, assessment, selection and hiring• Accommodation supports for employees and job applicants

- accessible formats and communications- individual accommodation plan

• Return-to-work process (large organizations only)• Performance Management, Career Development &

Redeployment

Jan 1, 2016 – large organizationsJan 1, 2017 – small organizations


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• Flexible scheduling and reduced or part-time hours• Quiet workspace• Providing a personal day• Alternate communication methods (telephone, digital

recorder, verbal or written instructions)• Communication aids (i.e. head phones)• Voice input or speech recognition aids• Computer screen magnifiers

Examples of Accommodation


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• Some managers realize it is the right thing to do• Others are not supportive and don’t want to address it• Not sure how to manage a staff member with a disability• May have had a negative experience with working with a

person with a disability

Concerns about putting this into practice:


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Transportation Applies to:

•Transit buses•Motor coaches•Streetcars•Subways•Rail based transportation•School boards, universities & colleges, hospitals•Ferry•Taxis


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Built Environment Standards / Ontario Building Code

•Ontario Building Code (OBC) requirements apply by size• Built Environment Standard (BES) will not be limited by

size• Additional areas covered under BES• BES requirements will exceed and take precedence over

OBC requirements


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Built Environment Standards•Not a law – yet…

•Will not be retroactive

• Some changes will be required to comply with Customer Services Standards


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Conclusion• Accessibility law in Ontario is a reality

•Organizations are advised to take a pro-active approach to complying – makes good business sense AND it’s the law

• Full-day IAS workshops coming this Fall/Winter

• IAS online and classroom training programs available through proLearning innovations to meet your training needs


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Q & A


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aoda integrated accessibility standards overview of the regulation facilitated by: melissa magder...

Documents

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small organizations

hundreds of organizations

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service hr organization

ontario small organization

customer service standard

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