Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) - Help with compliance

(source: Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services - Customer Service: What you need to do to comply)

The new Accessibility Standard for Customer Service comes into effect across Ontario on January 1, 2012. If you have any employees, you will be required to establish policies, practices and procedures on providing goods or services to people with disabilities. You will also be asked to train your employees on:

• how to communicate with people with various types of disabilities;
• how to interact with people with disabilities who use assistive devices or require the assistance of a guide dog, other service animal or a support person;
• how to use equipment or devices available at your premises, that may help people with disabilities access your services, such as TTY telephones, elevators, lifts, accessible interactive kiosks or other technology;
• what to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty accessing your services;
• protocol to take if service normally available to the disabled is temporarily not available.

 

Here is what you need to do:

1. Develop a written  Accessibility Standard for Customer Service Plan, (which can also be completed
on line), that must be in place for your customers to review.

2. For the procedures, practices and policies to put in place, please read: 

• Summary of Requirements (The 11 requirements you need to know).
• Business Checklist:  
  • for less than 20 Employees 
  • for more than 20 Employees *must file Accessibility report with government.
• Compliance Manual for Small Business
• Accessibility Standard for Customer Service explained
• Training Resources for Small Business 

3. Train your employees - refer to video or DVD links below for detailed overview of how to provide training. Keep a record of the date your employees are trained or retrained.

• Servability Training Module - having your staff view this video fulfills your employee training requirements.
• You can also order a FREE- DVD - "Serve-Ability: Transforming Ontario's Customer Service", publication #017394 from ServiceOntario Publications. Phone:1-800-668-9938. 
• Understanding Accessibility Videos  - more videos to understand disabilities and accomodation.

 

Additional links:

• Customer Service - tools to help you comply:
  • if you have LESS than 20 employees
  • if you have MORE than 20 employees*.

*for companies with 20+ employees- an Accessibility Report must be filed with government.

Detailed Employer Accessibility Standard for Customer Service handbook, FAQ`s, etc.

• Understanding the Standard (PDF)
• About the Accessibility for Ontarions with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) -  outlines the government plan from 2005 to 2025, the different stages being rolled out like the Customer Service Standard implemented
  January 1, 2012.

 

Who to contact if you need help:

A CFIB Business Counsellor (Mon-Fri 9-5 p.m) at 1 888-234-2232 or email msont@cfib.ca.

ServiceOntario (AccessOn) Phone: 1-866-515-2025, TTY: 416-325-3408, or email accessibility@ontario.ca