How Accessible is Your Workplace…Really?

The Integrated Accessibility Standard of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act seeks to include more people with disabilities in the workplace.  Most of us are comfortable with the concept of an “accessible workplace”.  Let’s expand that definition.

Inclusion
Great strides have been taken toward the physical inclusion of persons with disabilities, particularly those with mobility challenges who are wheelchair users in the work environment. New buildings are subject to stringent accessibility requirements and older, existing locations are being retro-fitted and renovated to ensure equal access for all. This is where most of the current focus on accessibility is placed.

Other areas of accessibility are yet to be fully developed. The idea of accessible job applications, interviews and job descriptions should be the next logical step in the evolution of accessibility. The Employment Standard requires an organization to be proactive in the identification, removal and prevention of barriers hindering the full participation in employment of persons with disabilities. It also requires that organizations have policies and procedures for establishing individual accommodation plans where barriers cannot be removed proactively, shifting the onus from the individual who needs the accommodation to the person who provides it. 

Overlooked Aspects of Accessibility
An IT specialist with quadriplegia was asked in a job interview about her typing speed. She explained that although she does not have full use of her hands she has an accommodation for this – a pair of wrist clips that enable her to type 25 words per minute. The job called for a minimum of 60 and she was not considered to be a qualified candidate. Unfortunately the interviewer did not take into account her aptitude for learning, experience with software and equally important, her ability to adapt to situations. Thankfully, another employer did and she is now working in the field again.

The Integrated Accessibility Standard states Employers must focus on disability-related issues through the recruitment and hiring stages of the employment relationship. 
This means employers would have to notify employees and the public about the availability of accommodation for applicants with disabilities in their recruitment, selection and hiring processes.

Trading Tradition For Talent
One hurdle we have not yet come to terms with is the traditional face-to-face job interview. This can be a difficult aspect of the job hunt for individuals owing to a disability. In typical hiring practice, the determination of job fit hinges greatly on one’s ability to “perform” in an interview situation.

To individuals with speech, sight and hearing challenges, as well as those with heightened anxiety or cognitive processing challenges, the traditional interview presents all too often as a “no-win” situation. Some employers offer interpretation services or extra time to answer questions which are good steps. Unfortunately, the charismatic candidate who can think on the spot will often get the job even though the position may not require these traits specifically.

Employers need to make sure that applicants with disabilities can find and compete for jobs just like everyone else. To do that, employers need to make sure that their entire recruitment process ― advertising, application, selection and interviewing — is accessible to ensure that people with disabilities are treated the same as every other applicant. In addition, employees who become disabled during employment must be able to retain their jobs, if they can still perform the essential duties of the job.

Mindsets Need Moving
All of these challenging situations point to one unfortunate conclusion: disability is not well accounted for in many workplaces. I still meet with employers who claim that “nobody with a disability works here”. This is a reflection of the misunderstanding of disability and the continuation of the stereotype that persons with disabilities are a small minority group who traditionally don’t work and need charity. Needless to say comments like these do not promote existing employees to disclose a disability they may have.

To meet their obligations under the law, employers will have to develop an organizational accessible employment policy statement. Employers will also be required to develop, adopt, document and maintain policies that support the implementation of the commitments in the policy statement, including:

·                Prevention, identification and removal of barriers throughout the entire employment cycle

·                Inclusive design of employment systems and processes

·                Support of persons with disabilities from recruitment through hiring

·                Individual accommodation plans

·                Respect for privacy of information related to accommodation

·                Provision of information in accessible formats and methods

·                Provision of disability awareness training to employees

What does an accessible workplace look like to you? ?

If you are interested in learning more about Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) or how to make accessibility a natural part of your business through the application of Corporate Social Responsibility, please contact Sandra Broekhof @ 416-579-1035 or sandra_broekhof@sympatico.ca or visit www.accessibilitycompliance.ca