Consultation and feedback processes of AODA should not be underestimated

Consultation and feedback processes should not be underestimated.   In terms of forward movement it is great to see that mechanisms which allow for community involvement are being recognized as vital.  The Ontario human rights commission creates policy for new and developing trends which are designed to tweak the ear of organizations, allowing them to make an interpretation that will allow for a broadening concept of inclusion. The reason why the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) is able to do this is because they have a preternatural ability to collect intelligence on rights that can work to an organizations favour.

Consultation and feedback processes are prepackaged into all standards of the AODA so that an organization can maintain its own evidence about what policies should look like, and when maintained correctly, they become an invaluable tool that can assist in developing better and more resounding approaches to inclusion.  From an accessibility standpoint consultation and feedback processes are important because they provide for implementation of accommodations and analysis of accessibility. From a standpoint of human rights, they are also important because the general information held within requests for accommodation can assist an organization in planning barrier free access by employing universal design.

If an organization does not have a developed process for receiving and dealing with feedback, it will have trouble creating awareness around gaps that may be present in policies pertaining to employment, diversity, harassment, accessibility etc.  If an organization does not have a good system that allows it to conduct consultations it will not be able to properly engage outlying communities let alone its own employees or volunteers.

Incorporating these two facets of accountability successfully manoeuvres organizations out of the outdated realm when decisions that affected a group were issued by a minority of people. Within reason, consultation and feedback are two key ingredients that should be utilized when developing a rights based approach to the operations of an organization that wishes to become even more accountable to its constituents.

What we have seen in Ontario is the renegotiation of what decision making looks like and the possibilities of pushing this even further allow us to re-imagine what the potential operations of an organization might look like ten years down the road.

What does your consultation and feedback process look like??

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

Dubai on its way to becoming accessible city by 2020

Dubai is studying measures to transform the emirate into a accessible city for persons with disabilities by 2020, the secretary-general of Dubai Executive Council said on Monday.

Establishing the city as a fully inclusive, accessible city by 2020, is the objective of the ‘My Community’ initiative launched by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, in 2013.

“We are currently in the evaluation stage; we have hired a consultant to see what needs to be done to transform the city into a accessible one. If a person with a disability has to go to the bakery and then the bank, for example, can he do so at ease? Are the buildings equipped?” said Abdullah Al Shaibani, secretary-general of Dubai Executive Council and vice-chairman of the Higher Committee for the Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

By establishing a fully inclusive accessible city, Al Shaibani said all aspects of life, education, work, transport, etc, should be accessed and performed at ease by people with disabilities. For this reason, joint efforts by all the authorities concerned in Dubai is central in providing important and essential services for those with disabilities.

Al Shaibani said the Executive Council is also looking to learn from other countries’ expertise, which is why it is launching the ‘Dubai Inclusive Development forum’, which will take place at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai on October 11-12.

The forum will bring together international and local expertise to share experiences and discuss integrating people with disabilities, in addition to translating the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability (UNCRPD) into local laws and policies.

Majid Al Osaimi, vice-president of the UAE Disabled Sports Federation and Member of the Higher Committee for the Protection of the Rights of Persons of Disability, said as a person with a disability himself, he believes awareness is the biggest challenge.

“If you ask me if a building’s stairs is the biggest challenge I will tell you no. As a person in a wheelchair, I don’t care about the stairs, it is not a problem, the owner of the building is. If his mentality changes and he becomes aware about the needs of people with disabilities, then we will have ramps in addition to stairs, the toilets will be equipped and, in fact, everything about the building will be equipped. Awareness is the biggest challenge,” said Al Osaimi. The second challenge that needs to be tackled, he said, is creating and implementing legislation that protects the rights of those who are disabled.

“Involving people with disabilities and their families in policymaking is vital for the success and effectiveness of the policies,” said Al Osaimi.

The My Community initiative will only be implemented in Dubai, in line with Law No (2) of 2014 on the Protection of the Rights of those with Disabilities in the emirate of Dubai issued by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in 2014.

The law aims to ensure that persons with disabilities enjoy all their rights and are protected from all forms of discrimination and abuse in all aspects of life.

This is a big challenge. Do you think Dubai can do it?

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

Proposed changes to the AODA customer service standard

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act was implemented in 2005.  The first standard to be released shortly after was the Customer Service Standard was implements.  Last year, proposed changes to the Customer Service Standard under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (“AODA”), were made available for public comment

What employers should know

These changes have not yet been implemented. However, if the Customer Service Standard is amended, employers will need to revisit their AODA policies to ensure that they are compliant. This will likely require organizations to revise their Customer Service policies and to train employees on the changes. Most importantly, employers will need to ensure that all employees and volunteers receive the Customer Service training, not just those who have contact with customers.

Do you know how far toward compliance your company is?

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

Proposed changes to the AODA customer service standard

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act was implemented in 2005.  The first standard to be released shortly after was the Customer Service Standard was implements.  Last year, proposed changes to the Customer Service Standard under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (“AODA”), were made available for public comment

Definition of obligated organizations

Under the Customer Service Standard, private sector employers with under 20 employees are subject to lesser requirements. Most notably, these employers do not need to prepare their policies in writing and do not need to file an Accessibility Report. Under the Integrated Accessibility Standard, the threshold for a small organization is under 50 employees, and this applies to both the public sector and the private sector. Small organizations under the Integrated Accessibility Regulation are also subject to different timelines and in some instances lesser requirements.

The proposed changes seek to adopt the definitions in the Integrated Accessibility Standard, which means that the threshold for a small organization under the Customer Service Standard would be one with under 50 employees. In our view, harmonizing the definitions of various obligated organizations between the two Accessibility Regulations makes sense, as it provides consistency between the two regulations.

Service animals

The proposed changes seek to clarify the service animal provisions of the Customer Service Standard. Currently, an animal is considered a “service animal” where it is readily apparent that the animal is used by a person for reasons related to his or her disability. If it is not readily apparent, the person may be required to provide a letter from a physician or a nurse confirming that the animal is required for reasons related to disability.

Support persons

Currently under the Customer Service Standard, an organization may require a person with a disability to be accompanied by a support person where it is necessary to protect the health and safety of the person with a disability or others on the premises. The final proposed changes seek to clarify when an organization may require a support person for health and safety reasons. It adds the requirement to consult with the person with a disability, and that a support person can only be required where it is the only means of allowing the person to be on the premises while fulfilling the organization’s health and safety obligations. These more stringent requirements have been added to avoid organizations acting on assumptions about when a person with a disability may need a support person.

Training for staff

The Customer Service Standard requires that organizations ensure that training has been provided to all persons who deal with members of the public or other third parties on the organization’s behalf (which includes employees, volunteers and contractors), and all persons who participate in the development of the organization’s policies. This means that employees and volunteers who do not deal with members of the public or other third parties do not need to be trained. The final proposed changes will require all employees and volunteers to be trained, regardless whether they deal with customers or other third parties.

Do you know how far toward compliance your company is?

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