Omni Hotels & Resorts Offers Accessibility for Guests with Disabilities

eSSENTIAL Accessibility and Omni Hotels & Resorts have partnered to launch the eSSENTIAL Accessibility app, an exciting accessibility initiative for guests with disabilities. The eSSENTIAL Accessibility app provides keyboard and mouse replacement tools that help individuals with physical, reading and age-related disabilities navigate the web. Through the app’s motion technology and voice activated controls, guests can make reservations, research destinations and take advantage of offers.

“Omni Hotels & Resorts provides each guest with a total departure from the everyday by pairing thoughtful details with unparalleled service,” says Simon Dermer, Managing Director of eSSENTIAL Accessibility. “Our app will allow them to do just that online. By adopting our solution, they are now a member of our coalition of purpose driven, disability-friendly organizations.”

Guests who click on the app icon are redirected to a dedicated Omni landing page where they can download the app, but also learn about everything Omni has to offer. For more information on the initiative, visit the eSSENTIAL Accessibility page,https://www.essentialaccessibility.com/omnihotels/.

Would you be more inclined to visit this resort?

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

Mental health or physical disabilities that deal with the duty to accommodate

Remember, the Ontario Human Rights Commission has a ton of incredibly helpful information relating to accommodation in the workplace on their website. It’s a valuable resource and is often overlooked. Another valuable resource? A really good employment lawyer!

Don’t bury your head in the sand

Pretending nothing is wrong isn’t going to help you. Turning a blind eye to patterns of behaviour that would alert a reasonable person to the fact that additional inquiries should be made will not help you. Some of the more common flags would be:

Talk to the employee. Share your observations and let them know your concerns. Ask if there’s anything the matter and whether they need help. Point them to your accommodation policies (which, depending on the size of your organization, are or will soon be required under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (“AODA”) and encourage them to come to you if they require support.

Be proactive

Once a need for accommodation has been identified, it’s important for you to understand the employee’s functional limitations. Basically, what can the employee do without help, what can the employee do with help, and what the employee can’t do. Understand what help the employee requires and how you can best provide that help. Ask how long the accommodation will be required and when you can expect the employee to be back up to 100%. Ask your employee to update this information frequently.

Park the skepticism

Employees are entitled to request accommodation. Employers must assume such requests are made in good faith and proceed on that basis. Although I appreciate that many are the times when employees request accommodation when they are being performance managed, there is no benefit to challenging the legitimacy of their request at the outset. Or at any other time during the accommodation process. Approach all requests for accommodation the same way.

What do you know about mental health and disability accommodations?

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 orsandra_broekhof@sympatico.ca

Legislation will improve access to copyrighted materials for Canadians vision with disabilities

Canadians who are blind or have low vision will have better access to books and other copyrighted materials. The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, today announced that the Act to Amend the Copyright Act (access to copyrighted works or other subject-matter for persons with perceptual disabilities) has received royal assent.

The amendments to the Copyright Act enable Canada to be among the first countries in the world to accede to the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, or low vision or Otherwise Print Disabled.

By bringing the country’s copyright law in line with the Treaty, Canada has shown leadership in ensuring a wider availability of books and other materials for Canadians with print disabilities.

“I am proud that this legislation is coming into force. Improving access to books and other copyrighted materials for the visually impaired and print disabled is a priority for our government. I am pleased that, with the passage of this legislation, Canada is leading by example in making the world a more accessible place.” – The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development

“I am honoured that our government is standing up for Canadians with disabilities. With the Act coming into force, Canadians with print disabilities will have more equitable access to alternative-format published materials and will benefit from greater accessibility and opportunities in their communities and workplaces.”– The Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities

“I am proud that the government has taken action to ensure that visually impaired and print-disabled persons have access to the latest and best published materials from around the world. This legislation will allow Canadians to participate fully and actively in our society, and it will contribute to the development of our inclusive economy.”– The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage

“CNIB is thrilled Bill C-11, which implements the Marrakesh Treaty, has received royal assent. This is an important milestone for Canadians with vision loss and other print disabilities. Access to literature is a human right and the Marrakesh Treaty will provide greater access to published literature in alternate formats, unlocking opportunities for education and employment and providing equal access to all Canadians.” – Diane Bergeron, Executive Director, Strategic Relations and Engagement, CNIB

 

How will this change help you and your organization?

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 orsandra_broekhof@sympatico.ca

Canada launches consultation on planned new accessibility legislation

The Government of Canada is committed to eliminating systemic barriers and delivering equality of opportunity to all Canadians living with disabilities.

The Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities announced the launch of a national consultation process to inform the development of planned legislation that will transform how the Government of Canada addresses accessibility.

Minister Qualtrough highlighted the critical importance of accessibility and affirmed the Government of Canada’s commitment to ensuring all Canadians are able to participate equally in their communities and workplaces. She outlined that many Canadians continue to face barriers that affect their ability to participate in daily activities that most people take for granted. Barriers could include:

• physical, architectural  and electronic barriers that impact the ability of people with disabilities to move freely in the built environment, to use public transportation or to access information or use technology;
• attitudes, beliefs and misconceptions that some people may have about people with disabilities and what they can and cannot do; and
• outdated policies and practices that do not take into account the varying abilities and disabilities that people may have.

The Government of Canada is seeking input for this planned legislation, including:

• feedback on the overall goal and approach;
• to whom would apply;
• what accessibility issues and barriers it could address;
• how it could be monitored and enforced; and
• what else the Government of Canada could do to improve accessibility.

Canadians from around the country have already begun sharing their views on what an accessible Canada means to them. Minister Qualtrough encouraged all Canadians to have their say in the consultation process, either by attending an in-person engagement session or by participating in the online consultation which will be launched in the coming weeks. In-person consultations, including roundtables and town halls, will start in September across Canada. The consultation process will run until February 2017.

What would you like to see in the Canadian Disabilities Act?

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