Doing Business Under the AODA
Preparing for the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act
Employers, municipalities and businesses can plan now to prepare for the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and reap the benefits earlier.
Are there ways that employers, municipalities and businesses can act now to remove barriers to persons with disabilities, before the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act requires them to? The key to compliance to this and any other legislation is awareness and using this awareness to plan how one does business.
As an employer, when planning to add staff, how do you go about developing and setting your job descriptions? Are you paying close attention to what the actual requirements of the job are, or are you including specific requirements that are nice to have, but may not be absolutely necessary to carry out the essential duties of the job? For example, do your employment counselors really need a Master’s Degree to successfully carry out their role, or would somebody with “related education and experience” fit the bill? Does your office administrator really need a driver’s license to carry out the duties of her job? How about your stock person that monitors and accepts shipments and organizes placement on store shelves? Does this person really need to use a forklift and climb ladders?
What about your business location? Are you located in an area where somebody that uses public or accessible transit can access? Does your location have adequate parking for handicapped permit holders? Can some or all of your new positions be carried out off-site, perhaps in the person’s own home? Can some tasks be switched to enable the new employee to carry out the essential elements of their job, while others may take over the "nice to have" elements? These are questions employers need to ask themselves, to make it easier to comply when employment accessibility standards regulations come into effect.
Further, as a municipality, it is important for communities to be as accessible and open as possible, so that persons of diverse abilities and backgrounds can participate equally in your community. While a first step would be to ensure public buildings and recreational facilities are accessible, people with disabilities need to be able to get there. Transportation policies need to be developed that are fair and equitable for all members of the community.
How about zoning requirements and land use policies that might restrict certain types of housing from being built in the "nicer" neighbourhoods that are close to schools, shopping and other amenities? When you move to a new neighbourhood, do you have to seek the approval of your new neighbours first to move in? Why should this be any different for those who may have the need for assisted housing supports?
As a business, are you located in an area that can be reached and accessed by persons with varying levels of disability? Are there any stairs to enter your premises? Are your public washrooms located in a place that can be reached if a person uses a wheelchair? Is the door wide enough to fit a power chair and are there grab bars and lowered sinks to enable this same person to use your facilities without any problems?
As a restaurant, do you have menus available in Braille and other alternative formats? Do you have information as to potential ingredients in your menu options to assist patrons with food allergies that may require accommodations, such as wheat-free or peanut-free choices?
Planning ahead by identifying and removing potential barriers to persons with disabilities is the first stage in compliance with the new legislation. It is the start of developing an awareness that will bring many benefits for years to come by bringing in almost a million new potential customers, employees, residents and others, that will not only enrich your experience, but will increase your bottom line.
