IASR Employment Standards

In accordance with AODA legislation and the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation specifically, DBIS Inc. (DBIS) is committed to providing an opportunity for individuals to have access to all employment services provided by DBIS that follow the principles of dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity.

DBIS Policy #8.1.5:

This policy is intended to meet the requirements of the Integrated Accessibility Standards, Ontario Regulation 191/11 for the Employment Standard set forth under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. This policy applies to the provision of accessible employment services for persons with disabilities.

Definitions:

Accessible Formats:  
Include but are not limited to large print, recorded audio and electronic formats, braille and other formats usable by persons with disabilities.

Communication Supports:
Include but are not limited to captioning, alternative and augmentative communication supports, plain language, sign language and other supports that facilitate effective communications.

Performance Management:
Activities related to assessing and improving employee performance, productivity and effectiveness with the goal of facilitating employee success.

Redeployment:
The reassignment of employees to other departments or jobs within the organization as an alternative to layoff, when a particular job or department has been eliminated by the organization.

General Principles

In accordance with the Integrated Accessibility Standards, Ontario Regulation 191/11, this policy addresses the following:

1. General Requirements
2. Recruitment, Assessment and Selection
3. Accessible Formats and Communication Supports for Employees
4. Workplace Emergency Response Information
5. Documented Individual Accommodation Plans
6. Performance Management and Career Development and Advancement
7. Return to Work
8. Redeployment

1. General Requirements

General requirements that apply across all of the four (4) standards, Information and Communications, Employment, Transportation and Design of Public Spaces, are outlined as follows:

Establishment of Accessibility Policies and Plans

DBIS will develop, implement and maintain policies governing how it will achieve accessibility through these requirements.

DBIS will include a statement of its commitment to meeting the accessibility needs of persons with disabilities in a timely way in its policies. These documents will be made available in an accessible format, upon request.

DBIS will establish implement, maintain and document a multi-year accessibility plan outlining its strategy to prevent and remove barriers and meet its requirements under the IASR. Accessibility plans will be made available in accessible format, upon request.

DBIS will review and update its accessibility plan annually and will establish, review and update our accessibility plans in keeping with regulatory requirements, guidelines and standard practices. Status reports will be prepared at the end of each year and will be available in accessible format, upon request.

Training Requirements

DBIS will provide training for its employees and volunteers regarding the IASR and the Ontario Human Rights Code as they pertain to individuals with disabilities. Training will also be provided to individuals who are responsible for developing DBIS' policies, and all other persons who provide goods, services or facilities on behalf of DBIS. Training will be provided on an ongoing basis to new employees and as changes to DBIS' accessibility policies occur. DBIS will maintain records of training provided, when it was provided and the number of employees that were trained.

2. Recruitment, Assessment and Selection

DBIS will notify employees and the public about the availability of accommodation for job applicants who have disabilities. Applicants will be informed that these accommodations are available, upon request, for the interview process and for other candidate selection methods. Where an accommodation is requested, DBIS will consult with the applicant and provide or arrange for suitable accommodation.

Successful applicants will be made aware of DBIS' policies and supports for accommodating people with disabilities.

3. Accessible Formats and Communication Supports for Employees

DBIS will ensure that employees are aware of our policies for employees with disabilities and any changes to these policies as they occur.

If an employee with a disability requests it, DBIS will provide or arrange for the provision of accessible formats and communication supports for the following:

• Information needed in order to perform his/her job; and
• Information that is generally available to all employees in the workplace.

DBIS will consult with the employee making the request to determine the best way to provide the accessible format or communication support.

4. Workplace Emergency Response Information

Where required, DBIS will create individual workplace emergency response information for employees with disabilities. This information will take into account the unique challenges created by the individual's disability and the physical nature of the workplace, and will be created in consultation with the employee. 

If an employee with an individualized workplace emergency response information requires assistance, the organization ensures to obtain their consent to share the workplace emergency response information to the person(s) designated by the employer to provide assistance

This information will be reviewed when:

• The employee moves to a different physical location in the organization;
• The employee's overall accommodation needs or plans are reviewed; and/or
• DBIS reviews general emergency response policies.

5. Documented Individual Accommodation Plans

DBIS must also develop and have in place written processes for documenting individual accommodation plans for employees with disabilities. The process for the development of these accommodation plans should include specific elements, including:

• The ways in which the employee can participate in the development of the plan;
• The means by which the employee is assessed on an individual basis;
• The ways that an employee can request an evaluation by an outside medical expert, or other experts (at the employer's expense) to determine if accommodation can be achieved, or how it can be achieved;
• The way the employee can request the participation of a representative from their bargaining agent, where the employee is represented by a bargaining agent, or other representative from the workplace, where the employee is not represented by a bargaining agent, in the development of the accommodation plan;
• The steps taken to protect the privacy of the employee's personal information;
• The frequency with which the individual accommodation plan should be reviewed or updated and how it should be done;
• If an individual accommodation plan is denied, the way the reasons for the denial will be provided to the employee; and
• The means of providing the accommodation plan in an accessible format, based on the employee's accessibility needs.

6. Performance Management, Career Development and Advancement

DBIS will consider the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities when implementing performance management processes, or when offering career development or advancement opportunities.

Individual accommodation plans will be utilized, as required.

7. Return to Work

DBIS will develop and implement return to work processes for employees who are absent from work due to a disability and require disability-related accommodation(s) in order to return to work.

The return to work process will outline the steps DBIS will take to facilitate the employee's return to work and shall use documented individual accommodation plans (as described in section 28 of the regulation).

8. Redeployment

The accessibility needs of employees with disabilities will be taken into account in the event of redeployment.

Individual accommodation plans will be consulted, as required.

1. Review

This policy will be reviewed regularly to ensure that it is reflective of DBIS' current practices as well as legislative requirements.

Procedure:

1. General Requirements:

• Compliance in regard to the general requirements of AODA legislation and IASR regulation are presented in the Multi-year Accessibility Plan and may be reviewed in that document.

2. Recruitment, Assessment and Selection:

• All external and internal employment postings will include a statement notifying any potential applicant of the availability of accommodations, upon request, for qualified disabled applicants.
• A general statement will be placed on the DBIS employment web page notifying any potential applicant of the availability of accommodations, upon request, for qualified disabled applicants.
• Any qualified applicant who requests accommodation will be contacted and consulted in order to ensure appropriate and suitable accommodation is made available for the candidate.
• All newly hired employees will be informed of DBIS policies and supports for accommodating persons with disabilities in the workplace.

3. Accessible Formats and Communication Supports for Employees:

• DBIS will ensure that employees are aware of our policies for employees with disabilities and any changes to these policies as they occur.
• If an employee with a disability requests it, DBIS will provide or arrange for the provision of accessible formats and communication supports for the following:

• Information needed in order to perform his/her job; and
• Information that is generally available to all employees in the workplace.

• DBIS will consult with the employee making the request to determine the best way to provide the accessible format or communication support.

4. Workplace Emergency Response Information:

Where required, DBIS will create individual workplace emergency response information for employees with disabilities. This information will take into account the unique challenges created by the individual's disability and the physical nature of the workplace, and will be created in consultation with the employee.

This information will be reviewed when:

• The employee moves to a different physical location in the organization;
• The employee's overall accommodation needs or plans are reviewed; and/or
• DBIS reviews general emergency response policies.

5. Return to Work and Documented Individual Accommodation Plans:

The process for return to work and employment accommodation is outlined in DBIS Policy 6.3.1 (available upon request).

6. Performance Management:

The employer shall take into account the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities, as well as individual accommodation plans, when using its performance management process in respect of employees with disabilities. Considerations may include:

• Reviewing an employee’s individual accommodation plan to assess whether it requires revision to assist in improving work performance.
• Providing the employee with performance management documents in accessible formats
• Providing coaching and feedback in a way that adequately accounts for the employee’s disability.

7. Career Development, Advancement and Redeployment:

Any change in an employee’s working conditions due to promotion or reassignment must consider the employee’s accessibility needs such that they have equal opportunity to be considered for such options and that any such transition will adequately accommodate their individual accommodation plan.