Integrated Accessibility Standard Policy, Accessibility For Ontarians With Disabilities Act, 2005

Policy Statement

Ontario Northland Transportation Commission (ONTC) is committed to treating all individuals in a way that allows them to maintain their dignity and independence. The organization believes in integration, equal opportunity, access and participation for people with disabilities. We are committed to meeting the needs of persons with disabilities in a timely manner, and will do so by ensuring compliance with Ontario’s accessibility laws and by identifying, preventing and removing barriers to accessibility.

Purpose

This policy is to govern how Ontario Northland Transportation Commission (ONTC) provides services with respect to the Integrated Accessibility Standards Ontario Regulation 191/11, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and the Canadian Human Rights Code as it pertains to persons with disabilities

Application and Scope

This policy applies to all ONTC employees.

The ONTC Multi-Year Accessibility Plan will be reviewed and updated at least once every five years. Both

documents will be posted on the organization’s website and will be provided in an accessible format, upon

request.

Policy

  1. General
    1. Procuring or Acquiring Goods, Services or Facilities
      ONTC will ensure that accessibility criteria and features are incorporated when procuring or acquiring goods, services or facilities, except where it is not practicable to do so. Where it is impracticable to incorporate accessibility criteria and features, ONTC will provide an explanation upon request.
    2. Training
      ONTC is committed to training all employees on Ontario’s accessibility laws, including the AODA and aspects of the Ontario Human Rights Code that relate to persons with disabilities. ONTC will ensure that training is provided on information and responsibilities as they relate to specific roles and duties of employees. ONTC maintains a training record for all staff. New employees will be trained within the first month of employment. All employees will be trained when changes are made to the ONTC Accessibility Policy.
      ONTC provides training to facilitate orientation for all staff on AODA legislation and compliance requirements. The training includes the following:
      1. AODA Legislation
      2. Complying with the Customer Service Standard
      3. Physical Disability
      4. Hearing Disability
      5. Visual Disability
      6. Speech or Language Disability
      7. Learning Disability
      8. Mental Health Disability
      9. Intellectual / Developmental Disability
      10. Integrated Accessibility Standard Regulation (IASR)
      11. Ontario Human Rights Code (OHRC)
      12. Duty to Accommodate 13. Individual Accommodation
      14. Return to Work
      15. Employment Standards
      16. Workplace Emergency Response Plans
      17. Working with Colleagues with Disabilities
      18. Information and Communication Standard
  2. Information and Communication Standard
    1. Feedback
      ONTC will ensure that its process for receiving and responding to feedback is accessible to persons with disabilities. ONTC will notify the public about the availability of accessible formats and communications supports related to its feedback process
    2. Accessible Formats and Communication Support
      Upon request, ONTC will provide, or arrange for the provision of, accessible formats and communication supports for persons with disabilities. This will occur in a timely manner and will take into account the person’s accessibility needs and request.
      ONTC will consult with the person making the request when determining the suitability of an accessible format or communication support that meets their needs. ONTC will notify the public about the availability of accessible formats and communication supports.
    3. Emergency Procedures, Plans and Public Safety Information
      For any emergency procedures, plans or public safety information that ONTC prepares and makes available to the public, ONTC commits to providing this content in an accessible format or with appropriate communication supports, as soon as practicable, upon request.
    4. Accessible Website and Web Content
      ONTC will ensure that its Internet websites, including web content, conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, at Level AA except where this is impracticable. Where it is impracticable, ICES will provide an explanation upon request.
  3. Employment Standard
    1. General Recruitment and Selection Process
      ONTC will notify candidates under consideration for employment about the availability of accommodation for applicants with disabilities during the recruitment process.
      ONTC will include the following statement on all job postings and recruitment information: “ONTC is committed to providing accessible employment practices, in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA). Applicants are asked to make accommodation requests to ONTC and we will make every effort to ensure that accommodation requests are met throughout the recruitment process.”
      If a selected applicant requests an accommodation, ONTC will consult with the applicant and provide, or arrange for the provision of, a suitable accommodation that considers the applicant’s accommodation request and accessibility needs.
    2. Notice to Successful Applicants
      When making offers of employment, ONTC will notify the successful applicant of its policies for addressing accommodation requests from employees with disabilities. “ONTC is committed to providing accessible employment practices, in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA). If you have accommodation requests related to your employment at ICES, please contact the undersigned. As part of your orientation to your role, you will receive training on the AODA and related ONTC policies.”
    3. Accessible Formats and Communication Supports for Employees
      ONTC will inform its employees of ONTC policies (and any updates or revisions to those policies) used to support employees with disabilities, including policies for providing job accommodations that consider an employee’s accessibility needs. This information will be provided to new employees as soon as practicable after commencing employment.
    4. Workplace Emergency Response Information
      ONTC will provide individualized workplace emergency response information to employees who request accommodation support from ONTC during a workplace emergency. ONTC will provide this information as soon as practicable after becoming aware of an accommodation request.
      Where the employee requires assistance and following receipt of consent of the employee, ONTC will provide the workplace emergency response information and accommodation support needs to the person designated by ONTC to provide assistance to the employee in the event of a workplace emergency.
      ONTC will review the individualized workplace emergency response information if the employee moves to a different location or position within the organization, and when the employee’s overall accommodations needs, plans, or ONTC general emergency response policies are reviewed or revised.
    5. Return to Work Process
      ONTC maintains a documented return to work process for its employees who have been absent from work due to a disability and who require disability-related accommodations in order to return to work.
      The return to work process outlines the steps ONTC will take to facilitate the return to work and will include documented individual accommodation plans as part of the process.
      The return to work process will not replace or override any other return to work process created by legislation.
    6. Performance Management, Career Development and Advancement & Redeployment
      ONTC will take into account the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities, as well as individual accommodation plans, when conducting performance management processes, providing career development and advancement opportunities to employees, or when redeploying employees.
  4. Customer Service Standard
    Customer Service Standards are addressed in the ONTC Customer Service Policy.
  5. Compliance
    ONTC is committed to ensuring its compliance with all AODA requirements applicable to ONTC. We will train our employees on accessibility as it relates to their specific roles and ensure that organizations that ONTC works with have confirmed that they are AODA compliant. We will modify or remove any existing ONTC policies that do not respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities.
  6. Cross Reference / Related Documentation
  7. Additional Information
    For questions about this policy or accessibility at ONTC, contact:
    Human Resources Department
    Phone 705-472-4500 ext 494 or 1-800-363-7512 ext 494
    Fax 705-472-7061
    Email hradmin@ontarionorthland.ca