As discussed in prior articles, if your organization provides goods or services directly to the public or to other businesses or organizations and has more than one employee in Ontario, it was required as of January 1, 2012 to be fully compliant with the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service Regulation (the Customer Standard) as well as the emergency preparedness requirements under the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (the Integrated Standard).
To evaluate compliance with the Customer Standard, the Ministry of Community and Social Services requires organizations with 20 or more employees to complete an annual Customer Standard compliance report. The online reporting tool, as well as resources regarding the emergency preparedness requirements, were recently made available.
Online Reporting Tool
The deadline for filing the annual Customer Standard compliance report is December 31 of each calendar year. The report is filed online at the Ministry of Community and Social Services website. In order to complete the report, organizations must create a ONe-Source account, answer a series of "yes or no" questions and certify and submit the report. In order to determine whether your organization is compliant with the Customer Standard prior to filing the annual report, the Ministry has made the questions in the report available here.
Emergency Preparedness Resources
As previously discussed, as of January 1, 2012 the Integrated Standard requires employers to provide individualized workplace emergency response information to disabled employees if it is required based on the employee's disability and whether the employer is aware of the need for accommodation. The Ministry has made resources available to assist organizations with complying with the emergency preparedness.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
