AODA customer service standard online reporting available

March 5, 2012 Yosie Saint-Cyr Accessibility Standards, Standard for Customer Service

Send to Kindle

Image: www.ldao.ca

Organizations with 20 or more employees that have to report on their accessibility compliance with the Customer Service Standard under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act must do so prior to December 31, 2012.

The Accessibility Compliance Reporting tool is at ServiceOntario’s ONe-Source for Business website. The tool requires you to create an account if you don’t already have one. Once your account has been created, follow the menu tab Accessibility Compliance Reporting “ACR” in order to complete your accessibility compliance report.

The Ministry of Community and Social Services has posted a step-by-step guide on how to create an account for your organization.

The Ministry has also provided an overview of the questions the annual report will be asking organizations about the steps they have taken to comply with the standard for customer service here.

Remember, since January 1, 2012, Ontario organizations that provide goods or services, and have one or more employees must have created a plan, policies, practices and procedures on how they will remove barriers in their organization to ensure customers with disabilities can access their goods and services. This requires that organizations considers a person’s disability when communicating with them; allow assistive devices such as wheelchairs, walkers and oxygen tanks, among others; allow and welcomes service animals and support persons on their premises; and notify customers when accessible services aren’t available or their is a disruption in services; as well as invite customers to provide feedback.

One key requirement is these organization must train staff on accessible customer service, their policies, practices and procedures.

Yosie Saint-Cyr
First Reference Human Resources and Compliance Managing Editor