Physical disability

Why website accessibility matters

June 20, 2012 Suzanne Cohen Share Accessibility Standards, Human Resources, Human Rights, Integrated Accessibility Regulation, Standard for Customer Service, Standard for Information and Communications, 0

The Federal Court of Appeal has upheld a legally blind woman’s 2010 legal victory over the federal government, ordering the government to make its websites accessible to blind persons. It may not be a case under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, but it does show us how website accessibility matters and has an impact on promoting accessibility for persons with disabilities.

Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, Accessible websites, AODA, blindness, canadian charter of rights and freedoms, Disability, discrimination, Donna Jodhan, equal access to online information, Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation, ontario, Physical disability, visual impairments, web accessibility, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, website accessibility

Weight a factor in employment decisions

March 5, 2012 Yosie Saint-Cyr Employee Relations, Human Resources, Human Rights, Payroll, Recruiting and Hiring, Wages and Compensation

In a recent HRinfodesk poll, we asked our readers if a person’s weight had ever influenced their decision on whether to hire, promote or reward the person. The reason I was so interested in the topic is that a Quebec lawyer recently sued her former law firm because she believes the firm discriminated against her in employment because she was overweight.

BFOR, bona fide occupational requirement, discrimination, employment, employment contract, employment law, employment related decisions, fixed-term contract, height and weight requirement, hiring, overweight, Physical appearance, Physical disability, promoting or rewarding employees, psychological harassment, Quebec Human Rights Commission

Duty to accommodate disability case sent back to Human Rights Tribunal

September 16, 2011 Christina Catenacci Human Resources, Human Rights

The tribunal that decided the case of alleged discrimination against a part-time paramedic with multiple sclerosis who was shifted to a part-time ambulance driver position (at the paramedic’s pay rate) left some loose ends, according to the Supreme Court of British Columbia. The Court sent the case back to the tribunal to decide if the employer reasonably accommodated the employee, even though he was not able to perform important paramedic duties.

accessibility, accommodation process, assistive devices, assistive technologies, BFOR, Disability, discrimination, duty to accommodate, employment law, human rights tribunal, multiple schlerosis, paramedic, Physical disability, resonably accommodated employee, Supreme Court of British Columbia, undue hardship

Withdrawing arrangement to accommodate disability a bad and expensive idea

June 17, 2011 Christina Catenacci Human Resources, Human Rights

I recently read an excellent case that sends a strong message to employers who attempt to abruptly change telecommuting arrangements, especially in the case where the employer had been previously accommodating the employee due to a physical disability. Simply put, it is a really bad idea, one that could cost at least $18,000.

accommodate disability, accommodating the employee due to a physical disability, discrimination on the ground of disability, employment law, environmental hypersensitivity, environmental sensitivities, environmental sensitivity, harassment, Physical disability, sick building syndrome, telecommuting, telecommuting arrangement

Judge orders federal government to make websites accessible to the blind

December 1, 2010 Yosie Saint-Cyr Accessibility Standards, Human Resources, Human Rights, Standard for Customer Service, Standard for Information and Communications

In Donna Jodhan v. Attorney General of Canada, a recent significant accessibility ruling, a Federal Court judge has ordered Ottawa to make all of the government websites accessible to the blind within 15 months.