ACCESSIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE TRAINING

County of EssexNovember 2009

Did you know…

Approximately 15.5% or 1.85 million Ontarians have a disability, up from 13.5% in 2001

Estimated that by 2025 approximately 3 million Ontarians will have a disability – representing 20% of the population

Not every disability is visible Examples include: vision disabilities,

deafness or being hard of hearing, intellectual or developmental disabilities and mental health disabilities

Benefits of Accessibility Economic Benefits

Accessibility generates new spending in the retail, tourism and hospitality sectors

People with disabilities in Canada have an estimated annual consumer spending power of $25 billion

Social Benefits Universal perspective to accessibility

Consequences of Inaccessibility Inaccessible organizations will be

left behind Untapped labour market potential Loss of business opportunities Penalties under the AODA

Legislation Governing Accessibility in Ontario Ontarians with Disabilities Act

(ODA) 2001 Accessibility planning for government

and broader public sector – still in effect

No standards. Limited enforcement ODA expected to be repealed when all

the standards are in place under the AODA

Legislation Governing Accessibility in Ontario Accessibility for Ontarians with

Disabilities (AODA) Provides for standards with timelines

for compliance, in accessing goods, services, buildings and employment

Standards will foster integrating accessibility into regular business and capital planning

AODA Compliance with standards for

accessing goods, services, buildings and employment

File certified accessibility reports by both public and private sector organizations

Reports will focus on specific requirements in the standards

Enforcement and inspection will apply

Enforcement under the AODA Enforcement provisions

established in AODA Timeframes for compliance

established in Standards AODA establishes that ‘inspectors’

will have the power to require production of documents and records and to question people

Enforcement under the AODA The Director may make

compliance orders (after notice and an opportunity for submissions) and impose administrative penalties

Orders may be appealed to a tribunal

It is an offence to… Furnish false or misleading

information in an accessibility report

Fail to comply with an order Obstruct or fail to answer relevant

questions of an inspector Provide false or misleading

information to an inspector or withhold relevant information

It is an offence For a director or officer of

corporations to fail to take all reasonable care to prevent the corporation from committing an offence

The penalty: a director or officer may be fined up to $50,000 per day

Penalties for offences Fine of up to $50,000 for persons

or organizations for each day or part-day that an offence occurs or continues

Greater fines for corporations: up to $100,000 per day

What can we expect in AODA standards? Accessibility standards regulations

will contain requirements for the identification and removal of barriers with respect to goods and services

And for the prevention of the erection of such barriers

There will be implementation time frames

A ‘barrier’ is defined in AODA Anything that prevents a person with

a disability from fully participating in all aspects of society because of the disability

Barriers may be physical, architectural, attitudinal, an information or communication barrier, a technological barrier, or policy or a practice

‘Disability’ is also defined Any degree of physical disability Including but not limited to diabetes, epilepsy,

brain injury, paralysis, amputation, lack of coordination, blindness or visual impediment, deafness or hearing impediment, muteness or speech impediment, physical reliance on a guide dog or other animal or wheelchair or appliance

Mental impairment or developmental disability Learning disability or dysfunction in

understanding or using symbols or spoken language

Mental disorder Injury for which WSIB claimed or received

Five Standards Development Committees Customer Services – regulation

now in effect Transportation Accessible Information and

Communications Accessible Built Environment Employment Accessibility

For status visit www.AccessON.ca

Talk to Me T – take the time to ask, May I help

you? A – Ask, don’t assume. Never assist

unless asked to. L – Listen attentively and speak

directly to the person with the disability

K – Know the accommodations and services available in your community.

Accessibility Standard for Customer Service – O.R. 429/07 Came into force on January 1, 2008 First accessibility standard under AODA Applies to all organizations that provide goods

and services to customers in Ontario and have at least one employee

It does not apply to services provided internally within an organization

Goods themselves are not covered; it’s the manner in which they are provided – their ‘provision’ – that must be done in an accessible manner

Contracted-out providers must also comply

Main area covered in O.R . 429/07

Development of policies, practices, procedures (including specific attention to personal assistive devices)

Service animals and support persons Training of employees Provision of notice of disruption Establishment of a system for feedback Reporting requirements

Timelines for Compliance Municipalities and other

designated public sector organizations must comply with the customer service standard by January 1, 2010

Other providers of goods and services (including private sector) must comply by January 1, 2012.

Policies, Practices and Procedures – what is required?

Organizations shall establish: Policies (what they intend to do) Procedures (how they will do it) and Practices (day to day implementation,

including behaviour of employees) Governing their provision of goods

or services to persons with disabilities

Principles Providers must use reasonable

efforts to ensure that policies, practices and procedures are consistent with the core principles:

Dignity Independence Integration Equality of opportunity

Other basic requirements under O.R. 429/07 Policies must deal with allowing the use of

personal assistive devices Providers shall communicate in a manner

that takes into account the person’s disability

Designated public sector organizations and private sector organizations with over 20 employees shall prepare document(s) describing their policies, practices and procedures

Service Animals Providers operating out of premises to

which the public has access must ensure entry by a person with a disability accompanied by a guide dog or other service animal, and must permit the person to keep the animal with him or her

One exception is if the animal is excluded by law and then you must ensure other means are available

Service Animal definition A dog trained as a guide for a blind person

and having the qualifications prescribed by the regulations under the Blind Persons’ Rights Act

An animal that is readily apparent as being used for purpose relating to a disability

Includes an animal where the person provides a letter from a physician or nurse confirming the animal is required for reasons relating to disability

Support Persons Permit people with disabilities who use a

support person to bring that person with them while accessing goods or services in premises open to the public or third parties

Where confidentiality is important because of the information discussed, you may require the support person to sign a confidentiality agreement

In rare instances, an organization may require a person with a disability to be accompanied by a support person

Where admission fees are charged, notice must be provided ahead of time on what admission, if any, would be charged for a support person with a disability

Notice of Admission Charges

Notice of Service Disruption Notice must be given when facilities or services

that people with disabilities rely on to access or use your goods or services are temporarily disrupted

This notice must include reasons for the disruption, anticipated duration and a description of alternative facilities or services if any that are available

The notice may be given by posting information at a conspicuous place on premises, posting on website or other reasonable method

Training of employees, volunteers, contractors Training must be provided to

everyone in your organization who; Interacts with the public as well as other

third parties who act on your behalf Influences the development of policies,

practices and procedures Identifying who to train depends on

actual roles of people, not their job descriptions

Training Content Purposes of the AODA and requirement of

the customer service standard Instruction on how to interact and

communicate with people with various types of disabilities

Instruction on how to interact with people with disabilities who use assistive devices or require the assistance of a guide dog, other service animals or a support person

Training Content (cont’d) Instruction on how to use equipment or

devices available to your premises or that you provide otherwise, that may help people with disabilities access your services, such as TTY telephone, elevators, lifts, accessible interactive kiosks or other technology; and

Instruction on what to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty accessing your services

When must training be done January 1, 2010 for public sector January 1, 2012 for private sector If policies, practices and

procedures on the provision of goods or services to people with disabilities change, you must provide updated training to those individuals who require such training as soon a practicable

Training Records Public sector organizations or other

organizations with 20 or more employees must keep records of the training provided, including the dates when the training is provided and the number of individuals to whom it is provided.

Feedback Process Organizations must establish a process for

receiving and responding to feedback about the manner in which they provide goods and/or services to persons with disabilities

Information about the feedback process must be made available to the public

The process must allow feedback in person, by phone, in writing or electronically

The feedback process must indicate what actions you will take after you have received a compliant.

Documentation Required Public sector organizations and private sector

organizations that have more than 20 employees must:

Have documentation in writing of all your policies, practices and procedures for providing accessible customer service and meet other document requirements set out in the standard

Notify customers that documents required under the customer service standard are available upon request

When giving documents required under the customer services standard to a person with a disability, provide the information in a format that takes into account the person’s disability

Accessibility Directorate of Ontario Public education and awareness Provide compliance assistance support to

obligated sectors Establish Standards Development Committees

to develop accessibility standards Assist Accessibility Standards Advisory Council

in fulfilling its mandate Consult and partner with organizations to

support compliance assistance Enforcement of the AODA and its standards

through compliance assurance framework

Resources Contact centre dedicated to answering calls

regarding the AODA and the regulations (Toll-free: 1-866-515-2025/TTY:416-325-3408/1-800-268-7095)

www.AccessON.ca/compliance - A one-stop shop for AODA information and resources to assist organizations in complying with accessibility standard regulations including: A guide to the accessible customer service

standard Tools, tip sheets and ‘how to’ primers Resources in various media formats Strategic public and private sector partnerships

Essex County Accessible Customer Service Policy #09-001

Adopted by Essex County Council on May 6, 2009

Purpose – County committed to being responsive to the needs of all our residents and visitors – to do this must ensure all good and services are being provided in an accessible manner

Essex County Accessible Customer Service Policy #09-001 (cont’d)

Reasonable efforts will be made to ensure goods and services are provided in a manner that respects the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities.

Essex County Accessible Customer Service Policy #09-001 (cont’d) Definitions – Person with Disability –

consistent with definition in AODA and Ontario Human Rights Code

Service Animals - readily apparent used by person for reasons related to disability

Can require letter from physician or nurse confirming require service animal

Essex County Accessible Customer Service Policy #09-001 (cont’d)

Definitions (cont’d) – Support Person – person who

accompanies a person with a disability to help with communication, mobility, personal care or medical needs or access to goods or services

Essex County Accessible Customer Service Policy #09-001 (cont’d)

Who does this policy apply to?. All County of Essex employees and

policy makers of the County that have any interaction with the public and to all volunteers and contractors who have interaction with the public on our behalf

Essex County Accessible Customer Service Policy #09-001 (cont’d)

Procedure and Practices – general procedures and practices setout in policy.

Specific procedures and practices for each Department have also been documented

Essex County Accessible Customer Service Policy #09-001 (cont’d)

Feedback Process The feedback process included our

Policy allows for complaints or general comments to be submitted to us in a number of different formats including:

On-line through our website www.countyofessex.on.ca

E-mail to accessibility@countyofessex.on.ca

Essex County Accessible Customer Service Policy #09-001 (cont’d)

Feedback (cont’d) Telephone Department Head or

designate responsible for receiving the complaints or comments

TTY call through TEXTNET – phone number is 1-877-624-4832

Copy of the Feedback form is included in your ACS Reference Manual – Tab 7

Essex County Accessible Customer Service Policy #09-001 (cont’d)

Feedback – (cont’d) Our policy provides a commitment

of 30 days for a response to be provided to anyone providing a comment/complaint

If some expertise is required to deal with the complaint it can be directed to the Essex County Accessibility Advisory Committee

Essex County Accessible Customer Service Policy #09-001 (cont’d)

Feedback (cont’d) If no resolution can be reached

between the complaint and the Department Head – refer to CAO

Failing resolution with CAO, complaint has option of presenting issue to County Council

Essex County Accessible Customer Service Policy #09-001 (cont’d)

Service Disruption The County must provide notice if there is

going to be some kind of planned services disruption which will prevent a person with a disability from accessing our services

Notice must include reason for disruption, duration and a description of alternate facilities or services if any available

Essex County Accessible Customer Service Policy #09-001 (cont’d)Service Disruption (cont’d) Our policy requires the ‘notice’ will be

posted at a conspicuous place at the facility involved, on the County website and audio messages will be recorded on the automated telephone attendant for the facility

With enough notice it may be put in a newspaper or local radio

As much notice as possible will be given for temporary service disruptions

Essex County Accessible Customer Service Policy #09-001 (cont’d)

Procedures and Practices1. Communications – takes into

consideration a person’s disability2. Training – appropriate training if

interact with the public3. Service Animals – permitted in

County facilities open to the public unless excluded by law

Essex County Accessible Customer Service Policy #09-001 (cont’d)

Procedures & Practices (cont’d) Support Persons – are permitted to

accompany a person with a disability to County premises normally open to the public

If there is admission charged, our policy is that we provide advance notice if the support person will be charged

Our practice has been to waive admission fees for support workers

Essex County Accessible Customer Service Policy #09-001 (cont’d)

Format of Documents No one format is accessible to all

people Our policy requires that, upon

request, we SHALL give the person a document or information contained in the document that is in a format that takes into account a person’s disability

Essex County Accessible Customer Service Policy #09-001 (cont’d)

Format of Documents (cont’d) Where possible follow CNIB’s Clear

Print Standards Font size no smaller than 12 Contrasting colours – black text, white

background Verdana or Arial fonts (not-decorative) Wide spacing between letters & lines

Essex County Accessible Customer Service Policy #09-001 (cont’d)

Format of Documents (cont’d) Printed materials of the County

produced for the public should contain the note “ALTERNATE FORMATS ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST” and include relevant contact information.

Essex County Accessible Customer Service Policy #09-001 (cont’d)

Format of Documents (cont’d) Persons requesting documents in

alternate formats will be consulted with, to determine what format best meets their needs

Document conversions will be done in a timely manner depending on the complexity of the conversion

Essex County Accessible Customer Service Policy #09-001 (cont’d)

Format of Documents (cont’d) Conversion will be done in-house if

possible If there is a cost involved to make

the document conversion, the department of origin shall be responsible for the cost of the conversion, materials and distribution, not the public requestor.

Essex County Accessible Customer Service Policy #09-001 (cont’d)

Training The County policy specifies that

every person who deals with the public on behalf of the County, whether they be an employee, volunteer, agent or other shall receive training on accessible training

Essex County Accessible Customer Service Policy #09-001 (cont’d)

Assistive Devices Our policy specifies that we will allow

people with disabilities to use their own assistive devices

If a person isn’t able to access our goods and services using their own assistive devices, we need to try to find a way to deliver the service that will meet the needs of that individual

Additional Resources The Association of Municipal

Managers, Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario (AMCTO) has launched an ‘Accessibility Toolbox’ which can be accessed by anyone at: http://www.accessiblemunicipalities.ca/

The information provided is not just applicable to municipalities