Job Accommodations

What is job accommodation?

• Removal or modification of a barrier to achieve full integration or inclusion of a person with a disability into the workplace

• Provides an employee with a disability an equal opportunity to perform his or her job

Types of barriers

• Structural, physical or technological obstacle in the work environment that impedes the ability of a person with a disability. Examples:
  • Building structure – heavy doors
  • Office work stations with narrow openings
  • Standard size computer monitor

• Often stem from policies and procedures that preclude people with disabilities, although they may have no relevance to the person’s ability to do a job. Examples:
  • Speed testing all job applicants when speed is not an actual job requirement
  • Screening out an applicant who has employment gaps in their work history

• Attitudes and stereotypes about people with disabilities that keep people from appreciating the full potential of an individual with a disability. Examples:
  • Pity – feeling sorry for people with disabilities leading to patronizing
  • Low productivity – misconception that people with disabilities are less productive than other workers

Common misconceptions about hiring people with disabilities

• Most job accommodations are simple and inexpensiv
• According to Job Accommodation Canada, 80% of accommodations cost less than $500
• It is misleading to consider the cost of these changes as the cost of accommodating just one employee.
• Accommodations have more to do with creativity, flexibility and sound management practices than expensive structural modifications.
• The 1991 Heath and Activity Limitations Survey (HALS) found that fewer than 30,000 or 4% of the 890,000 working Canadians with disabilities required accessible washrooms, ramps or other building modifications.
• Most frequently reported accommodations were changes in job duties and modified hours of work.
• Clients and customers, including parents with baby strollers and people making deliveries, also enjoy the comforts of a less cumbersome environment.

• According to a DuPont study, 86% of employees with disabilities have average or above average attendance records.
• A subsequent study found 39% of workers with disabilities to be more reliable than other workers.

• According to a Louis Harris and Associates survey of 930 employers, the majority of managers reported their employees with disabilities work as hard or harder than their employees without disabilities.
• 90% were rated as average or above average in performance of job duties.
• 79% of the managers also responded that the disabled employees work 33% as hard or harder than 46% of their employees without a disability.

• 2.3 million Canadians between 15 and 64 years of age have disabilities.
• People with disabilities represent 13% of the working age population. 

• The Workers’ Compensation Board cannot increase your premiums on the basis that some of your employees have disabilities.

• It is easy to show awareness. Start by avoiding stereotypes and remember to deal with each person as an individual. Don’t single out the disability. Consider the person before the disability.

Why accommodate?

• Investing in good employees through accommodations builds:
  • loyalty
  • commitment
  • job satisfaction
  • productivity

• By understanding the needs of your employees, your organization will attract and retain quality candidates, and develop a diverse and healthy workforce.

• Improves corporate image by reflecting the diversity of the community.

• Your business will be in a better position to respond to the produce and service needs of customers and clients with disabilities—a growing market.

Meeting your obligations under the Human Rights Code

• Accommodations be made for persons with disabilities in order for them to perform the essential duties of a job for which they are capable.

• Employers in fact have a “Duty to Accommodate. 

• When job accommodation constitutes “undue hardship” for an employer, job accommodation is not required.

• Factors considered in determining “undue hardship” are:
  • cost
  • outside sources of funding, if any
  • health and safety requirements

• In some circumstances a person with a disability may be unable to perform the essential duties of a job.

• Efforts to accommodate the employee’s needs must be exhausted before any such determination is made.

 Examples of disability accommodations

• Used to assist individuals who have a physical, mental or cognitive disability.

• Personal assistance services may include self-care routines and assistance with cognitive tasks such as handling money or facilitating communications using a Reader or a Sign Language Interpreter.

• Taking off/putting on the employee’s coat, setting up employee’s work space and work tasks; assistance with lunch, toileting, putting away or retrieving work materials, etc.

• In Ontario, several organizations provide attendance services on an outreach basis but service must be related to employee’s physical impairment(s).

• Attendant performs specific, targeted duties based on employee’s physician needs as identified through an application process.

• Making buildings and facilities accessible (i.e. ramps, automatic door openers)

• Flexible work scheduling/work from home/telecommuting

• Adjustable work stations

• Assistive devices (i.e. voice recognition software)

• Employees with visual impairment:
  • improved lighting
  • larger computer monitors
  • screen magnification software
  • Braille translations and audiotapes

• Employees with hearing impairment:
  • written notes
  • open captioning for training materials
  • speech-to-text software
  • TTY telephone communication
  • lights, signals or alarms

• Flexible work scheduling/job-sharing

• Audio tapes or written notes of meetings

• Private work space to reduce distractions

• Natural or full spectrum lighting

• Job coach assistance to learn new tasks

• Written information in audio tape format
• Colour coded files or drawers
• Voice input and voice output computer software
• Pictorial instructions on machines
• Job coach assistance to learn new tasks