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AODA Resources

Resources on issues of accessibility and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA)

Educating Workers about Discrimination and Accessibility

In our last article, we discussed how organizational leaders can learn about discrimination on the basis of disability. Leaders can consult with people who have lived experience of disability to better understand the forms of discrimination, barriers, and stigma they face. This knowledge can help managers, supervisors, and other decision-makers develop policies and plans to reduce discrimination. In this article, we explore educating workers about discrimination and accessibility.


Avoiding Discrimination on the Basis of Disability

In our last article, we discussed how the leaders of an organization may be held responsible for any discrimination or poisoned environments within the organization. In this article, we explore how organizational leaders can educate themselves about avoiding discrimination on the basis of disability.


Duty to Prevent Discrimination

The Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) writes policies to help people understand what types of discrimination are. In addition, these policies outline how to prevent and respond to different forms of discrimination. According to the OHRC’s Policy on Ableism and Discrimination based on disability, organizations have a duty to prevent discrimination. Employers, landlords, and service providers must create environments that discourage discrimination and harassment.


Competing Rights to Accommodation

Under the Ontario Human Rights Code (the Code), employers, landlords, and service providers must accommodate people with disabilities. In other words, organizations have a duty to make changes in order to meet the needs of workers, tenants, customers, or clients with disabilities. However, the accommodations that people need may sometimes conflict with each other. Accommodation providers must find ways to meet the needs of people with competing rights to accommodation.


Health and Safety Concerns about Accommodating People with Disabilities

Under the Ontario Human Rights Code (the Code), employers, landlords, and service providers must accommodate people with disabilities. In other words, organizations have a duty to make changes in order to meet the needs of workers, tenants, customers, or clients with disabilities. Accommodation providers must implement accommodations unless they would cause the provider undue hardship. There are only two reasons a provider can have to claim undue hardship. One is the cost of accommodation for people with disabilities. The other is health and safety concerns about accommodating people with disabilities.