The Employment Standards under the AODA and the Accessible Employment Standard under the Accessibility for Manitobans Act both require organizations to make employment processes and practices accessible to workers with disabilities. Moreover, both standards require many of the same processes and practices to ensure accessibility. However, there are many important differences between the standards. The third review of the AODA recommends that the Ontario government should coordinate with other provinces and the federal government to ensure that accessibility laws are consistent across Canada. Therefore, requirements in the AODA may one day change to align with mandates under the Accessibility for Manitobans Act. In this article, we will explore accessible employment policies in Ontario and Manitoba.
Accessible Employee Recruitment in Ontario and Manitoba
The AODA’s Employment Standards and the Accessible Employment Standard of the Accessibility for Manitobans Act (AMA) both require employers to make recruitment processes accessible to job applicants with disabilities. In both provinces, employers must alert potential job applicants that accommodations are available for interviews or other hiring processes. Moreover, employers in both provinces must notify all applicants that they can request accommodations during the recruitment process. For example, employers can mention in job postings that they welcome applicants with disabilities, and explain how to request accommodations.
If an applicant does request accommodations, the employer must consult with the applicant to determine the most appropriate accommodations. Then, the employer must provide those accommodations during the recruitment process. In addition, employers must inform all new hires about any workplace policies for accommodating workers with disabilities. In this way, all new hires with and without disabilities can learn about their new employers’ commitments to accessibility. This knowledge could help new workers who chose not to disclose disabilities during the interview process, as well as new workers who develop disabilities during their employment.
Differences
Requirements for employee recruitment are largely the same in both provinces. However, Manitoba also has mandates about employment accessibility training. In this training, personnel responsible for hiring, and other staff in leadership positions, learn about accommodating workers with disabilities. As a result, employers in Manitoba may be better prepared to recruit and hire workers using accommodations.