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Under the Customer Service Standards of the AODA, service providers must make their goods, services, and facilities accessible to customers with invisible disabilities. In our last article, we described some invisible disabilities. In this article, we outline some best practices for serving customers with invisible disabilities in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Serving Customers with Invisible Disabilities in the COVID-19 Pandemic. Read full article.

As Ontarians continue physical distancing in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, essential services are offering hours of service especially for seniors and customers with disabilities. During these times, only customers who are seniors or who have disabilities are allowed to come into stores. As a result, store staff must understand that they cannot always tell by looking at a person whether or not that person has a disability. The term “disability” often brings to mind visible disabilities. In other words, staff can tell that a customer has a disability if they use an assistive device or a service animal. However, many people with disabilities do not use assistive devices or service animals. Instead, their disabilities are invisible. Nonetheless, providers must offer accessible service to customers with invisible disabilities in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Customers with Invisible Disabilities in the COVID-19 Pandemic. Read full article.

The Customer Service Standards of the AODA state that service providers must communicate with customers in ways that take their disabilities into account. For instance, some customers will need information in accessible formats, such as Braille, large print, or accessible websites. Likewise, some customers will need communication supports, such as American Sign language (ASL) interpretation, speechreading, or captioning. In addition, providers must serve customers who use communication devices. When people think of communication devices, they may think of in-person interactions with someone using a hearing aid or a communication board. However, there are many other ways to make communication accessible remotely. As a result, organizations should be committed to serving people who use communication devices in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Communication Devices in the COVID-19 Pandemic. Read full article.