Human Resources Legislative Update
Ontario Launches Three-Month AODA Compliance Blitz Targeting Large Retailers
Date: October 8, 2015
This Fall, the Ministry of Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure will be leading targeted audits of retail companies with 500 or more employees during a three-month blitz to ensure workplaces and employee practices are accessible and compliant with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (“AODA”).
Among other things, audited employers will be asked to provide evidence that they have in place, or are prepared to put in place, individualized emergency response plans for their employees with disabilities, to provide a copy of the multi-year accessibility plan, and to confirm that the plan is:
- posted on their website, if they have one;
- available in an accessible format upon request; and
- reviewed and updated every five years.
As we previously reported, the Ontario government published a report on the AODA by Mayo Moran, Provost and Vice-Chancellor of Trinity College at the University of Toronto. The report outlined a number of recommendations to the government, which included renewal of government leadership, a resourced and empowered Accessibility Directorate of Ontario to provide robust compliance support and a comprehensive public awareness campaign.
