Policy Type: Programming
Date Revised: December 14, 2015
Supercedes: December 17, 2013
Originally Issued: December 17, 2013

This document shall be made publicly available and will be provided in an accessible
format upon request, as soon as is practicable.

1. Statement of Commitment 
   1. RisingOaks Early Learning Ontario (hereafter referred to as RisingOaks) is committed to meeting the objectives and requirements of Ontario Regulation 191/11, Integrated Accessibility Standards (IAS) under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA); and the accessibility needs of persons with disabilities with respect to employment at RisingOaks.
   2. The requirements set out in this policy and related procedures only apply to employeesofRisingOaksandprospectiveapplicants,whereapplicable. Theydo not apply to volunteers or other non-paid individuals.
      • Where practical, efforts will be made to accommodate students and volunteers with a disability.
   3. This AODA: IAS policy on Employment will be reviewed and amended, as required, when additional accessibility related regulations are enacted by the Government of Ontario and when changes are made to the legislative framework governing accessibility.
      
      
2. POLICY: Integrated Accessibility Standard – Employment
   1. Recruitment & Selection:
      • RisingOaks’ employment practices will include notification of the availability of accommodation for applicants with disabilities, as well as supports for staff with disabilities.
   2. Informing Employees of Supports:
      • RisingOaks shall inform employees of its policies used to support employees with disabilities, including policies on job accommodation.
   3. Accessible Formats and Communication Supports
      • Upon request, RisingOaks will consult with an employee with a disability and provide or arrange for the provision of accessible formats and communication supports for information needed in order to perform their job and other information that is generally available to employees in the workplace.
   4. Workplace Emergency Response Information: compliance date Jan. 1, 2012.
      • Where employee needs dictate, RisingOaks will provide individualized workplace emergency response information to employees who have a disability.
      • RisingOaks will provide information required by the standard as soon as practical after the employer becomes aware of the need for accommodation due to disability.
   5. Documented Individual Accommodation Plans/Return to Work Plans:
      • Under the Ontario Human Rights Code, RisingOaks is required to accommodate employees with disabilities.
      • As set out in Section 28 of the AODA: IAS – Employment Standard, RisingOaks will provide individual accommodation plans and return to work process for employees with disabilities.
   6. Performance Management & Career Development:
      • RisingOaks’ performance management and career development processes will take into account the accessibility needs of its employees with disabilities.
   7. Redeployment:
      • RisingOaks will take into account the accessibility needs of its employees with disabilities, as well as individual accommodation plans, when redeploying individuals with disabilities as an alternative to layoffs.
   8. Training:
      • RisingOaks is required to train employees and persons who participate in policy development on the requirements in this AODA: IAS policy and the Ontario Human Rights Code, as it pertains to persons with disabilities.
      • The training shall be appropriate to the duties of the employees and other persons and will be completed upon employment and within one month of any change to this policy or related procedures.
   9. Policy Monitoring
      • The Executive Director is responsible to ensure that any changes made to the procedures or related policy considers the impact on people with disabilities.
        
        
3. DEFINITIONS:
   1. Disability, as defined by the AODA and the Ontario Human Rights Code, is:
      • any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, a brain injury, any degree of paralysis, amputation, lack of physical coordination, blindness or visual impediment, deafness or hearing impediment, muteness or speech impediment, or physical reliance on a guide dog or other animal or on a wheelchair or other remedial appliance or device,
      • a condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability,
      • a learning disability, or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes
      • involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language, 
      • a mental disorder, or 
      • an injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997.
   2. Accessible Formats:
      • may include, but are not limited to, large print, recorded audio and electronic formats, reading the material aloud, Braille and other formats usable by persons with disabilities.
   3. Performance management:
      • means activities related to assessing and improving employee performance, productivity and effectiveness, with the goal of facilitating employee success.
   4. Career development and advancement:
      • includes providing additional responsibilities within an employee’s current position and the movement of an employee from one job to another in an organization that may be higher in pay, provide greater responsibility or be at a higher level in the organization or any combination of them and, for both additional responsibilities and employee movement, is usually based on merit or seniority, or a combination of them.
   5. Redeployment:
      • means the reassignment of employees to other departments or jobs within the organization as an alternative to layoff, when a particular job or department has been eliminated by the organization.
        
        
4. RELATED DOCUMENTS:
   1. Emergency Response Plan template
   2. Individual Accommodation Plan template
   3. Return to Work Plan template
   4. AODA: Accessible Customer Service policy & procedures
   5. AODA: IAS – General Requirements, Information & Communications,Transportation policy & procedures
   6. Performance Management policy & procedures
   7. Recruitment & Selection policy & procedures.
   8. Workplace Health & Safety policy & procedures
      
      
5. APPROVALS:
   • Approved by the CEO and Director of Operations on December 10, 2018

Date Revised: December 14, 2015
Supercedes: December 17, 2013
Originally Issued: December 17, 2013

1. Procedures: Recruitment & Selection
   1. The Director of Operations (DO) is responsible for recruitment and selection, including accessibility features required for prospective and current employees with disabilities.
   2. Such procedures are outlined in RisingOaks’ Recruitment and Selections policy and procedures. These include:
      • Notice of the availability of accommodation for applicants with disabilities
        in all job postings
      • Notifying job candidates that accommodations are available upon request
        in relation to the materials or process to be used for interviews.
      • Working with the candidate to put in place the appropriate
        accommodation.
      • Employment Agreement that informs prospective employees of
        RisingOaks’ policies for accommodating employees with disabilities.
        
        
2. Procedures: Informing Employees of Supports
   1. The Orientation Checklist will include a section on informing employees of supports. The individual conducting the Orientation will verbally discuss this with the employee.
   2. A Supervisor who becomes aware of a temporary or permanent disability for a current employee will consult with the DO as soon as possible regarding accommodation, return to work and emergency response plans.
   3. The DO, in consultation with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), will inform the employee of supports and accommodations available to employees with disabilities.
      
      
3. Procedures: Accessible Formats & Communication Supports
   1. As soon as practical after being informed of an employee who has a temporary or permanent disability, the DO or designate will contact the employee to determine if he/she requires accessible formats or communication supports for information related to their job duties or other information provided in the workplace.
   2. The DO will provide the supervisor with confirmation of the supports required and determine who is responsible for providing this information/support to the employee.
   3. Such supports will be documented on an Individual Accommodation Plan (IAP).
      • The IAP will be uploaded to the electronic employee record.
   4. The DO or designate will follow up with the employee after 3 months to evaluate their satisfaction with the accessible formats and communication supports required; making adjustments to the plan if needed.
      • Such follow up will be documented in the Notes section of the electronic
        employee record.
        
        
4. Procedures: Workplace Emergency Response Information
   1. Upon being notified of an employee with a temporary or permanent disability, the DO, or designate, will consult with the employee to determine if an Individual Emergency Response Plan is needed.
   2. If employee needs dictate, the DO will complete the Individual Emergency Response Plan with the employee.
      • The DO will consult with the employee to determine if they require
        assistance during an emergency. If so, the DO will include this information
        on the Individual Emergency Response plan.
   3. Once finalized, the employee will be asked to sign the Plan to indicate their
      agreement.
      • Doing so, the employee agrees to allow RisingOaks to share the plan with
        the designated employee(s) to provide assistance during an emergency.
        • To respect the employee’s privacy, the employee designated to
          provide assistance will receive only with the information required to
          provide such assistance.
   4. The DO will provide the employee with a copy of the Individual Emergency
      Response Plan in the appropriate accessible format.
   5. The Individual Emergency Response Plan will be uploaded to the employee’s
      electronic record, with notification to the DO.
   6. If applicable, the Individual Emergency Response Plan will become a part of an
      employee’s Individual Accommodation Plan.
   7. The Individual Emergency Response Plan will be evaluated, and updated as
      needed, by the DO, or designate, and the employee when:
      • The employee is moved to a different location; or assigned to a different
        age group on a more than occasional basis.
      • The employee’s overall accommodation needs or plans are reviewed;
      • The employer reviews its general emergency response policies.
        
        
5. Procedures: Documented Individual Accommodation & Return to Work Plans
   1. Upon being notified of an employee with a temporary or permanent disability, the DO, or designate, will consult with the employee to determine if an Individual Accommodation Plan (IAP) and/or Return to Work Plan is needed.
   2. If an IAP is needed, the DO with the cooperation of the employee will assess the needs of the employee. The assessment may include any or all of the following:
      • Functional capacity assessment by a doctor or other medical professional.
      • Consultation with an external expert at RisingOaks’ expense
      • The employee can request the participation of a representative from the workplace
      • The employee informing RisingOaks of his/her functional capabilities – RisingOaks does not require details on the nature of the employee’s disability
   3. The DO will consult the CEO, HR advisers, external experts including RisingOaks’ employment lawyer as required, to determine what – if any - accommodation is appropriate and document such plans using the Individual Accommodation Plan and/or Individual Return to Work plan.
      • A copy of the IAP will be given to the employee in a format that takes into account his/her accessibility needs.
      • The supervisor is responsible to implement the plan once approved.
   4. The DO, supervisor and employee will monitor the IAP to ensure that it has effectively resolved the challenge(s). The IAP will be reviewed:
      • At a predetermined frequency (e.g., monthly, quarterly, annually)
      • If changes are made to the employee’s work location or employment status (i.e., Full-time, part-time), position, job duties, etc.
      • If the nature of the employee’s disability changes
   5. After consultation with the employment lawyer, if an individual’s accommodation request is denied, the DO will provide the employee with the reason for denial in an accessible format.
   6. Such plans are considered personal information where privacy is required. Information shared (e.g., with Supervisor or team members) will be done so in consultation with the employee and only to the degree necessary.
      
      
6. Procedures: Performance Management and Career Development
   1. RisingOaks will provide accommodations to employees with disabilities during the Performance Management and Career Development process.
   2. The DO or designate will review the Individual Accommodation Plan (IAP) to understand the employee’s needs and determine if adjustments need to be made to the performance management or career development tools and process.
   3. RisingOaks will provide performance management documents in accessible formats or with communication supports when required.
   4. Informal coaching and feedback by the Supervisor or DO will be provided to the employee in a manner that takes into account the employee’s disability.
   5. If supports are needed under 6.2, 6.3 or 6.4, these will be noted on the employee’s IAP
      
      
7. Procedures: Redeployment
   1. Should business needs change (e.g., drop in enrolment) that presents an opportunity to redeploy an individual to another location as an alternative to lay- offs, the DO will consider employees in terms of team fit, and business needs at the new centre.
   2. Once an individual has been identified as a likely candidate for re-deployment, the DO will determine if that individual has an IAP, or other such plan. This triggers a review of the IAP to determine how to accommodate the employee in their new environment.
      
      
8. RELATED DOCUMENTS:
   1. Ontario Human Rights Code
   2. AODA: Accessible Customer Service policy & procedures
   3. AODA: IAS – General Requirements, Information & Communication, Transportation policy & procedures
      
      
9. APPROVALS:
   1. Approved by the CEO and Director of Operations on December 14, 2015