In this episode, Linda Hunt talks about;

• crucial service of AODA compliance reviews, aiding businesses unsure of their compliance status.
• AODA requirements are tailored to business size, with distinctions for those having 1-19, 20-49 (reporting), and 50+ employees.
• significance of the compliance report as a practical tool, serving as a checklist and guide for businesses pursuing AODA compliance.
• additional services post-review, including training programs, advisory services, and a "done-for-you" option for comprehensive compliance.
• December 31, 2023, is the deadline for AODA compliance reports, highlighting risks and penalties for non-compliance.

About the Host:

Linda Hunt Is an Award-Winning Accessibility Consultant, Speaker and Author. She is the CEO of Accessibility Solutions and an Advocate for all things related to accessibility. 

Linda is the Treasurer of Citizens with Disabilities – Ontario a member of the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Professional Network and a Certified Community Champion on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol.  

Linda first became a person with a disability in 2004 since then she has been an active and engaging speaker to groups on a variety of accessibility topics. 

In addition, Linda is a business owner. Along with her husband Greg, they have operated Grelin Apparel Graphics for over 30 years.

Connect with Us:

Website – www.solutions4accessibility.com

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibility-solutions/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/solutions4accessibility

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRBqblsq_vxrKbdvEp2IOWQ

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Intro 0:02

Welcome to the accessibility solutions podcast hosted by Linda Hunt, an award winning accessibility consultant, speaker and author. With over 30 years experience in senior management roles and a deep passion for creating inclusive environments. Linda brings us unmatched expertise and credibility to our discussions join us as they explore transformative power of accessibility and inclusion in today's world. Through captivating conversations, Linda shares her wealth of knowledge provides practical solutions and sheds light on the latest trends and advancements in the field. Whether you're a business owner or disability advocate, or simply curious about the world of accessibility, this podcast is your go to resource. Get ready to unlock new perspectives, break down barriers and embark on a journey of empowerment. Are you ready to create a more inclusive world? Well, let's begin. Welcome to the accessibility solutions podcast.

Linda 1:02

Hi there, and thanks for joining this episode. I am glad that you're with me what I wanted to talk to you about on the show is one of our services. So on our last episode, we talked about AODA and being ready to report. This episode I wanted to talk to you about our service that is an AODA compliance review, what an AODA compliance review is that a business or an organization will contact us quite often they may not be sure that they are in fact AODA compliant. And what I like to tell people that if you're not sure if you're AODA compliant, chances are that you likely are not and so that it's important for us to meet with the business and go over what if any, AODA requirements they do have in place. And if they don't have any requirements in place, then we need to identify based on the size of the business, what AODA requirements that they do have. And how we do that is we determined first of all based on the size of the business. So the AODA is a requirement for all businesses in the province of Ontario that have at least one employee. So from one to 19 employees, there are a minimum number of requirements that they have to have achieved in order to be AODA compliant. And then the second level is 20 to 49 employees. And this is the first threshold for having to file AODA compliance reports. So if they are in compliance, the AODA compliance review that we conduct will give them a full a full report that we have taken a look at all of their policies and procedures, and that we have in fact checked them for compliance, we know that their staff are trained as required. And that report that they will get then it can be used as almost a checklist in terms of everything that they have everything that they should have done, and that they have, in fact, done that. And then the third level are those businesses or organizations that have 50 or more employees. And again, they have more requirements in order to be compliant with AODA. And those businesses have additional requirements for AODA reporting. So as I said, what we're doing when we do an AODA compliance review is that we're looking at the business, the size of the business, and what requirements they have as a result of their size, which is based on counting employees and or volunteers. So even though a business or an organization, for example, may only have, 15 employees, if they also have 15 volunteers being a board of directors and those volunteers also count in terms of what their requirements are for AODA reporting. So that is one of the things that we look at in terms of how we're counting and the fact that all of those employees need to be trained, depending on the particular job that they may hold, they may require more training. We also after we do the compliance review, one of the things we may recommend is what we call a train the trainer program, whereas we may go in and train one staff person on what the training requirements are, and then that staff person is able to carry out that training for all of the staff of the organization. So the comprehensive review that we generate after we've done or sorry, the comprehensive report that we generate, after we've done an AODA compliance review is really a tool to be used by the business to either or use it for their reporting requirements in terms they can go ahead and file their AODA compliance report knowing that the review that we've done has given them a clean report that they are, in fact, compliant with all of the mandatory legislation. And then the other thing that most businesses will use that AODA compliance report for if we've identified that there's still work to be done in terms of compliance, so there may be certain areas of the legislation that they have not yet completed, there may be policies and procedures that they don't yet have in place, maybe staff training that they have not yet completed. And all of that is identified in the AODA compliance report that we generate after we've done the review. And then we that we can continue to work with the business on either if they choose to do it themselves, and kind of guide them in terms of this is the things that they still need to do in order to be compliant. We also offer a done-with-you service in which we will advise them as they're going through the process of completing the requirements that they're not yet compliant with. And then we have a done-for-you service where we really take the reins, and we will complete all of the compliance requirements that are not yet done for the business. Typically, what we see is what after we've done an AODA compliance review, and we've generated their compliance report, if they still have items on their compliance report that they need to do in order to be compliant, then we'll work with the business but chances are at that point, they have likely not filed their AODA compliance report. And so we'll work with the business to get them in compliance and get their reports filed as soon as possible. As I mentioned, in our last episode, AODA compliance reports are due on December 31, 20 23. And so we're working right now with businesses on AODA ready to report training, such as training that we're offering leading up to the middle of December, we're working with several businesses on their AODA compliance review. And then we have a number of clients that have moved into the stage where they realize that they're not yet compliant, and there may be some work that we need to do to get compliant. And in that case, we're working with them to get them ready to get their reports filed. So we're working with businesses to get them to the point where they are able to file their AODA compliance reports. And if those AODA compliance reports cannot be filed by the 31st of December, then we do our best to work with the businesses that hired us to get all of their compliance requirements completed, all of their staff trained all their policies and procedures in place. And then we can file reports so much as at that point, they may be late, so they are still going to be in compliance with the legislation penalties that do exist for businesses who are not compliant with AODA legislation and have not filed their AODA compliance reports can be as much as 50 to $100,000 per day in extreme circumstances. So if you're a business that is not sure whether you're AODA compliant, then as I said, you're likely not. But we also want to look at getting you to the point where you're in compliance getting your reports filed, because the other risk that you are exposed to when you're not compliant with AODA legislation is the risk of an individual filing an Ontario Human Rights complaint against you or being in violation of AODA. And so the cost to the business to also have to defend against a complaint that's been filed under the Ontario Human Rights Code can also be fairly significant. And then the interior Human Rights Commission does have the authority to award costs to a business should they be found to be in violation of the integrity Human Rights Code. So we want to make sure that doesn't happen to your business as well. So I think we'll wrap up there. I just wanted to just to touch base on, kind of coming into the sphere of working with us usually where we do start is with that AODA compliance review to see where you are in terms of being compliant with the mandatory legislation getting your reports filed, as I said, they do. There is a deadline of December 31. And if you're not compliant and you're not able to report right away, then getting the requirements up to date. Getting your staff trained so that you are fully compliant and then going from there and getting your reports filed. And the other thing to remember is that we do have the free consultation that's available at any time if you've got any questions. So if you go to our website solutions, the number 4, accessibility.com right there on our homepage is the free consult button to get to our booking schedule. And you can book a time in to speak to me regarding your compliance or with or any other questions you may have around accessibility within your business or organization. I'll wrap it up there. And until next time, thanks again for joining me. And until next time, Cheers.

Thank you for joining us on The Accessibility Solutions podcast hosted by Linda Hines. We hope these discussions have inspired you and provided valuable insights into the world of accessibility and inclusion. If you're ready to take the next steps in creating an accessible and inclusive environment. We invite you to book a personalized accessibility solutions consultation with Linda as an experienced accessibility consultant Lynda will work closely with you to develop innovative solutions tailored to your unique needs and challenges. Together you'll navigate the complexities of accessibility right Relations, explore inclusive design principles and implement practical strategies to ensure equal access for all. Don't miss this opportunity to make a real difference visit our website at solutions for accessibility.com. And that's the number four so solutions for accessibility.com scheduling a consultation today let's transform your space into an inclusive and welcoming environment for everyone. Thanks again for listening to the accessibility solutions podcast. Stay tuned for more empowering episodes as we continue our journey towards a more accessible world.