The Ontario Government announces amendments to the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service.
Commencing July 1, 2016, there will be some significant changes to the Customer Service Standard under the AODA.
Customer Service Training
With the changes announced to the Customer Service Standard, many organizations will have additional people that require training.
ILScorp offers an online AODA training course that includes the mandated information and provides proof of training. This is a quick and easy way to train those staff, volunteers, and Board Members who will be required receive it. This course also qualifies for 1 RIBO Management CE hour.
The July 1, 2016 Changes. The first concerns the definition of a large organization. Up to now, under the Customer Service Standard, an organization was considered large if it had 20+ employees. This was in contrast to the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (IASR) which defined a large organization as being one with 50+ employees. As of July 1st onwards, organizations with 50+ employees will be considered large under the Customer Service Standard, as well as the IASR.
Another important change as of July 1st is that all staff and volunteers, regardless of their contact with the public, must receive training on the Customer Service Standard. Previously only those who dealt directly with the public had to be trained. This means that all staff, volunteers, and Board Members must receive training on all five AODA standards but only organizations with 50+ employees have to keep a record of that training. Nonprofits and businesses who have not trained everyone in their organization on the Customer Service Standard will be required to do so.
The final amendment concerns service animals. The government has expanded the list of professionals authorized to provide documents indicating the need for a service animal. Doctors and nurses were originally the only ones allowed to provide such authorization, but the list now includes psychologists, psychotherapists, audiologists, chiropractors and optometrists.
