Are you an Ontario business with 20 or more employees? If so, then you are legally required to file an accessibility compliance report by no later than December 31, 2017 under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).

Information on how to complete the form can be found by clicking here, and a copy of the compliance form can be found here.

The questions/requirements contained in the compliance report include the following:

• Does your organization permit people with disabilities who are accompanied by a guide dog or service animal to keep the animal with them, unless otherwise excluded by law?

• If a person with a disability is accompanied by a support person, does your organization ensure that the persons are permitted to enter the premises together and that the person with a disability is not prevented from having access to the support person while on your premises?

• Does your organization ensure that the required persons receive training on the accessibility standards for customer service?

• Has your organization established a process for receiving and responding to feedback on the accessibility of its customer service and does it make information about the feedback process readily available to the public?

• Other than the requirements cited in the above questions, is your organization complying with all other requirements in effect under the Customer Service Standard?

If your answer is not YES to all of the questions, then you are not in compliance with the AODA and your business may be audited to check for compliance.

If you need advice about your other obligations under the AODA, I would be happy to help.

Please note that the information provided herein should not be considered legal advice and is provided for informational and educational purposes only.