Changes to Ontario’s accessible customer service standard are now in effect

• All employees (including volunteers, interns, students, etc.) must be trained on accessible customer service. Previously only staff that dealt directly with the public required this training.
  
  
• More types of regulated health professionals can provide documentation of a need for a service animal.  The Regulation now identifies 9 professions able to confirm that a person needs a service animal for reasons relating their disability.  Occupational therapists are amongst the identified professions.
  
  
• More specific information is provided to clarify that an organization can only require a support person to accompany someone with a disability for the purposes of health or safety and in consultation with the person. If it’s determined a support person is required, the fee or fare (if applicable) for the support person must be waived. 
  
  
• All accessibility standards – including the accessible customer service standard – are now part of one Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation.  This means that the requirements are now better aligned to make it easier for organizations to understand their obligations. 
  
  
• Private sector and non-profit organizations with 20-49 employees no longer need to document policies (does not remove compliance or reporting requirements).

All organizations in Ontario with one or more employees must comply with the changes effective July 1, 2016. 

All public sector organizations, and businesses and non-profits with 20 or more employees must submit their 2017 accessibility compliance report by December 31, 2017.

Learn more about how to make customer service accessible.

Implications for Occupational Therapists

Occupational therapists will have been attentive to the Customer Standard released three years ago and may note that the recent amendments place stricter requirements on employers to ensure that all employees, volunteers, interns, students, etc. have training in accessible customer service.

Occupational therapists who have a business that employs others are required to be compliant to the amended Customer Service Standard effective July 1, 2016 and if their company is larger than 19 employees will be required to submit accessibility compliance reports by December 31, 2017.

Occupational therapists are now identified as a profession that may confirm that a person needs a service animal for reasons relating their disability.  This confirmation needs to be documented and signed by a registered professional.  OTs will be subject to the standards of the College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario and will be expected to provide such confirmations when the assessment and determination is within their scope of competence.