Introducing Manitoba’s Accessibility Standard for Employment.

It’s good business to employ Manitobans with disabilities.

On May 1, 2019, the Manitoba government enacted a second standard under The Accessibility for Manitobans Act targeting employment (following the 2015 Accessibility Standard for Customer Service). The goal is to remove barriers that affect current and potential members of Manitoba's labour force by helping Manitoba employers hire, support and keep employees. The standard addresses all aspects of the employment relationship including recruitment, hiring, on-the-job, and return-to-work.

The principle of reasonable accommodation is a key concept under The Human Rights Code (Manitoba) and the new Accessibility Standard for Employment. A workplace accommodation is reasonable if it is required for an employee to carry out workplace responsibilities or to access benefits available to employees. Most accommodations offer an adjustment to how things are usually done at little or no expense. The employer and employee share the responsibility to find the right solution, without affecting safety of staff or other “undue hardship”. Reasonable accommodation levels the playing field for all employees.

The provincial government is required to meet the employment standard by May 2020, and public sector organizations must comply one year later. All business, notfor-profit and small municipality employers must comply with most areas of the standard in three years time, by May 2022. However, safety comes first.

Effective May 1, 2020, all Manitoba businesses and organizations with at least one employee must ensure the safety of their employees in two ways:

• Workplace Emergency Response Information: Create individualized emergency response information to help employees with disabilities stay safe during emergencies, and • Workplace Emergency Assistance: Ask employees who require assistance during an emergency for permission to share information with individuals who agree to help

Remember to enquire, rather than assume, who needs help during an emergency. For instance, a staff person may be unable to rush down stairs due to a heart condition that on a normal workday is unnoticeable.

Why introduce a law to remove barriers to employment? Because Manitoba employers want the best employee for the job, and because Manitobans with disabilities want to work.

Employment plays a significant role in a person’s financial and emotional wellbeing. Individuals typically get their first jobs in their later teenage years, or early adulthood. Investment in education and skills development then leads to their future careers and advancement that may last well into their 60s. Manitoba’s economy could not function without the contribution of workers who also become consumers with the incomes they earn.

Employment is a vital activity in most people's lives, and therefore, it’s not surprising that employment is a priority among the one in four Manitobans with a disability. Yet, the 2017 Canadian Survey on Disability found that only 65 per cent of Manitobans with disabilities, aged 25 to 65, were employed, compared to 83 per cent of those without disabilities.

Despite impressive post-secondary achievements, some people face barriers to employment that have nothing to do with their abilities. For instance, employers may overlook skilled job seekers with disabilities, because they think a disability will lead to lower productivity and higher costs.

By contrast, research shows hiring people with disabilities is a good investment for at least three great reasons: 1. Talent: By creating accessibility in hiring and on-thejob, you ensure all your employees perform at their best. 2. Reliability: Research shows low absenteeism and turnover and fewer workplace accidents among employees with disabilities. 3. Reputation: Studies show employees and customers are more loyal to businesses that show they value diversity.

Learn more about the Accessibility Standard for Employment and other standards under The Accessibility for Manitobans Act. Visit AccessibilityMB.ca or call the Disabilities Issues Office at 204-945-7613 or toll free: 1-800-282-8069 ext. 7613.