Creating a Welcoming Workplace for Employees with Disabilities

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Acknowledgements Special thanks to the members of the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat Consultation Committee on Employment Equity for Persons with Disabilities, who were instrumental in the development of this guide. Thanks also to the members of the Office for Disability Issues, Human Resources Development Canada for their thoughtful review and advice during the consultation stage. The research component of this publication has been partially funded by the Treasury Board Employment Equity Positive Measures Program (EEPMP) Intervention Fund.

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1. Introduction

Mel Cappe, Clerk of the Privy Council
"Becoming an Exceptional Workplace of Choice"
November 1999

A workplace built around people is one that includes persons with disabilities. This guide suggests some strategies for creating a welcoming work environment where persons with disabilities perceive themselves as contributing members of the team. It is important to remember that people who have similar disabilities remain individuals and should be treated as such. Listening actively, communicating clearly, and respecting the individual are key elements in creating a welcoming workplace for people with disabilities.

2. Definition of Persons with Disabilities

The Employment Equity Act defines persons with disabilities as individuals who have a long-term or recurring physical, mental, sensory, psychiatric, or learning impairment, and who

(a) consider themselves to be disadvantaged in employment by reason of that impairment, or

(b) believe that an employer or potential employer is likely to consider them to be disadvantaged in employment by reason of that impairment.

The Act includes persons whose functional limitations owing to their impairment have been accommodated in their current job or workplace.

3. Greeting Employees with Disabilities

A proper greeting makes a person feel welcome, demonstrates professionalism, and fosters courtesy.

• Greet individuals courteously.
• Address the individual by their first name if that is your practice with others.
• Extend your hand if a handshake is customary for you. Many persons with disabilities customarily shake hands. If an individual cannot shake hands, touching the person's hand or shoulder may be acceptable. (Do not pat anyone on the head.)

4. Consulting Employees with Disabilities

Consult employees with disabilities to learn what needs to be done for them to feel included. The Policy on the Duty to Accommodate Persons with Disabilities in the Federal Public Service requires consultation with employees with disabilities in order to determine their needs and to meet them.

• Each person has individual needs that may vary over time. Follow up to ensure continued inclusion and participation in the workplace.
• Each individual has the right to privacy. It is their choice to fill out a self-identification form.
• However, an employee does not need to complete a self-identification form in order to receive accommodation.

5. Communicating with Employees with Disabilities

The federal public service workplace values communication - presenting, explaining, listening, brainstorming, and discussing. Employees with disabilities engage in these activities as an integral part of their daily work. Demonstrate courtesy and respect in the following ways:

• Focus on abilities and adapt your communication skills to the individual's needs.
• Ask what assistance, if any, they would like and then provide it. Respect the individual's desire to be independent.
• Give employees with a disability time to do or say things at their own pace.
• An expression like "See you later!" is acceptable to someone who is blind, and "Did you hear about that?" is unlikely to bother someone who is deaf.
• Speak directly to the person, even if an attendant is present.
• Ask someone with a severe speech impediment to repeat or spell out key words if you do not understand what is said.
• Be prepared to use an alternative format as requested and plan accordingly.

6. Networking with Employees with Disabilities

Establishing networks enhances one's work life. Remember to include persons with disabilities in networking opportunities and in activities and discussions within and outside the office. Here are some ways to facilitate the inclusion of a colleague with a disability:

• Ask the individual what is required to facilitate inclusion.
• Offer to accompany the individual to a meeting, training session, or event.
• Invite the individual for coffee or lunch, after ensuring that facilities are completely accessible.

7. Suggestions for Inclusion in the Workplace

All employees should be able to participate and contribute to the progress of the team. Environment and accessibility are important. Dark or noisy places make it difficult for people with visual, speech, or hearing disabilities to participate in a conversation. Adapt settings and  information delivery methods to the needs of all participants.

The following are some ways to meet the needs of employees with specific disabilities.

a) Employee Who is Blind or has a Visual Impairment

• Identify yourself and anyone else with you.
• If you have met before, state the context of the previous meeting to jog the person's memory.
• If you are speaking in a group, name the person to whom you are speaking.
• Speak in a normal tone of voice.
• Clearly indicate if you are moving from one place to another or the conversation has ended.
• Clear paths of obstacles.
• Describe the surroundings to advise the person of their environment. For example, say "There is a chair one metre to your right." or "Step down." or "The door is to your right." or "There are some obstacles in front of you on the left."
• If offering to act as a guide, invite the person to take your arm and walk about a half a step ahead of the person. Then listen or ask for instructions.
• If appropriate, offer to read written information.
• Guide dogs are working dogs: speaking to the dog or petting the dog is distracting and inappropriate.
• Plan ahead to allow adequate time to prepare printed material in alternate formats (e.g. Braille, large print, audiocassette, or diskette).

b) Employee Who is Deaf or Hard of Hearing

• If securing sign language interpreter services, specify the official language required (English, French or both).
• Speak clearly and at a pace that allows the sign language interpreter to interpret for the person who is deaf and to allow this person to respond through the interpreter.
• Consider captioning.
• Write notes or use gestures for one-on-one discussions.
• Face the person to facilitate lip reading. Keep hands and other objects away from your lips when speaking.
• Speak clearly, slowly, and directly to the person, not to the interpreter.
• Reduce or eliminate disruptive background noises (e.g. tapping pens or shuffling paper), since amplification devices are very sensitive to ambient noise. Converse in a quiet environment, or move to one, in order to facilitate communication.

c) Employee with a Physical Disability

• Rearrange furniture or objects in a room to accommodate wheelchairs, scooters, or other mobility aids.
• Avoid leaning on someone's mobility aid.
• Be aware of what is accessible and not accessible to people who use mobility aids.
• Push someone in a manual wheelchair only when asked.
• Give directions that include distance and physical obstacles. (For example, you might give a location as 20 metres away, or mention that there are stairs or a curb or a steep hill).

d) Employee with a Developmental or Psychiatric Disability

• Get to know the person so that you can include the individual in social or organizational events.
• Offer and provide needed assistance.
• Repeat information when necessary.
• Speak directly to the person and listen actively.

e) Employee with a Hidden Disability

Some disabilities may not be readily apparent to others. For example, a person with environmental sensitivities may react to perfume or cleaning products. A person with diabetes may have specific dietary requirements. Others may have strong allergic reactions to foods like shellfish or nuts. Others may have been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or learning disabilities. When an employee has identified a need, ask the individual how the environment or means of communication can be adapted to ensure inclusion.

8. Additional Assistance

The Treasury Board Web site provides direct links to various policies and publications on the workplace accommodation of employees with disabilities. For more information, please consult the following Web site:

/ee/index_e.asp

You may wish to consult the Guidelines for Assessing Persons with Disabilities published by the Personnel Psychology Centre, which can be found at the following Web site:

http://www.psc-cfp.gc.ca/psea-lefp/guides/assessment/apwd-eph/index_e.htm

Your views matter. If you have other suggestions, please pass them on to us.

Contact Information:

Toll-free: 1 888 271-6378
TTY: (613) 957-8657

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Annex - Acceptable Terminology for Referring to Someone with a Disability

Exercise sensitivity and good judgement by always referring to the employee first, rather than the disability. Choose words that have no pejorative connotation. Expressions recommended by some 200 organizations representing or associated with Canadians with a disability include the following:

• Person with a disability (not "disabled person")
• Person who is blind, or person with a visual impairment
• Person with a physical disability, or person with a mobility impairment
• Person who is deaf, deafened, hard of hearing, or person with a hearing impairment
• Person who is unable to speak, or person with a speech impairment
• Person with a developmental disability
• Person with a learning disability
• Person with a psychiatric disability

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