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ORHMA Contact:
2600 Skymark Avenue
Suite 8-201
Mississauga, ON L4W 5B2
(905) 361-0268
(800) 668-8906
Fax (905) 361-0288
www.orhma.com
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Accessibility Standards Coming Your Way
On January 1, 2012 every private sector and not-for-profit organization in Ontario with one employee or more must be in compliance with the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service, a regulation under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).
The Accessibility Standards for Customer Service (also known as the customer service standard), the first of five standards under the AODA, requires businesses and organizations to develop policies, procedures and practices to ensure that persons with disabilities can access your goods and services in an equitable fashion. Employers will be required to train staff and volunteers on their policies, and to make the policies publicly available.
Subsequent standards, which are currently in the development phase and have not yet been finalized, include accessible built environment and an integrated accessibility regulation which will address standards for accessible employment, information and communications and transportation.
Since the AODA became law in 2005, the ORHMA has participated on government committees and provided input into the development of each of the standards on behalf of the hospitality and tourism industry. The ORHMA is working hard not only to ensure that the voice of the hospitality and tourism industry is heard and considered in the development of accessibility standards, but that our members are positioned to understand and comply with the regulations as they take effect.
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EnAbling Change Partnership Program
The ORHMA is proud to have partnered with the Government of Ontario through the EnAbling Change Partnership Program, to work together over the next year to provide our members and industry partners with tools and resources that will assist restaurateurs and hoteliers to understand and meet their new obligations under the customer service standard. Specifically, ORHMA will be conducting interviews with a select number of members who currently have accessible customer service policies and procedures in place, to better understand industry experiences and glean valuable information to assist other members. From these interviews some of the interviewees will be selected to be profiled in case studies, to profile their successes in removing barriers to accessible customer service for persons with disabilities. These case studies will then be used to develop industry best practices.
Template policies will also be developed to assist members in complying with the customer service standard.
In the meantime, ORHMA is working with the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO) to hold a number of information sessions to ensure hospitality and tourism operators are aware of their obligations under the customer service standard as well as to get a better sense of future standards yet to be finalized, such as accessible built environment.
The ORHMA will continue to keep members updated on the development and implementation of other accessibility standards through email communications, Insider updates and our 3rd Annual Accessibility issue of Hosting Magazine, coming in the new year.
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Get Informed at an ORHMA Information Session
ORHMA will be hosting a number of complimentary information sessions to assist members in understanding "Business Operators Obligations on Customer Service Compliance."
These presentations will be delivered in conjunction with ORHMA Regional Boards of Directors meetings in Toronto, London, Ottawa, Simcoe, Guelph, and Windsor, but all ORHMA members are invited to attend. More information will be distributed directly to members regarding dates and locations of upcoming sessions.
If you can’t come to a regional meeting we can come to you! ORHMA is also available to deliver this presentation to your corporation leadership team to assist our members in understanding how to develop system-wide corporate policies related to accessible customer service throughout your hotel or restaurant chain. This presentation will also help you understand what obligations are yet to come related to accessible employment, accessible information and communications, and accessible built environment. Make sure your team is prepared to meet the January 1, 2012 deadline for accessible customer service.
For more information or to request a presentation for your corporate leadership team please contact Michelle Saunders at 1-800-668-8906 ext. 307 or msaunders@orhma.com
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Be an Industry Champion
Customer service is the backbone of the hospitality and tourism industry. Although the customer service standard requires all businesses to have policies and procedures in place to remove barriers to accessible customer service for persons with disabilities, don’t think this means you’re starting from scratch. From within the ORHMA membership there are numerous restaurants, hotels, attractions, and other facilities who already have implemented accessible customer service policies and procedures. We want to hear your story. In order to assist the ORHMA in developing industry best practices, we want to know yours! Your establishment could be profiled in a case study, to be shared with the hospitality and tourism industry, on best practices for accessible customer service. Help inform, inspire and challenge your industry colleagues. Don’t be shy, be a champion!
For more information or to share your story please contact Michelle Saunders at 1-800-668-8906 ext. 307 or msaunders@orhma.com
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Upcoming Accessibility Standards for Customer Service Training
The Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO) and the Ontario Tourism Education Corporation (OTEC) invite you to our training workshop, Accessibility Standards for Customer Service: Helping You Comply and Achieve Accessible Service Excellence. This training workshop, designed for business owners and managers, gives you the information and tools you need to comply and to ensure your business is better able to serve customers with disabilities.
Upcoming training sessions include:
Toronto: Thursday December 2, 2010
Kingston: Thursday January 20, 2011
Hamilton: Thursday January 27, 2011
Collingwood: Thursday February 10, 2011
TIAO is partnering with OTEC to deliver these workshops across the province as part of an EnAbling Change Partnership Project with the Government of Ontario. Registration value is $299.00 per person. Thanks to our partners, we are able to charge a nominal fee of $29.00. For more information or to register contact Emily Harper-Hawkins at emily.harperhawkins@tiao.travel
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