What Is the Accessibility Compliance Report?
The accessibility compliance report is mandatory for certain organizations in Ontario to complete. The report confirms organizations have met their current accessibility requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) and the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (IASR).
Who Must Submit an Accessibility Compliance Report?
Businesses or nonprofit organizations with 20 or more employees or a designated public-sector organization must submit an accessibility compliance report. Under the AODA, filing this is a legal obligation. Your organization could face enforcement measures, including financial penalties, for not completing the report.
Organizations with 19 or fewer employees must still comply with the AODA, but they do not have to submit a compliance report.
When Is the Accessibility Compliance Report Due?
Businesses required to submit a report must have completed it by December 31, 2023. In order to meet this deadline, preparation is key. Reports must be filed every two to three years, depending on the organization’s category. Maintaining records and regularly assessing your organization’s accessibility compliance can help you stay on top of your legal requirements and fill gaps where they are found.
How to Prepare for the Accessibility Compliance Report
Step 1: Review Requirements
Organizations need to review their requirements under the AODA and IASR and identify any gaps. Your organization’s size and type affect requirements surrounding training, recordkeeping, policy creation, statements of commitment, and multi-year accessibility plans. For example:
- Businesses with fewer than 50 employees and nonprofits must provide AODA and human rights training, as well as accessibility training on work relevant to their job-specific duties.
- Businesses and nonprofits with fewer than 50 employees must create and maintain accessibility policies. Businesses and nonprofits with more than 50 employees must additionally develop a statement of commitment to accessibility and make it available to the public.
- Businesses and nonprofits with more than 50 employees must also have a written multi-year accessibility plan.
Step 2: Meet Outlined Standards
Before filling out and submitting the compliance report, you must ensure your organization has met the standards outlined by legislation. Download our FREE guide to learn how to fulfil your obligations.
Step 3: Submit the Report
Once you confirm you have met the standards outlined in the legislation, it is time to download the report and begin filling it in. Our free guide also covers steps to complete the report and plan for next steps. Accessibility compliance reports are now an ongoing requirement every two or three years, so you should review your results and make improvements where applicable. Then, it’s time to plan for your next audit so you are prepared.
If your organization must file an accessibility compliance report this year, ensure you take all the necessary steps to review and meet legislated standards to complete it by the deadline. Download our FREE Guide to the Ontario Accessibility Compliance Report today to begin the process, take steps to fill compliance gaps, and complete the report on time. For extra support along the way, contact our live HR experts on demand.
Get our expert support every step of the way, book a free demo with one of our HR experts today. They’ll take you through a guided review of your organization and identify any areas where our service offerings can save you time and money.