Toward an integrated workplace health approach
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While many workplaces are familiar with occupational health and safety regulations, Canada is now introducing provincial and federal legislation designed to increase equitable access to employment for persons with disabilities
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WOLFGANG ZIMMERMAN, executive director of the National Institute of Disability Management and Research (NIDMAR), says, “Achieving these legislative goals requires a multi-layered approach to improving the lives of people with disabilities. It’s only through higher employment and improved financial resources that long-term poverty for persons with disabilities will be reduced.”
While the federal act allows until 2040 for full implementation, provincial legislation is moving more swiftly. In British Columbia, under the Accessible BC Act, 750 public-sector organizations began the process in September 2022 of developing accessibility plans, which must be in place by September 1, 2023.
The National Institute of Disability Management and Research (NIDMAR), founded in 1994, is an internationally recognized organization committed to reducing the human, social, and economic costs of disability.
NIDMAR's focus is the promotion of education, professionalization, and program standards that international research has proven are the most effective way of restoring and maintaining workers' abilities, while reducing the costs of disability for workers, employers, government, and insurance.
NIDMAR's success is the result of collaborative initiatives undertaken by leaders in labour, business, government, education, insurance, and rehabilitation.
Find out more
“Achieving these legislative goals requires a multi-layered approach to improving the lives of people with disabilities. It’s only through higher employment and improved financial resources that long-term poverty for persons with disabilities will be reduced”
Wolfgang Zimmermann,
NIDMAR
In Ontario, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) sets compulsory standards for both public-sector and private organizations. Under the Accessibility for Manitobans Act, public-sector organizations in Manitoba are charged with complying by May 1, 2024, while private-sector organizations must follow suit by May 1, 2025.
Accessibility plans effectively include employees first
Research indicates that 80 percent of all illnesses and injuries occur during an individual’s working life. Mental-health issues are also on the rise, exacerbated by COVID and requiring effective workplace accommodation solutions that also have the potential to help reduce labour shortages in Canada.
Studies have found that persons with disabilities are more likely to experience adverse socioeconomic outcomes, including poorer health outcomes, lower levels of employment, and higher poverty rates.
The solution, says Zimmermann, starts with an in-house review. “The global best-practice assessment typically used for this purpose also incorporates an OSH/workplace health review. Any organization that doesn't accommodate its own employees who have acquired a mental or physical health impairment will not be able to build a successful 'disability inclusion' workplace."
He stresses, "A key element of any accessibility plan has to include what you are doing for your own employees who acquire a mental or physical health impairment. Everything else is window dressing."
Culture of accommodation removes barriers
Research has shown that effective disability management programs can reduce disability-related costs by 30 to 50 percent. Managing disabilities, removing barriers, and ensuring
inclusivity for people with disabilities requires what the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities calls a “culture of accommodation.”
The UN calls for “reasonable accommodations” and provides examples, such as job restructuring, changes in assignments, and flexible working hours and breaks.
In many organizations, it is still unclear who is responsible for implementing accessibility plans to meet the legislation. What kind of specialized knowledge is needed?
While diversity and inclusion are already considerations for human resources management, Zimmermann argues that occupational safety committees and practitioners also have a vital role to play in removing barriers for employees who are disabled. Through an integrated workplace health approach, effective disability management programs can lead to much-improved OSH and health-promotion outcomes. However, he advises that additional expertise in disability management is required.
NIDMAR offers pathways to achieving this end through education, professionalization, and program assessments.
DM professionals provide expertise and clarity
In 2007, in collaboration with the BC government, NIDMAR established the Pacific Coast University for Workplace Health Sciences (PCU-WHS). A bachelor’s degree in disability management is now offered through PCU-WHS. Both the degree program and a range of continuing education online modules are tailored to people who are working part-time or full-time.
Nicole Sloboda is a disability management consultant at Fraser Health Authority in BC. She is a certified disability management professional (CDMP) who has completed continuing education in everything from human rights and labour relations to mental health.
"A key element of any accessibility plan has to include what you are doing for your own employees.... Everything else is window dressing"
Wolfgang Zimmermann,
NIDMAR
Workplace DM assessments offered free of charge
Through NIDMAR, employers have the opportunity to undergo a review of their practices and programs to help facilitate disability management and inclusion. This assessment is currently free of charge.
Catherine Gordon, director of people and culture at Canuck Place Children's Hospice, agreed to undergo a workplace disability management assessment (WDMA) and is pleased with the results.
Funding for NIDMAR to conduct the assessments is provided by the federal government’s Sectoral Initiatives Program in provinces outside of British Columbia. In BC, the funding is provided by a provincial Workforce Development Agreements grant; as a second step, employers there can apply for a subsidy of up to $7,500 to address the issues identified in the assessment.
Gordon notes, “NIDMAR provides the expertise that most organizations don’t have internally. With the grant process, it’s inexpensive to access that expertise to really fully support your staff.”
Whether accessibility and inclusion expertise is developed in-house or accessed externally, Zimmermann champions the idea of uniting DM, return to work, and OSH programs.
He concludes, “An integrated workplace health approach, which also carefully tracks frequency and causes of mental and physical health impairments, can be a powerful force leading to targeted and effective prevention measures.”
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Advertise
About us
Contact us
Privacy
Terms of Use
RSS
Newsletter
Digital editions
Authors
External contributors
News
Topics
Resources
Events
Best In Safety
Subscribe
Copyright © 2022 Key Media
Advertise
About us
Contact us
Privacy
Terms of Use
RSS
Newsletter
Digital editions
Authors
External contributors
News
Topics
Resources
Events
Best In Safety
Subscribe
In Sloboda’s view, “Having a disability management client/partner within your organization allows you to have that single source who comes in with a different lens, bringing in knowledge, experience, and impartiality.”
She adds, “Disability management comes in with the breadth of understanding of those policies, those procedures, but is trained to have that creativity to colour outside the lines and to come up with a reasonable accommodation that benefits everybody.”
Disabled Canadians face significant financial pressures
1.4 million Canadians with disabilities are unemployed and living below the poverty line
Disability management programs reduce costs
Research has shown that effective disability management programs can reduce disability-related costs by 30 to 50 percent
Funding for NIDMAR to conduct the assessments is provided by the federal government’s Sectoral Initiatives Program in provinces outside of British Columbia. In BC, the funding is provided by a provincial Workforce Development Agreements grant; as a second step, employers there can apply for a subsidy of up to $7,500 to address the issues identified in the assessment.
Gordon notes, “NIDMAR provides the expertise that most organizations don’t have internally. With the grant process, it’s inexpensive to access that expertise to really fully support your staff.”
Whether accessibility and inclusion expertise is developed in-house or accessed externally, Zimmermann champions the idea of uniting DM, return to work, and OSH programs.
He concludes, “An integrated workplace health approach, which also carefully tracks frequency and causes of mental and physical health impairments, can be a powerful force leading to targeted and effective prevention measures.”
Workplace DM assessments offered free of charge
Through NIDMAR, employers have the opportunity to undergo a review of their practices and programs to help facilitate disability management and inclusion. This assessment is currently free of charge.
Catherine Gordon, director of people and culture at Canuck Place Children's Hospice, agreed to undergo a workplace disability management assessment (WDMA) and is pleased with the results.
DM professionals provide expertise and clarity
In 2007, in collaboration with the BC government, NIDMAR established the Pacific Coast University for Workplace Health Sciences (PCU-WHS). A bachelor’s degree in disability management is now offered through PCU-WHS. Both the degree program and a range of continuing education online modules are tailored to people who are working part-time or full-time.
Nicole Sloboda is a disability management consultant at Fraser Health Authority in BC. She is a certified disability management professional (CDMP) who has completed continuing education in everything from human rights and labour relations to mental health.
The solution, says Zimmermann, starts with an in-house review. “The global best-practice assessment typically used for this purpose also incorporates an OSH/workplace health review. Any organization that doesn't accommodate its own employees who have acquired a mental or physical health impairment will not be able to build a successful 'disability inclusion' workplace."
He stresses, "A key element of any accessibility plan has to include what you are doing for your own employees who acquire a mental or physical health impairment. Everything else is window dressing."
Culture of accommodation removes barriers
Research has shown that effective disability management programs can reduce disability-related costs by 30 to 50 percent. Managing disabilities, removing barriers, and ensuring
In Ontario, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) sets compulsory standards for both public-sector and private organizations. Under the Accessibility for Manitobans Act, public-sector organizations in Manitoba are charged with complying by May 1, 2024, while private-sector organizations must follow suit by May 1, 2025.
Accessibility plans effectively include employees first
Research indicates that 80 percent of all illnesses and injuries occur during an individual’s working life. Mental-health issues are also on the rise, exacerbated by COVID and requiring effective workplace accommodation solutions that also have the potential to help reduce labour shortages in Canada.
Studies have found that persons with disabilities are more likely to experience adverse socioeconomic outcomes, including poorer health outcomes, lower levels of employment, and higher poverty rates.
WOLFGANG ZIMMERMAN, executive director of the National Institute of Disability Management and Research (NIDMAR), says, “Achieving these legislative goals requires a multi-layered approach to improving the lives of people with disabilities. It’s only through higher employment and improved financial resources that long-term poverty for persons with disabilities will be reduced.”
While the federal act allows until 2040 for full implementation, provincial legislation is moving more swiftly. In British Columbia, under the Accessible BC Act, 750 public-sector organizations began the process in September 2022 of developing accessibility plans, which must be in place by September 1, 2023.
"A key element of any accessibility plan has to include what you are doing for your own employees.... Everything else is window dressing"
Wolfgang Zimmermann,
NIDMAR
“Achieving these legislative goals requires a multi-layered approach to improving the lives of people with disabilities. It’s only through higher employment and improved financial resources that long-term poverty for persons with disabilities will be reduced”
Wolfgang Zimmermann,
NIDMAR
Find out more
The National Institute of Disability Management and Research (NIDMAR), founded in 1994, is an internationally recognized organization committed to reducing the human, social, and economic costs of disability.
NIDMAR's focus is the promotion of education, professionalization, and program standards that international research has proven are the most effective way of restoring and maintaining workers' abilities, while reducing the costs of disability for workers, employers, government, and insurance.
NIDMAR's success is the result of collaborative initiatives undertaken by leaders in labour, business, government, education, insurance, and rehabilitation.