<p>Module 3: The Duty to Accommodate, Part 1</p><p>[music and opening titles] </p><p>[sharp sound] </p><p>[music and opening titles] </p><p>[music] Announcer: This video includes a combination of re-enactments, interviews and real-life footage. </p><p>[music] Announcer: Many scenarios, reflections, comments and recommendations are presented by actors </p><p>[music] Announcer: representing employers, </p><p>[music] Announcer: people with disabilities, </p><p>[music] Announcer: and agency representatives. </p><p>[music] Announcer: Wherever this material has been re-enacted, it is drawn from the experiences of real people </p><p>[music] Announcer: in real situations revealed in focus groups organized by the Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work. </p><p>[outside background noise] </p><p>Narrator: Not long ago, when people mentioned the word "accommodations," it was assumed that they were referring to a place they lived or stayed. </p><p>A house, an apartment, or a hotel room. </p><p>The word now applies to adaptations that accommodate people with disabilities. </p><p>They may be simple or complex. </p><p>They may be expensive or inexpensive or no cost at all. And they may be provided by employers from all sectors. </p><p>Large corporations, heavy industry, light industry and small businesses in cities and towns. </p><p>Accommodations: what are they? </p><p>When are they required? </p><p>How does an employer decide what to do? </p><p>Male PWD with hidden disability: Disability accommodations and the ability to do the work are often confused. </p><p>For a person with a disability, accommodations and being able to perform up to your optimal potential are intertwined. </p><p>In my case, I wasn't able to complete my notes fast enough unless I could use some sort of audio format. </p><p>They basically said that they didn't have dictaphones or tape recorders, and as a result, I couldn't keep my notes in audio format. </p><p>And, then they implied that my skill level wasn't up to par. </p><p>So my argument was, "I know the work. I can do it, but I'm at a real disadvantage." </p><p>And I talked to them about solving the problem by taking notes in audio format. </p><p>It's an accommodation that's often provided to vision-impaired individuals. </p><p>But it can also be good for people with dexterity problems or some people with dyslexia. </p><p>It took 3 times as long as it should have for me to prove that I could do the job. </p><p>And I did it very well. </p><p>Eventually, they admitted that they had failed to accommodate me. </p><p>It's just that sometimes you have to go through extra work to prove yourself, and things get confused. </p><p>PWD who is blind: I'm vision-impaired and I'm not ashamed of that. That's just life. </p><p>In an employment situation, I may need this equipment to get the job done, or do it a different way. </p><p>And I make no apologies for that. </p><p>I'm not going to pretend to do it the (quote) "regular" way. </p><p>There's more than one way to get the job done. </p><p>Narrator: [man reading a book in the library] </p><p>Often in the workplace, co-workers and managers should be more aware of accommodations. including soft and hard accommodations. </p><p>The definition of soft accommodations includes flexible work hours. </p><p>The definition of hard accommodations includes such things as adaptive technology, attendant care services and interpreter services. </p><p>One of the first questions that comes to mind for many employers is cost. </p><p>What should I do? </p><p>How expensive will it be? </p><p>How am I going to pay for it? </p><p>Female Employer #2: Sarah, I need you to work some overtime for me tonight. Is that all right? </p><p>Female PWD with hidden disability: That depends on what you need me to do.</p><p>Narrator: Sometimes, accommodations are perceived as a privilege, especially for people who have hidden disabilities. </p><p>Female PWD with hidden disability: I am sure if I had have been physically disabled in some way, they would have been much more accepting of the fact that I couldn't do certain things. I look like I am able to do things, therefore, you are expected to be able to do them. </p><p>It is like I am making it up to try and get out of doing the work. </p><p>Narrator: [Male employer discusses accommodations with a wheelchair user] </p><p>Many employers may automatically assume that accommodations are going to be costly. </p><p>But many of them don't have to cost anything at all. </p><p>Sometimes they just require consultation, teamwork and creative thinking. </p><p>Female Agency Rep.: For example, I had a young lady with a number of duties. </p><p>She knew her duties, she sat, and then didn't move on. </p><p>The employer didn't know what to do. He would instruct her to move on to the next task. </p><p>She would then go do the second one, and if he wasn't there, she wouldn't move on. </p><p>He called me. I said: "We just need for her to have a schedule." </p><p>"Doing dishes, now that's number 1. Sweeping the floor, that's number 2, and so on." </p><p>"We should put it at her tray, and she'll be able to see what she needs to do." </p><p>The employer didn't recognize that she needed to have something in front of her so that she would know: "What should I do next?" because she couldn't retain that information. </p><p>The employer felt like he was picking on her. </p><p>But once we put a schedule in place, it is working perfectly. </p><p>It's just those small things. </p><p>Narrator: [office worker, typing] </p><p>In another situation, an office worker had acquired a disability, which was deteriorating. They were dealing with the acceptance of their disability as well as trying to figure out how to manoeuvre in the workplace. </p><p>Male Employer: They had become very touchy. </p><p>So we went from someone who could walk on their own, to being in a wheelchair soon. And it's tricky. </p><p>One particular situation we got into was around coffee time. </p><p>We had to speak to the individual and say: "It's really not safe for you to go and get your coffee, because you're only using one crutch." </p><p>Because she needed a hand for the coffee. </p><p>And it didn't go over well, at first. </p><p>[End Part 1 music] </p><p>End Part 1 of Module 3: The Duty to Accommodate </p>