For those that employ staff in Ontario, Canada, the following training is mandatory for companies to run for their employees.
- AODA training
- Worker Health and Safety Awareness Training
AODA training requirements
In 2005, the Ontario Public Service passed The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), making AODA training required for all employers and workers in Ontario.
With this Act, Ontario became the first province in Canada to take action to increase accessibility for people who live with disabilities. For more than 10 years now, AODA training has been required in Ontario. However, some employers and workers are still unfamiliar with the terms accessibility and disability. Furthermore, many organisations fail to provide AODA training to their workers and/or volunteers.
Organisations who fail to provide accessibility and disability training violate the Act. These businesses, as well as falling short of local employment law, also fail their workers by not giving them the knowledge on how to properly interact with disabled individuals. AODA training gives businesses and their workers knowledge of both the AODA and the Human Rights Code; in addition, workers will learn how to interact with people with various types of disabilities.
This law applies to all organisations with 1 or more employee(s) in Ontario. The AODA applies to all municipalities in the province, as well as ministries and agencies of the Ontario government, nonprofits, and businesses.
Worker Health and Safety Awareness Training
Worker Health and Safety Awareness Training is focused on the health and safety rights and responsibilities of workers, supervisors and employers and is a general introduction to workplace health and safety. Employers should deliver training to new workers within the first few days of starting work, before workers are exposed to hazards in the workplace.
The regulatory requirements apply to all workplaces covered under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), regardless of sector. All employers must ensure workers and supervisors complete, or have completed, an awareness training program that meets the regulatory requirements.
Staying Compliant with Ontario Training
Both the AODA and the Workplace Health and Safety Awareness are required trainings that should take place as part of every new hire’s induction. Since this content is prescribed by regulation, the local government do provide e-learning courses which are available online and can be used to deliver this training.
Our training covers the same subject matter but in presentation format. The advantages are that this allows employees to ask questions, discuss scenarios that might be unique to the workplace, and generally provides a more comprehensive and engaging session. Our courses also give you and your organisation the relevant materials for future use with any future hires. The training sessions last approximately 2 hours, which cover all the mandatory requirements, and allow opportunity for discussion.
If you need help enrolling any current staff in these mandatory courses, reach out our dedicated HR Team and we’ll be able to talk you through pricing as well as arranging convenient dates for you and your Ontario team.
