News release

There were two WebEx Forums on Workplace Accommodations for Persons with Disabilities.

WebEx Forum 1 [Held Thursday, February 18, 2016]

Topic: Best practices in accommodating employees in the workplace
This forum session provided an opportunity for participants to share knowledge and gain useful insights on such issues as: resources that employers are using to appropriately accommodate persons with disabilities, and strategies and approaches, including return-to-work practices, in workplace accommodation, and the inclusion of persons with disabilities.

Presentation PPTs

1. Debbie Pawelczyk, Senior Advisor in Workplace Accommodation at the Royal Bank of  Canada, on “A collaborative approach to workplace accommodation and inclusion at RBC”<PPT>
2. Maureen Haan, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work, on “Successful accommodations based on the understanding of why employers hire people with disabilities in the first place”<PPT>
3. Marie-José Durand, Occupational Therapist and Professor at the Université de Sherbrooke, on “Return-to-work practices for workers with musculoskeletal or common mental disorders” <PPT>

Audio Recording: https://gts-ee.webex.com/gts-ee/ldr.php?RCID=af44661da624cc65cbb4ba19130fc1d0
​Transcripts: Word

WebEx Forum 2 [Held Thursday, February 25, 2016]

Topic: Accommodating employees in the workplace is expensive:  Myth or reality?
This forum session provided an opportunity for participants to share knowledge and gain useful insights on such issues as: the cost of current technological advances in accommodations, direct and indirect workplace accommodation costs, and myths and realities about the costs of workplace accommodation. The goal of the session was to present a more realistic picture of this issue and identify areas where more work should be done.

Presentation PPTs:

1. Emile Tompa, M.B.A., Ph.D., Health and Labour Economist, Senior Scientist at the Institute of Work & Health and Co-Director of the Centre for Research on Work Disability Policy, on “Employer costs and benefits of accommodation: What evidence is available and what evidence would be ideal for informed decision making?” <PPT>
2. Gary Birch, O.C., Ph.D., P.Eng. and Executive Director, Neil Squire Society, on “Cost of Assistive Technology and Related Ergonomic Interventions: A Case Study from the Neil Squire Society Solutions Department”. <PPT not available>

Audio Recording: https://gts-ee.webex.com/gts-ee/lsr.php?RCID=0ec43aa0f95a4253b56ecfe4b6570f08
​Transcripts: Word

Uploaded Files

Info- WebEx Forum Series