Developing a Workplace Accomodation Policy

This resource, developed by the Canadian Human Rights Commission, includes a drafted template of a workplace accommodation policy to help employers seeking to develop a policy for their organization.

The template includes the following sections:

• Policy Statement – Organizational commitment to intersectional inclusion, respect, dignity, and equal opportunity
• Application – Who the policy applies to and what aspects of employment
• Definitions – Definitions of relevant language (e.g. accommodation, undue hardship)
• Responsibilities and Expectations – The responsibilities of the organization, supervisors, and employees or job applicants (e.g. the organization is responsible for providing individual accommodation to the point of undue hardship; supervisors are responsible for dealing with requests for accommodation in a timely, confidential, and sensitive manner; and employees are responsible for helping to identify potential accommodation options)
• Procedures for Accommodation – The step-by-step process for employees or job applicants of claiming an accommodation and the supervisor’s process of meeting the duty to accommodate
• Appeals – What employees or job applicants can do if they are not satisfied with the offered accommodation
• Privacy and Confidentiality – Statement of confidentiality regarding requests for accommodation
• Review – Assignment of responsibility/accountability to review the accommodation procedures annually
• Enquiries – Contact information in case of questions or concerns