Arthritis Society Canada is proud to be an equal opportunities employer that values diversity and welcomes applicants from all cultures, religions, abilities, and sexual and gender identities, including all other grounds as specified in each provincial/territorial Human Rights Code.
Throughout the recruitment process, Arthritis Society Canada will notify all candidates about the organization’s commitment to facilitating any necessary special arrangements and/or accommodations for any candidates with accessible needs.
Arthritis Society Canada will make every reasonable effort to ensure employees understand the accessibility supports which are in place, through initial and ongoing training, as well as by posting the information in a common area of the organization’s shared drive. Accessible formats will be provided to any employee upon request.
It is the employee’s responsibility to notify Arthritis Society Canada of any accessibility needs. In doing so, HR, along with the employee and their manager, will partner to create a documented accommodation plan which will make every reasonable effort to arrange for the provision of reasonable accommodation in a manner that takes the employee’s needs into account.
In many cases, accommodation plans that enable an employee to fulfill their responsibilities can easily be addressed. There are however two (2) situations whereby the organization is not required to make an accommodation:
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When the person cannot perform the essential duties of the position, even with accommodations.
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The accommodation required would create what is known as “undue hardship” for the Arthritis Society Canada.
As an organization that is committed to supporting the successful contributions of individuals with accessible needs, managers will consider the accessibility needs of their employees with disabilities as well as their individual accommodation plans during the performance management process and when providing career development and advancement.
A return-to-work process is in place to support employees who have been absent from work due to a disability and require disability-related accommodations to return to work. For those returning from short-term disability (STD) leave and/or long-term disability (LTD) leave, this process will be handled by the disability carrier, working in close collaboration with the employee, HR and all other relevant/required Arthritis Society Canada and medical parties. For more information in relation to this approach, please refer to our Short-Term and Long-Term Disability policy. For those returning to work outside of STD and/or LTD, this process will be handled through close collaboration between the employee, HR and the guidance provided by the treating medical professional.