FAQs
What is meant by the term disability?
Why should I hire a person with
a disability?
Will my WSIB (formerly WCB) premiums
go up?
Are there financial incentives to
hire a person with a disability?
What assistive devices are available
to make it easier for someone to succeed in my
company?
What should I know about interviewing
someone with a disability?
Will they need a lot of time off
work?
What if they don't disclose that
they have a disability during the interview but
later on say they cannot perform one of the essential
duties of the job?
If they don't work out how do I
let them go?
What am I committing to?
What is meant by the
term disability?
A disability is often defined as any
lasting impairment of a life activity. It often
acts as a visible or invisible barrier to employment
creating misconceptions about the capabilities
of potential employees.
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Why should I hire a
person with a disability?
They can do the job. You'll be accessing
a currently underutilized skilled segment of the
labour pool.
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Will my WSIB (formerly
WCB) premiums go up?
According to the Workplace Safety Insurance
Board, your premiums cannot be increased on the
basis that some of your workers have disabilities.
Workers with disabilities have excellent safety
records on the job.
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Are there financial
incentives to hire a person with a disability?
Currently, there are government programs
that offer wage subsidies when hiring someone
with a disability. In Peel, Halton and Dufferin,
call Employment ACCESS at 1-800-270-3861.
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What assistive devices
are available to make it easier for someone to
succeed in my company?
Work environments can be adopted to meet
the needs of most employers. If your company cannot
afford to pay for the accommodation, you may be
eligible for financial assistance. In Peel, Halton
and Dufferin, call Employment ACCESS at 1-800-270-3861.
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What should I know about
interviewing someone with a disability?
Most people are willing to talk about
their disability and how it will affect their
work. If someone does not disclose their disability,
you can ask if they have any "barriers"
that would effect their work according to the
job description. Also, if a potential employee
is referred by one of the special services programs,
a counselor can offer to assist with the interview
process.
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Will they need a lot
of time off work?
Actually, most persons with disabilities
have the same or better record for attendance
on the job.
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What if they don't disclose
that they have a disability during the interview
but later on say they cannot perform one of the
essential duties of the job?
Find out if you can accommodate them
in another way or if an assistive device will
provide a solution.
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If they don't work out,
how do I let them go?
The same rules apply for people with
or without disabilities. As long as the reason
for termination is related to the job and not
to the disability, you are within your rights
to let someone go if they do not work out.
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What am I committing
to?
You are committing to hire a person who
is qualified with skills and strengths and has
the abilities to do the job as you have prescribed.
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