Procedures For the Implementation of the Manitoba Policy on Access to Government: Publications, Events and Customer Service

Introduction

The Manitoba Policy on Access to Government: Publications, Events, and Customer Service (MPAG) obliges the affected service providers to offer citizens  reasonable access to public information, events and services within a reasonable time and at a cost that does not exceed that charged generally.

Reasonable accommodations* must be made according to the needs of the individual.  The following procedures provide a general guide on preventing barriers to participation and on providing good customer service. 

Government departments and other affected bodies must designate an Accessibility Coordinator who has overall responsibility for the implementation of the MPAG, including analytic, consultative, and planning support.  The Accessibility Coordinator must be budgeted adequate staff time and resources to carry out these duties.  The Disabilities Issues Office (DIO) will provide training to the Accessibility Coordinators.

The following procedures relate directly to the MPAG.

1.         Provision of Information

• Be prepared to respond to requests for multiple formats, including plain language, large print, electronic text, Braille, cassette and diskette.  Contact your Accessibility Coordinator identify producers of multiple format not available in-house.

For a list of Access Coordinators, see Appendix 1.

• Provide a response to individuals requesting communication in an alternate format within a week.  Inform the individual who the contact person is and the approximate wait time.
• Include the following statement in publications: “This publication is available in multiple formats upon request.”  This statement should appear in large font at the bottom of the first page of the document.

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* The duty to reasonably accommodate disabilities is limited by undue hardship to the service provider. The Manitoba Human Rights Commission describes reasonable accommodation as an often “simple and inexpensive change to how something is typically done, which takes into account the need a person or group have that is based on protected characteristic.”   The MHRC reviews human right complaints according to both the process used to identify and explores options for a special need, and any substantive decision on the requested accommodation.

• Create or renovate websites with consideration to universal access for all Manitobans.

For technical assistance, contact Science, Technology, Energy and Mines (STEM) at 799-4916.

• Ensure that publications created in multiple formats are available to the public by providing one copy of each format to the Legislative Library for use and long-term retention.

See also The Legislature Library Act.

See also Disability Access Resource Guide:  Development of Publications in Multiple Formats.

2.      Holding Public Events

2.1    Ensure the event site can accommodate a variety of disability needs, including available public transit and designated parking for persons with disabilities. 
        
         Advertise confirmed access features of the event using relevant icons, for example:

   physical accessibility

   assistive listening devices available to amplify sounds
        
See also Disability Access Resource Guide: Glossary of Terms and Symbols.

2.2    Be prepared to respond to requests for disability accommodations, for example:  American Sign Language interpretation, interveners, captioning and preparation of documentation in multiple formats.

2.3    Publicize events in multiple media formats, like print, radio and electronically.  Contact disability community organizations to share information with membership. 
        
2.4    Add the following sentence to publicity and registration forms:  “Disability supports are available on request.” 

See also Disability Access Resource Guide: Planning Accessible Meetings.

3.      Customer Service
 
3.1   Develop procedures to meet the disability-related needs of individuals according to the services.

3.2   Create an Accessibility Working Group to develop an accessibility plan to ensure disability access to specific programs and services.  Accessibility plans must include the following:

• List of priorities, strategies and time-lines to meet the policies’ objectives.
• Staff who are responsible to carry out the tasks, including an Accessibility Coordinator.
• Budget to remove barriers.
• Monitoring mechanisms.
• Approval of the plan by senior management.
• Submit an Annual Report to the DIO on how you have fulfill your plan, including the response to requests.

4. Complaints Procedure

If an individual is not satisfied with the response to a request for access to publications, events and customer service, he/she has the right to make a complaint. The DIO will be producing information about the MPAG for distribution to the public. It will advise the public they have a right to file a complaint and will outline the steps as follows: 

• Repeat the request to the person who was first asked for assistance. (Ask for his or her name.)
• If no action is taken, complain to the supervisor and request follow up.
• If action is still not taken, advise the DIO about the problem.  A staff person will produce a written record with the complainant.  The DIO will attempt to address the problem initially with the Accessibility Coordinator.

If the problem cannot be resolved by the DIO, the complainant may be referred onto the Ombudsperson’s Office, for instance if the problem relates to program eligibility. 

If the equality rights of a Manitoban have been violated on the basis of disability, the complainant will be referred to the Manitoba Human Rights Commission.

The goal of the complaints procedure is to enforce the spirit and intent of the MPAG in the absence of legislation and regulations.