Disability in the workplace

Canadians say employers have an important responsibility to accommodate people with disabilities, finds a survey by the BMO Wealth Institute.

There are 3.8 million Canadians with disabilities, according to Statistics Canada.

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Respondents stated the following as the top improvements needed by employers to assist disabled workers:

• Greater accessibility to company premises (63%);
• More supportive policies and practices in the workplace, such as people care days and flexible work arrangements (63%);
• Improved accommodations in the workplace (58%);
• Consumer friendly interactive devices, such as self serve checkouts and direct payment devices (56%);
• Career development and training (55%);
• Executive sponsorship and support in hiring disabled persons (53%).

Read: Plan for family members with special needs

“While improvements have already begun in workplaces, it is crucial that employers continue to support employees requiring time, resources and flexible work arrangements to help them, or their caregivers, get the care and support that they need,” says Chris Buttigieg, senior manager, wealth planning strategy, BMO Financial Group.

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The staff of Advisor.ca have been covering news for financial advisors since 1998.