Accessibility Plan Progress Report 2023

ISSN 2818-0119 (Online)

Creating a culture of belonging for employees living with a disability

Table of Contents

• Introduction and Land Acknowledgement
• General
• Glossary
• Employment
• The Built Environment
• Information and Communication Technologies
• Communication, other than Information and Communication Technologies
• The Procurement of Goods, Services and Facilities
• The Design and Delivery of Programs and Services
• Transportation
• Consultations
• Feedback
• Conclusion

Introduction and Land Acknowledgement

As Accessibility Officer for the Public Prosecution Service of Canada (PPSC), it is my pleasure to present to you our first progress report, following the publication of our ambitious and expansive National Accessibility Plan on December 30, 2022.

My work is filled with gratitude and it remains grounded on this quote from Lee Seto-Thomas: "Disabilities are a gift from the creator to remind us of our humanity, they help us make meaningful changes to the world. They teach us to love, to have compassion and to be creative".

Thanks to the hard work and dedication of employees who are part of our National Council for persons living with a disability (NCE PwD), we were able to have yet another very successful and informative National AccessAbility Week 2023. Throughout the past year, we also offered specific training and communicated on a great number of occasions in order to raise awareness and encourage meaningful conversations.

Our accomplishments give me great hope that the PPSC will continue to work collaboratively with all stakeholders to make sure that progress continues to be seen and felt at all levels of our organization.

I acknowledge Canada as the land of the First Peoples (Nations), Inuit and Métis. I pay homage to the Indigenous Peoples, past, present and future who continue to work, educate and contribute to the strength of this country. I recognize land that is shared through historic treaties, developed through contemporary treaties and land that continues to be unceded territory.

Norma Pavoni, Accessibility Officer
Public Prosecution Service of Canada

General

Should you have any feedback to provide regarding barriers at the PPSC, or any questions related to the implementation of our accessibility plan and progress reports, employees, as well as persons who deal with our organization, may reach us by using any of the means listed below. Feedback may be provided anonymously. Feedback will be acknowledged through the same means by which it was received, unless it was received anonymously.

You may reach us by mail:

Name:
Norma Pavoni, Pronouns: She, Her

Title:
National Liaison EDIA and Accessibility Officer
Accessibility and Disability Champion
Advancement Centre for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility
Public Prosecution Service of Canada, Government of Canada

Address:
160 Elgin Street, 12th Floor, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0H8

You may reach us by Email:
PPSCAccessibilityFeedback@ppsc-sppc.gc.ca

You may reach us by using our toll-free telephone number:
1-833-791-1086. Please leave a detailed message for the Accessibility Officer. Should you wish to leave your contact information, a member of the Advancement Centre for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility will return the call within 72 hours. You may also leave an anonymous message.

You may reach us via social media:

This document is available in alternate formats upon request.

Such formats include, but are not limited to: print, large print, Braille, audio format or an electronic format that is compatible with adaptive technology that is intended to assist persons living with a disability.

Glossary

Employment

During the past year, we have continued our efforts to promote and implement the GC Workplace Accessibility Passport and we take part in all meetings of the GC Workplace Accessibility Passport Adopter Community of Practice. We have engaged with various departments at the request of the Office of Public Service Accessibility (OPSA) in order to share our best practices and success stories.

Since January 1, 2023, the Accessibility Officer has provided assistance, guidance and support to 45 employees.

As of January 1, 2023, the PPSC hired six additional PwD, but it also lost four employees living with a disability (either indeterminate or term).

From January 1, 2023 to November 1, 2023, the promotion rate for PwD is 0.3%.

Following a government-wide simple survey in 2023, OPSA advised us that 23 out of 25 respondents from the PPSC know about the GC Workplace Accessibility Passport, and that five employees are currently using it.

Barriers worked on in 2022-2023:

• PwD may screen themselves out of competitions if they feel like they cannot compete.
• Assessment methods can be barriers to PwD.
• Assumptions, biases, ableism, and preconceived ideas from hiring managers/ panels with a limited understanding of disabilities and possible accommodation and the belief that a worker with a disability does not pull their own weight, cannot do the job 100%, or might not have the same capacity as other workers.
• Lack of consistent onboarding practices results in some PwDs not receiving the required support and guidance to fully understand their roles and responsibilities.
• Harassment and discrimination: in the most recent PSES results, 23% of PwD respondents have reported harassment compared to 14% for other employees. Twenty-one percent (21%) of PwD have reported discrimination compared to eight percent for other employees.
• PwD do not know who to contact when they experience an accessibility issue.
• PwD have a level of fear and discomfort in raising concerns about barriers. The Duty to Accommodate file is currently being managed by the Labour Relations team whose focus is sometimes perceived as supporting managers more than employees.
• Bias in performance management may lead to fewer promotions for PwD.
• Fear of retaliation. Complaints from PwD may be career limiting.

Key Actions by Senior Management:

• Funded a dedicated full-time resource and an additional part-time resource to accessibility.
• Supported the NCE PwD and provided a budget in the amount of $6,500 for national events.
• Shared messages with all employees:
  • A compilation of the survey results stemming from our very first National Accessibility Survey launched in May 2022.
  • An executive summary of our National Accessibility Plan 2022-2025.
  • Announcing that a prosecutor sitting on our NCE PwD was honoured with the King's Counsel Designation for his contribution to the legal profession.
  • The publication of the National Accessibility Plan, made available in different formats: full version, accessible visual summary, accessible simplified version, Inuktitut simplified version and audio MP3 version.
  • Regarding the return to office, two messages with a special section dedicated to accommodations and individualized adjustments:
    • Asking managers and employees to work together in order to find an accommodation that provides conditions that will be favourable to the successful participation of every member of their team;
    • Recognizing that a large number of employees have not yet disclosed their disabilities to their managers for a variety of reasons;
    • Inviting PwD to contact the departmental Accessibility Officer, who will provide support in a safe environment;
    • Inviting supervisors and managers, having to navigate through an accommodation process for an employee living with a disability, to turn to the departmental Accessibility Officer for guidance; and,
    • Suggesting that employees living with a disability use the GC Workplace Accessibility Passport to streamline the workplace accommodation process, start the conversation on barriers in the workplace, and to propose solutions to address those barriers.

Key Actions by the ACEDIA and the NCE PwD - Publications and Messages:

• Shared various messages with all employees:
  • By a legal assistant at the Ontario Regional Office and member of the NCE PwD, in honour of Autism Awareness Month;
  • By a prosecutor living with a disability at the Ontario Regional Office in order to commemorate and raise awareness regarding Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Month;
  • By a neurodivergent HR assistant in order to commemorate ADHD Awareness Month and Learning Disabilities Awareness Month;
  • Regarding the new Infinity Network for Neurodivergent Public Servants;
  • Regarding Indigenous Disability Awareness Month.
• Sent daily communications and employee testimonies in order to celebrate National AccessAbility week. The theme selected this year: We don't know what we don't know, but we can fix that!
• Finalized a proposal that suggests a review of Accommodation and Workplace Adjustments for PwD and the implementation of a new Workplace Accessibility Centre for the department. The proposal was approved on November 6, 2023.
• Updated the Accessibility and Accommodation intranet page to include all relevant contact information in order to report a barrier to accessibility and obtain feedback related to the implementation of our Accessibility Plan.
• Drafted and shared a Duty to Accommodate internal Guidance document for supervisors and managers to assist with exceptions and accommodation requests in the context of the return to office.
• Updated our Diversity and Inclusion Recruitment Booklet with useful information on the GC Workplace Accessibility Passport.
• Published articles in the internal newsletter, the PPSC Insider:
  • By an employee who was diagnosed 25 years ago with a Pilocytic Astrocytoma brain tumour, and underwent treatments to have it removed;
  • By an employee member of our NCE PwD in order to commemorate and raise awareness regarding Dyslexia Awareness Month; and,
  • Launching the new Accessibility Feedback Form which allows employees to submit feedback anonymously.

Key Actions by the ACEDIA and the NCE PwD - Trainings and Live Events:

• Held three live events:
  • The first, for supervisors and managers, where two senior managers shared some of their wisdom and experience in an event that aimed to start the conversation on 'Psychological Safety'.
  • The second, for all employees to join a NCE PwD member who shared insights on his career during a talk entitled 'What you don't know? We have something to offer.'
  • The third event, a collaboration with the Alberta Regional Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility Committee, for all employees, aimed to develop awareness and expand understanding of neurodiversity, given by Tara Beaton, Workplace Accessibility and Neurodiversity Specialist.
• Offered three training sessions to supervisors and managers regarding the return to office. Session were facilitated by the Accessibility Officer, the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Manager, and the Labour Relations Manager. A total of 125 supervisors/managers attended.
• Promoted the following:
  • Two live events organized by the British Columbia Regional Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility Committee with guest speaker Gabrielle Peters. The first entitled 'Why you think what you think about disability' and the second one 'Being anti-ableist takes work';
  • The GC Workplace Accessibility Passport Info-Sessions held in September and October 2023;
  • The Infinity Network's event held on October 31, entitled "Perspectives Unveiled: Navigating Neurodiversity in the Workplace".

Key Actions by HR:

• The Guide and Tool on Biases and Barriers in Assessment has become mandatory on all staffing files. The Guide for Assessing Persons with Disabilities is linked in the handout that was shared at the Learning Lab to ensure easy access.
• Corporate Staffing Advisor is now part of the Assessment Accessibility Ambassador network and attended numerous sessions on bias mitigation and evaluation.
• User Centered Design in assessments is always a consideration when HR Advisors are reviewing assessment tools.
• Advertisement templates were updated to include more welcoming wording for PwD and accommodation requests.
• Attended the Ottawa Career Fair for Students and Recent Graduates with Disabilities on November 9, 2023, with a member of the NCE.
• Revised letter of offer to include information about the GC Passport and the role of the Accessibility Officer. Currently under approval by management.
• Initiated discussions with the NCE's on the development of a talent management and succession planning framework. Consultation sessions will follow once the framework is developed.
• Introduced information concerning the importance of considering accommodations in a message to all employees regarding mid-year review performance assessment.
• Updated onboarding materials to include information for supervisors and managers to ensure that new employees are properly accommodated and a note to employees to contact the Accessibility Officer if they require support.
• Offered trainings on the prevention of harassment and violence on two separate dates in May 2023.
• Offered two sessions on Healthy Workplace Services and Alternative Conflict Management Services in November 2023.

Under development:

• Work is underway to update our internal onboarding practice to support PwD and provide training materials in alternate formats.

The Built Environment

At this time, we do not have a complete picture of all the barriers experienced by employees as we haven't been able to make a clear assessment. The Facilities Management and Accommodation Services Unit (FMA) considers this pillar as one that requires specific attention and funding for the removal of barriers brought to our attention. FMA has advised internal stakeholders that although considered in the past during design development, all current and future facilities management and accommodations projects will factor in as many accessibility requirements as possible.

A request for temporary funding that would have enabled us to audit all of our regional offices was denied in the fall.

As a next step, the FMA will work collaboratively with Regional Office Managers, OHS, and the NCE PwD to conduct on-site assessments of the current state of affairs in all of our locations. This assessment will allow us to determine whether requirements can or will be included in existing projects or become projects of their own. After this assessment is conducted, a comprehensive operational plan will be developed to identify urgent priorities and longer-term objectives, and to lay out timelines for the work to be implemented in each of our 33 locations.

Barriers worked on in 2022-2023

• For employees who have difficulties with the built environment, alternative work arrangements should be provided on a case-by-case basis.
• Some boardrooms are not fully accessible.
• Some common areas are not fully accessible.

Key Actions:

• The Director of Public Prosecutions sent a communication to all employees regarding the return to office. It addressed scent sensitivities and strong smells such as perfumes, shampoos, or laundry detergents that could trigger allergic reactions or symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, headache, skin irritation, breathing difficulties, and/or asthma.
• In March 2023, the Accessibility Officer, in collaboration with the OHS Manager and the Labour Relations Manager, offered three training sessions for supervisors and managers regarding the return to office. One hundred and twenty-five supervisors/managers participated. This training covered possible accommodations for employees returning to the workplace.
• On April 5, 2023, the ACEDIA and HR (Labour Relations and OHS), shared a Duty to Accommodate internal Guidance for supervisors and managers to assist with exceptions and accommodation requests in the context of the return to office.
• Since January 1, 2023, 12 employees have reached out to the Accessibility Officer requesting physical accommodations to their workstations.

Under development:

• FMA is planning to start a review of all kitchens, meeting rooms/boardrooms and business centers in all regional offices.
• FMA is working with the regions and gathering feedback on a continuous basis, such as lessons learned from previous projects, for discussion within the team.

Information and Communication Technologies

We focused our efforts on creating a meaningful relationship with the experts in this area, Accessibility, Accommodation and Adaptive Computer Technology (AAACT). We also started working collaboratively with an IT specialist in our department on accommodation requests in order to increase employee satisfaction. Because of a lack of resources, we did not make great strides with regards to this pillar. However, we did support employees who reached out to the Accessibility Officer for accommodation requests as quickly and efficiently as possible. Building internal expertise and making sure sufficient resources are allocated to this pillar will remain a priority.

In the past year, we participated in 10 Info-Sessions with AAACT, and we consulted with them via email on a variety of questions on a regular basis.

Barriers worked on in 2022-2023

• IT service delivery for PwD is sometimes long and requires multiple follow-ups.
• IT technicians are not equipped to develop and deliver accessible and inclusive ICT solutions.
• Lack of awareness of services and possible accommodations available.
• Virtual meetings are not fully accessible.

Key Actions by IT:

• Developed a confidential feedback form, which will allow employees to provide comments anonymously when it comes to barriers to accessibility or the implementation of the Accessibility Plan.
• Ensured proper testing of the confidential feedback form by PwD.
• Actioned on various accommodation requests: early installation of MS365 was provided to three PwD for access to the read aloud and dictate features. There are two ongoing requests for the use of a smart pen.
• Provided additional microphone in Room 1218 at 160 Elgin, Ottawa.
• Offered one-on-one training, to early users of MS365, by NCE member who is also an IT technician.
• Increased ability to perform testing. Three IT resources are becoming familiar with third-party plug-ins (two developers and one tester for Web Accessibility testing).
• Ran assessments on two of our products and will work with addressing issues and adjusting our testing requirements accordingly.
• Incorporated testing into our acceptance document for future use and will build the test cases needed as we progress our knowledge in this area.

Key Actions by the ACEDIA and the NCE PwD:

• Published information on our intranet:
  • How to host accessible meetings; and,
  • How employees can remove noise and notifications from Emojis and chats during online meetings.

Under development:

• A new process will be prepared to identify service desk requests from PwD and tag them as a priority.

Communication, other than Information and Communication Technologies

This pillar has improved significantly during the past year. We recognize that we still need to make progress when it comes to plain language and provide training to our employees. We have joined a Government of Canada Community of Practice for Accessible Communications and hope that it will help us bring awareness and address some of the barriers identified within our plan.

Barriers worked on in 2022-2023

• Signature blocks are not accessible.
• Not all communications are friendly to read aloud technologies.
• Employees do not appreciate the importance of using plain language in email communications.
• Corporate templates and publications are not accessible. Day-to-day communications, such as emails, also require a standardization to ensure they are accessible.

Key Actions by the ACEDIA and the NCE PwD:

• Communicated information regarding accessible signature blocks during NAAW 2023 and posted information on our intranet.
• Created and published:
  • A guidance document related to Accessibility Practices and Considerations for Employees who are Deaf or with a Hearing Impairment; and,
  • A document providing best practices for hosting accessible meetings.

Key Actions by Communications:

• Published an article in the PPSC Insider, titled: Dear reader, you matter: educating employees on the use of plain language.
• Published accessibility protocols and tools for meetings on our intranet.
• Prepared the Annual Report 2022-2023 with the lens of plain language. We made progress on simplifying the language used that is traditionally complex.
• Started applying the lens of plain language when preparing:
  • The PPSC Insider, announcements and other internal communications products; and,
  • News releases and responses to reporters.
• Shared resources on plain language with members of the communications team so that plain language testing can be applied to outgoing messages.
• Prepared responses using plain language for the questions that come into the PPSC Information email box.
• Took steps to ensure that products that go on our external web site and social media channels are using plain language.
• Prepared a plain language interface of the Public Feedback and Complaints Policy for the PPSC web site.
• Worked with several internal clients to provide a simplified 101 training session on how to make a Word or PowerPoint presentation accessible.
• Collaborated with the Internal Audit and Evaluation Team to develop an accessible presentation on the Review of the Student Articling Program Recruitment.
• Collaborated with IT to develop a series of accessible training modules on MS365.
• Provided advice regarding accessible documents, graphics and video production (transcriptions).
• Developed an accessible HTML format template for the PPSC Announcements made by the Director of Public Prosecutions.
• Launched a new PPSC intranet site (iNet) with accessibility in mind:
  • Developed a modern and customized design based on the templates used by Canada.ca;
  • Designed in full-screen mode, allowing for the information to be easier to read;
  • Developed a combination of a theme-related structure, an organizational structure and a search engine to allow employees to quickly find the information;
  • Additional HTML pages, with descriptions added to images and alt-text added for abbreviations; and,
  • Contrast was observed for visibility.
    
• Created and published:
  • HTML Finance Info format version;
  • Two Communication Tip Sheets in HTML;
  • PPSC Service Standards in HTML; and,
  • An accessible Organization Chart in HTML for the intranet site.

Under development:

• Preparing to update the communications templates to ensure optimum accessibility.
• Planned call-out to regions and corporate services for templated documents that are used to communicate with Canadians with the aim of reviewing for plain language.

The Procurement of Goods, Services and Facilities

Over the past year, we have been attending meetings with the Accessible Procurement Agents of Change Community of Practice, and sharing important resources with our Chief Procurement Officer.

More recently, we found out that the Accessible Procurement Resource Centre is available to deliver accessible procurement sessions to help build capacity and awareness. We will engage with this Centre in order to expand our expertise.

Barriers worked on in 2022-2023

• Project or technical authorities do not have sufficient training or resources to understand how to incorporate accessibility into procurement conversations.
• Denial of accessible equipment.
• Acquisitions Team is responsible for playing a "challenge role" to ensure that accessibility is meaningfully considered in all procurement requests. However, they feel ill-equipped to perform this role as they have insufficient information or training on what constitutes meaningful consideration.

Key Actions:

• The finalized accessibility form, officially replacing the standard Public Service and Procurement Canada accessibility justification form, was met with enthusiasm by members of the procurement team. The Chief Procurement Officer has confirmed he is willing to be the owner of the tool.
• The acquisitions team has started addressing accessibility in a more structured manner in their conversations with clients, and at the beginning of the procurement process rather than as a final stage of the contract development.
• In the recent Request for Information (RFI) discussion for the Amicus team, the Chief Procurement Officer pushed back on their requirement for an "accessible solution" to more succinctly define the accessibility requirements of the system. This shows a higher level of comfort and empowerment on the part of the acquisitions team than was previously identified.

The Design and Delivery of Programs and Services

In our first accessibility plan, we looked into accessibility issues related to our National Fine Recovery Program (NFRP), which provides a service to Canadians. A new online payment solution for the collection of federal fines was launched in 2023, and four employees living with a disability were given the opportunity to review and test the portal before it was made accessible to the public. A sole barrier was discovered, and work is ongoing to address it.

Barrier worked on in 2022-2023

• For an employee with a visual disability using a screen reader, the new NFRP portal was difficult to navigate.

Key Action:

• Ongoing discussion with the Acting Manager of Enterprise Solutions to find a way forward. Possible actions for 2023-2024 include:
  • Further testing by using a focus group of screen reader users to address issues encountered when trying to navigate the site;
  • Consultation with communications to confirm accessibility testing already implemented for the portal and determine next steps; and,
  • Negotiation of a timeline with the Acting Manager of Enterprise Solutions for the removal of the barrier.

Transportation

Prosecutors and paralegals must use different means of transportation on a daily basis in order to attend court, work with investigative agencies, or meet with witnesses in various locations throughout the country.

Barrier worked on in 2022-2023

• In remote locations (the North for example), travel is sometimes long and difficult and financial constraints make it so that it needs to follow strict guidelines: rental of vehicles and travel early on the morning of the court appearance. This can add a level of stress to PwD who need to adjust to a new vehicle's guidance system. The transition might also be more difficult for neurodivergent employees.

Key Action by the NCE PwD:

• Prepared a communication for all employees to clarify the Travel Directive. Invited PwD to identify any special needs in their Travel Requests, such as dietary restrictions, the need to travel with a service animal, or disabilities. Persons with mobility, sensory and cognitive disabilities will be invited to consult the Guide for Persons with Disabilities–Take Charge of Your Travel, which contains information on accessible services, tips on preparing to travel and how to overcome potential barriers.

Consultations

Monthly meetings with the National Council of Employees for PwD have continued throughout the past year, with a break for the months of July and August.

The NCE PwD now sits at 20 employees from coast to coast to coast. The members come from a variety of occupational groups and a large number of disabilities are represented within the council. During the past year, the NCE planned an elaborate daily agenda for NAAW 2023, and prepared several communications and events to educate employees and create a culture of belonging.

A special consultation was held on October 18, 2023, to discuss barriers to transportation. Following this consultation, our Accessibility Plan 2022-2025 was updated accordingly.

The NCE was consulted with the preparation of this Progress Report and members were encouraged to provide comments once a first draft of this report was finalized, as were the managers and directors who helped develop our Accessibility Plan.

A special meeting of the NCE was held on November 1, 2023, to discuss this Progress Report. Comments received from members were incorporated directly into this report. Members were pleased with the progress. One member asked to add data related to the promotion of PwD within the department. Another member mentioned that IT has been consulting PwD with regards to the Amicus project. Finally, a member asked to reframe and add more context to the conclusion of this report as it relates to the self-identification of PwD.

Feedback

Since January 1, 2023, the Accessibility Officer:

• Did not receive any feedback on:
  • How the PPSC is implementing its accessibility plan.
  • Barriers encountered from persons who had to deal with our department.
• Received requests for assistance from 17 supervisors and managers.
• Received feedback on behalf of 28 employees living with a disability, either by phone, email or via virtual meetings, on barriers experienced within our department. These conversations were tracked and followed-up in a timely fashion to help employees get the required accommodations and individualized workplace adjustments.
• During these meetings, employees pointed out barriers in their work and within the office culture. The Accessibility Officer worked collaboratively with the employees and internal stakeholders to eliminate these barriers and accommodate the employees.
  • Eight PwD required assistance with flexible work arrangements;
  • Twelve PwD required assistance with physical accommodations to their offices/workstations;
    • One asked for air quality control in their office;
    • One requested automatic door openers in their office;
    • Two requested a dedicated closed office;
    • Seven requested additional IT or ergonomic equipment;
    • One requested a review of the evacuation plan in their region.
  • Eight neurodivergent PwD required various types of supports and accommodations.

These private conversations with PwD provided meaningful information related to the culture of the office. We tailored all communications and training events during the past year to address concerns raised by PwD.

Feedback was also anonymized and integrated into discussions with internal stakeholders when planning for focused activities for the removal and prevention of barriers within each pillar of our Accessibility Plan.

Conclusion

Accessibility is a priority at the PPSC. We are striving to become an organization where every employee feels that they belong.

We are happy to have seen some progress in the number of PwD who feel they can safely self-identify in PeopleSoft. However, we still have much work ahead of us. A total of 134 PwD had anonymously self-declared in our 2021 survey, while only 87 have done so officially in PeopleSoft. This means that 47 employees are still masking their disability and possibly struggling in their work, unable to ask for the accommodations and workplace adjustments that they require to thrive.

Thanks to the recent updating of the PPSC's values, the choice of more inclusive wording in our job application posters, and the setting up of a new Workplace Accessibility Centre, we are confident that our department is becoming a more inclusive workplace for PwD. Following the Public Service's announcement to hire an additional 5,000 PwD before 2025, we are hopeful that the measures that we are implementing will help all PwDs feel comfortable in bringing their full selves to work and seeking all the accommodations that they require.

Date modified:

2023-12-15