2023 Annual Progress Report – Accessibility Plan for the Military Grievances External Review Committee
Table of contents
- General
- Priority areas identified by the Accessible Canada Act
- Consultations
- Feedback
General
Feedback mechanism
Feedback on the accessibility plan, the feedback process and the progress report can be submitted in the following ways:
- send an email to the Director of Human Resources at mgerc.hr-rh.ceegm@mgerc-ceegm.gc.ca
- call the Committee's public line at 613-996-8529 or 877-276-4193 (toll free)
- send your feedback by mail to 60 Queen Street, 9th Floor, Ottawa, ON, K1P 5Y7
- submit anonymous feedback through our feedback form
The Military Grievance External Review Committee (Committee) will acknowledge feedback using the same method by which it was received. While the Committee cannot acknowledge receipt of anonymous feedback, it will consider the feedback appropriately.
Introduction
As the Committee continues the journey to becoming an accessible workplace, we are happy to share our Committee’s Accessibility Progress Report for 2023. It demonstrates our commitment to removing barriers to accessibility for our employees.
This progress report follows the December 2022 publication of the Committee’s 2023-2025 Accessibility Plan, which was developed in partnership with the group of employees who self-identified as persons with a disability and with the Champion of Accessibility and Diversity and Inclusion.
In 2023, the Committee started implementing its accessibility plan. The purpose of this report is to share the progress made in the following areas of focus under the Accessibility Act:
- 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
Following the details on progress under each area of focus, the report contains information about the consultations performed and feedback received in 2023.
1. Employment
The Committee is dedicated to implementing government-wide initiatives and increasing representation of persons with disabilities across all occupational groups and levels. As such, removing and preventing barriers to recruitment and retention, and the promotion of persons with disabilities are priorities.
Progress:
- Recruitment assessment tools were reviewed to ensure they are accessible and inclusive. This approach helps identify potential biases and barriers that could disadvantage people belonging to any equity-seeking group.
- A survey to identify and understand barriers during our recruitment process was sent to all candidates who recently participated in an external advertised staffing process.
- Accommodation is offered at each step in the staffing process.
- The Committee continues to support and promote flexible work arrangements to accommodate the needs of all employees.
2. Built Environment
The Committee recognizes the importance of an accessible built environment. As such, the Committee will continue to proactively encourage the mindset of “inclusive by design” and “accessible by default.”
Progress:
- To ensure that the workplace meets accessibility requirement and employee needs, each office was depersonalized and provided with a standard ergonomic chair, a sit-stand work surface, two adjustable monitors, a footrest, a lamp, and computer peripherals. This is making our workplace ‘’fully accessible by default.’’
- Lockers have been made available to employees.
- All existing employees were required to acknowledge having read the revised emergency and evacuation procedures. New employees receive a one-on-one security briefing where accommodation needs can also be raised and discussed.
3. Information and Communication Technologies
Since March 2020, Committee employees have been working from home on a full-time basis. With the return to work and the new hybrid model, it is the Committee’s priority to ensure that we always consider accessibility.
Progress:
- Live translation on MS Teams is currently available for all employees. This feature allows them to read live translated captions in the language they are most comfortable. This tool also offers several advantages to persons with disabilities such as a hearing disability.
4. Communications other than Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)
The Committee is dedicated to ensuring that all its communications, whether internal or external, are accessible. This includes ensuring that our communications are written in plain language, as per the Government of Canada's Canada.ca Content Style Guide.
Progress:
- The communications team are aware of and implement the Canada.ca Content Style Guide as well as inclusive language principles to all Committee communications.
- Plain language and inclusive writing tips are promoted on the Intranet several times per year.
5. The Procurement of goods, services, and facilities
Procurement is a key element in achieving accessibility at the Committee. As such, the Committee will implement procurement principles, rules, and practices with the goal to advancing accessibility objectives.
Progress:
- Signs were affixed in the workplace to promote and support the scent free environment policy.
- A procurement plan was implemented to monitor the accommodation needs to ensure timely provision of appropriate equipment to the employees.
- Equipment and any other accessibility requirements are being discussed as part of the onboarding process and continue to be available to employees.
- Monthly inspections are conducted to ensure each office meets accessibility requirements and employee needs.
6. The design and delivery of programs and services
As an organization that reviews military grievances and provides Findings and Recommendations (F&R) reports to the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) and the Canadian Armed Forces member who submitted the grievance, the Committee must consider accessibility in the delivery of the F&R reports. A fundamental aspect in achieving this will be feedback received from the CDS and the grievors.
The Corporate Services Directorate is responsible for the development and implementation of internal programs and services.
Progress:
A. Corporate Services
- ·The process to request an ergonomic assessment was reviewed. The goal was to identify and eliminate barriers, to support disability inclusion, and to improve the overall accommodation and procurement processes.
B. Operations
- Work has begun to design a more inclusive and gender-free intake form.
7. Transportation
This priority area under the Accessible Canada Act does not apply to the Committee.
Consultations
Consultations with persons with disabilities were vital to the development of the accessibility plan, and their input continues to inform the plan’s implementation and future iterations. Quarterly consultations continue to take place to collect feedback and to review the progress of the actions proposed in the plan.
In early 2024, an Accessibility network, which will be made up of employees at the Committee, will be established and further consultations will take place within this group.
Feedback
The feedback process developed as part of the Committee’s 2023-2025 Accessibility Plan invited respondents to reach out via telephone, mail, email, or an online anonymous feedback form.
Since the publication of the Accessibility Plan in December 2022, no formal feedback has been received. Throughout the year, the Director of Human Resources has received suggestions on how to make the Committee a more accessible workplace.
In response to those suggestions, the Corporate Services Team has adopted the mindset of "inclusive by design" and "accessible by default" and applied it to human resource management, accommodation, procurement, communications, and Information Management/Information Technology services. As we continue to receive feedback, we will continue to respond and take action. The feedback we receive is essential to continuous improvement.