BluePrint 2020 Innovation Fair
Transcription
YAZMINE LAROCHE: When you start to build teams with diverse perspectives, that's when you are able to really innovate, to find excellent solutions.
CARLA QUALTROUGH: Consulting with Canadians is necessary as we built towards this legislation. But it's also very important that we make sure our federal workplaces are accessible and that public servants with disabilities are being accommodated.
JENNIFER LEENHOUTS: And ESDC wants to have a model of inclusion and acknowledges the rights of employees with disabilities to be able to participate in all the social and economic aspects of the Department.
ANDRÉ DEMERS: One of the roles we play here at Employment and Social Development is to promote inclusion in the workplace for people with disabilities.
JEREMY PLAUNT: I have a "sit–stand" desk that allows me to work either standing up or sitting down.
TOMASZ BERNAT: About a year ago I was diagnosed with mild bipolar and I had to take about a month's leave before I was able to come back. But I was fortunate enough to have a progressive return. My manager was very accommodating in terms of how many days I would come back and the amount of workload that I was able to undertake. This helped me manage the level of stress that I had to endure.
PETER LITTLEFIELD: So innovation is very important. It'll help us to advance and move the yard stick, but it's equally important, or more important, to simply build accessibility into the work that we do on a daily basis.
JOHN YOUNG: The Government is a model employer in terms of providing its employees with the technology that we need to do our jobs. And that's been very helpful to me. That has allowed me to continue working.
LINDA WILDERMAN: It's not a "one size fits all." Every individual has their own issues. And although you may have similar situations, it's being able to recognize that everybody is different and there may be a different resolution that's needed for that person.
TAMI GRENON: I have a guide dog. You know guide dogs are allowed to come to work every day. I've been very fortunate to work in an office where I have a lot of support from both my team leaders and my service managers.
DERECK MORRISON: I've always been very open with my managers about my condition, but more importantly what it looks like if things aren't going well. I've been open that I'm going to need help from time to time.
KATIE FEHR-HOWE: The service manager here specifically put me closer to the door so I wouldn't have to walk as far to get the clients. An ergonomic nurse came in and assessed me. And she suggested this keyboard so it's smaller, so I can just type with one hand on it.
JAMES GILBERT
JEREMY PLAUNT: The word "accommodation" is no longer a negative word. Now, being accommodated at work is just a day-to-day thing.