Frequently Asked Questions
I am interested in hiring someone with a disability. Where can I get help?
Many provincial, federal, non-profit and private sector organizations specialize in helping employers find suitable candidates with disabilities. Please refer to Where to Get Help for more information.
I already employ a person with a disability. What kinds of supports are available to me?
Many of the supports available depend on the nature and origin of your employee’s disability (Ex: disability resulting from a motor vehicle accident or a workplace injury). Your employee is often the best resource for information on what kind of help they may need and what kinds of assistance may be available to you.
If an employee has disability related issues that are impacting on their ability to perform his or her job, help may be available through the provincial marketAbilities Program. Refer to Where to Get Help for more information.
Are wage subsidies available to offset training costs?
Yes. There are programs that offer wage subsidies to Manitoba employers to offset the costs of training a prospective employee with a disability. The goal of all wage subsidies is to help the employee gain permanent, sustainable employment with the subsidized employer.
Subsidy levels and provision times vary, but reimbursement is usually up to 50 per cent of the provincial minimum wage and even higher in some cases.
In the case of Manitoba Works (pdf), administered by Employment Manitoba, reimbursement may be as much as 100% of the minimum wage (for municipalities and non-profit employers who hire people who are in receipt of provincial employment and income assistance benefits).
I don’t have the time or resources to train someone with a disability. Are there resources available?
Yes. The same organizations that specialize in helping employers find suitable candidates with disabilities may be able to provide, at no cost, a job coach or employment facilitator who would work with the employer and staff to make sure the new employee is properly trained. The role of a job coach is to support both the employer and the employee throughout the training period. Many agencies will continue to act as a resource for employers for as long as the employee remains with that particular employer.
What if I hire someone with a disability and the employee is not a good fit?
All employees should meet the employer’s performance expectations. Remember, that under The Manitoba Human Rights Code, employers must provide reasonable accommodations that employees with disabilities may need to do their jobs.
It is never easy to terminate an employee. If an employee with a disability is not able to meet your performance expectations and, after all reasonable efforts have been made to correct the problem without the desired results, you would terminate the employee just as you would an employee without a disability.
What financial help is available for worksite modifications?
Studies indicate more than half of workplace accommodations for employees with disabilities cost less than $500 and many cost nothing at all. The Job Accommodation Network, a service provided by the U.S. Department of Labour is an excellent resource for more information and its Searchable Online Accommodation Resource (SOAR) system is designed to let users explore various accommodation options for people with disabilities in work and educational settings.
Reasonable workplace accommodations are changes to jobs or workspaces that allow staff with disabilities to apply for a job, do their work and have equal access to the benefits that are available to other employees. Employers are not obligated to provide any accommodation that would represent an undue hardship for their business.
Should capital expenses associated with workplace accommodations be required, they may be claimed as a business expense on your income tax return. In some cases, financial help may be available through the provincial marketAbilities Program, Workers Compensation Board, Manitoba Public Insurance, private disability insurance companies, the Canada Pension Plan Disability Vocational Rehabilitation Program, or the federal Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities.