DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, AND ACCESSIBILITY
SERVICE FOR ALL ABILITIES DO:
General Interactions Use your best judgement and show common courtesy to everyone and ask questions if unsure. Be patient. People with disabilities and some aging adults might require more time to express themselves or to move about. Offer assistance and listen to the response; follow any specific instructions. If the customer says “no” to assistance, this should also be respected. Person First vs Identity First Language Person First Language places emphasis on the individual rather than the disability i.e. saying “the child has autism” instead of saying “the autistic child.” Identity First Language respects that some individuals view their disability as a part of their identity and culture. i.e. Deaf individuals prefer to be referred to as Deaf individuals because that is a part of their culture. If you aren’t sure if you should use Person First or Identify First Language, use Person First Language unless the customer has been using Identity First Language Speak directly to the person and maintain eye contact. Treat everyone like the valued customer they are. Service Animals Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a service animal is a dog of any breed and size that is trained to perform a task directly related to a person’s disability. In some cases, individuals may also utilize miniature horses as service animals. Service animals are allowed to be with their person, even in places that don’t allow pets. If it is unclear to you whether someone’s dog is a service animal, you may ask the following two questions: “Is the service animal required because of a disability?” “What work or task has the animal been trained to perform?” The only time you can ask someone to remove their service animal is when: The animal is not housebroken. The animal is out of control and the person cannot get the animal under control. Interacting with Caregivers and Interpreters If an individual with a disability comes with a caregiver or interpreter, always communicate directly with the customer and the caregiver or interpreter will relay information and communicate back to you if necessary. Avoid interrupting the interpreter while they are interpreting. Remember that everything you say will be interpreted.
DO NOT:
Do not patronize or treat others as incompetent. Do not use terms such as “handicapped,” “victim,” “afflicted,” or “confined.” Do not use trendy terms, like “differently-abled,” “challenged,” or “handi-capable.” Do not speak only to a companion, aide, or interpreter. Address the customer as the primary focus. Do not pet, feed, or distract service animals. They are working animals, not pets. Do not make assumptions about a person’s abilities or limitations, as everyone’s abilities are different.
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