Accessibility

STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT

Steed and Evans is committed to ensuring equal access and participation for people with disabilities. We are committed to treating people with disabilities in a way that allows them to maintain their dignity and independence. We believe in integration and we are committed to meeting the needs of people with disabilities in a timely manner. We will do so by removing and preventing barriers to accessibility and meeting our accessibility requirements under the accessibility laws.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this policy is to provide a framework through which Steed and Evans can meet the needs of people with disabilities following provincial and federal legislation.

SCOPE

The scope of this policy includes our commitment to accessibility in our customer service and employment standards.

EMPLOYMENT STANDARD:

Steed and Evans is committed to providing a welcoming, respectful, and inclusive environment to our employees and community members with disabilities. Our employment standard will incorporate regulatory requirements and best practices throughout the employment relationship.

DEFINITIONS

Steed and Evans has adopted the following definitions for key terms related to accessibility policies.

The term accessibility means giving people of all abilities opportunities to participate fully in everyday life. It is used to describe how widely a service, product, device, or environment is available to as many people as possible. Accessibility can be seen as the ability to access and benefit from a system, service, product or environment.

BARRIER

Barriers are obstacles that limit access and prevent people with disabilities from fully participating in society. Most barriers are not intentional. Barriers usually arise because the needs of people with disabilities are not considered from the beginning.

DISABILITY

Ontario’s accessibility law adopts the definition for disability that is in the Ontario Human Rights Code. It defines disability broadly:

“any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, a brain injury, any degree of paralysis, amputation, lack of physical coordination, blindness or visual impediment, deafness or hearing impediment, muteness or speech impediment, or physical reliance on a guide dog or other animal or on a wheelchair or other remedial appliance or device,
a condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability,
a learning disability, or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language,
a mental disorder, or
an injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997.”

EMPLOYEE

Employee refers to any person Steed and Evans pays wages or salary, has control over their assigned work and the right to control their own work. This includes full-time, part-time, seasonal, and contract employees.

SUPPORT PERSON

Support Persons are any persons, whether a paid professional, volunteer, family member or friend, who accompanies a person with a disability in order to help with communications, personal care or medical needs while accessing goods or services.

POLICY STATEMENT – CUSTOMER SERVICE STANDARD

Steed and Evans is committed to meeting its current and ongoing obligations under the Ontario Human Rights Code respecting non-discrimination. Steed and Evans understands that obligations under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) and its accessibility standards do not substitute or limit its obligations under the Ontario Human Rights Code or obligations to people with disabilities under any other law. Steed and Evans is committed to complying with both the Ontario Human Rights Code and the AODA, and to excellence in serving all customers including people with disabilities. This means that we will provide goods and services to people with disabilities with the same high quality and timeliness as others.

Our accessible customer service policies are consistent with the principles of independence, dignity, integration and equality of opportunity for people with disabilities.

COMMUNICATION

We will communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability, upon their request. We will work with the person with a disability to determine what method of communication works for them, including communicating via email instead of via phone.

POLICY STATEMENT – EMPLOYMENT STANDARD

Steed and Evans is committed to fair and accessible employment practices in a manner consistent with the principles of dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity.

HIRING

We will notify employees, potential hires and the public that accommodations can be made during recruitment and hiring.

WORKPLACE INFORMATION

We will notify staff that supports are available for those with disabilities. We will put in place a process to develop individual accommodation plans for employees.

Where needed, we will also provide customized emergency information to help an employee with a disability during an emergency.

COMMUNICATE ACCESSIBILITY POLICIES

When requested by an employee with a disability, we will consult with the employee and arrange for an accessible format and communication support for information that is required for an employee to perform their job and for information that is readily available to employees in the workplace.

FEEDBACK PROCESS ON ACCESSIBILITY PRACTICES

Steed and Evans welcomes feedback on how we provide accessible service to people with disabilities. Feedback will help us identify barriers and respond to concerns.

Customers and employees can submit feedback in the following ways:

Mail: 3000 Ament Line, St. Jacobs, ON N0B 2N0
E-mail: info@steedandevans.ca
Phone: 519-744-7315

All feedback with respect to the delivery of services or employment practices to persons with disabilities will, including complaints, will be responded to in a timely manner.

Accommodation Policies

ACCOMMODATION ON THE BASIS OF DISABILITY

Steed and Evans will provide reasonable accommodation to all applicants and employees with disabilities. We will endeavour to make reasonable accommodation, as required by law, to known physical or mental limitations of a qualified applicant or employee with a disability, unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on our operation.

All accommodation requests will be taken seriously. No person will be penalized for making an accommodation request.