(Approved by the Board of Directors on December 17, 2019)
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 / Customer Service Policy
The Vanier Community Services Centre management is dedicated to meeting the specific needs of the public and is committed to providing equal access to its services to all, and equal opportunity to obtain, use and benefit from its services.
2) Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to provide guidelines in accordance with the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service (Ontario Regulation 429/07) for providing goods and services to people with disabilities in a way that accommodates their needs and reflect the principles of independence, dignity, integration and equality of opportunity.
3) Definitions
"Service animal" is a service animal for a person with a disability in any of the following cases:
• the person obviously uses the animal for reasons related to their disability;
• the person provides a letter of attestation from a designated and authorized body to confirm that they need the animal for reasons related to their disability.
"Assistive devices" includes hearing aids, wheelchairs or other mobility aids, as well as prostheses, orthotics and other assistive devices and accessories designed or adapted to help people with disabilities perform certain actions, tasks and activities.
"Guide dog" has the same meaning as "guide dog" in section 1 of the Blind Rights Act. ("Guide dog")
"Disability" means the following in accordance with section 2 of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and paragraph 10 (a) of the Human Rights Code of Ontario, as applicable:
• any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement due to bodily injury, congenital anomaly or disease, and, in particular, diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, head trauma, any degree of paralysis, amputation, motor incoordination, blindness or visual impairment, deafness or hearing impairment, mutism or speech impediment, or the need for a guide dog or other animal, wheelchair or other corrective device or apparatus;
• an intellectual disability or a developmental disability;
• a learning difficulty or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes of comprehension or using symbols or spoken language;
• a mental disorder;
• an injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997.
"Support person" in relation to a person with a disability, a person who accompanies them to help them with communication, mobility, personal care, medical needs or to facilitate their access to goods or services. A support person can be a paid professional, volunteer, family member, friend, or anyone else who provides support.
4) The scope
This policy applies to anyone who does business with members of the public or other third parties in Ontario on behalf of the Centre
5) Communication
In its communications with a person with a disability, the Centre is committed to taking into account the person's disability.
The Centre is committed to accommodating the special needs of people with disabilities and to doing its best to communicate using the most appropriate means for each individual.
6) Assistive devices and accessories
The Centre is committed to serving people with disabilities who use assistive devices to obtain, use or benefit from its goods and services.
When possible, the Centre is committed to accommodating people with disabilities who use assistive devices and to offer alternative service methods to ensure equitable access to our goods and services.
7) Service animal
The Centre is committed to welcoming all people who are accompanied by a service animal. We reserve the right to require such persons to produce acceptable proof of the need to be accompanied by a service animal. Anyone accompanied by a service animal will have access to places open to the public and other third parties, unless the service animal is otherwise prohibited by law on the premises, in which case the Centre will use all other options available to ensure that the individual is able to obtain, use or benefit from our goods and services.
In the event that the employee or a client is inconvenienced by the presence of the service animal, arrangements will be made for another employee to come to the assistance of the client and in the case of an inconvenienced client, arrangements will be made to keep the animal at bay.
8) Support person
The Centre is committed to welcoming people with disabilities who are accompanied by a support person.
Anyone with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will have access to the Centre with their support person. At no time can a person with a disability accompanied by a support person be prevented from having access to his or her support person while on the premises.
9) Training
Training will be offered in two ways:
• specialized training for those designated responsible for the implementation of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005; and
• standard training for other staff.
The Centre will ensure that any employee who works with the public or other third parties on behalf of the Centre, and all those involved in the development and approval of customer service policies, practices and procedures, receive the required training by the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service.
Any new employee of the Centre will receive the training as soon as possible after the start of their employment.
Employees will also receive appropriate training on an ongoing basis regarding any changes to policies, practices and procedures.
Standard training offered by the Centre will include:
• The purpose of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the requirements of the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service.
• Basic knowledge of communicating and interacting with people with various disabilities, including people with disabilities who use an assistive device or apparatus or who require the assistance of a service animal or of a support person.
• Basic knowledge for any assistive device and accessory that the Centre makes available on its premises or otherwise assist with the provision of services to customers with disabilities, and where to find assistance regarding the use of such devices and functional accessories.
• What to do if a disabled person has difficulty accessing the Centre's services.
• The Centre's policies, practices and procedures relating to the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service.
10) Feedback process
The Centre is committed to meeting the diverse needs of people with disabilities. The Centre welcomes and appreciates any reactions and comments from the public regarding the accessibility of their goods and services.
Feedback regarding their provision of goods and services to people with disabilities can be made by phone, email, in writing, by delivering a recorded message or electronic text on disk, on the Centre's website, or verbally in person to the designated person.
The Centre is also committed to accommodating the needs of people with disabilities who prefer to send their feedback by another means not mentioned above.
All feedback will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and a response will be sent within a reasonable time frame and depending on the circumstances.
11) Policy changes
The Centre is committed to developing policies for client service that respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. The Centre is committed to ensuring that all policies adhere to these principles.
Any policies of the Centre which do not reflect the principles of independence, dignity, inclusion and equality of opportunity will be reviewed and amended.
12) Questions about this policy
This policy exists to achieve excellence in the provision of goods and services to people with disabilities. All questions regarding this policy should be referred to the designated person.
13) Notice of temporary disruption
(1) The supplier of goods or services shall notify the public of any temporary disruption of its particular facilities or services that persons with disabilities normally use to obtain, use or benefit from its goods or services. Reg. of Ont. 429/07, s. 5 (1).
(2) The notice of disruption sets out the reasons for the disruption, its anticipated duration and alternative facilities or services that are available, if any. Reg. of Ont. 429/07, s. 5 (2).
(3) Notice may be given by posting the information in a conspicuous place at the premises owned or operated by the supplier of the goods or services, by posting it on the supplier's website, if it has one, or by any other method that is reasonable in the circumstances. Reg. of Ont. 429/07, s. 5 (3).
(4) Every designated public sector organization and other supplier of goods or services with 20 or more employees in Ontario shall prepare a document outlining the actions to be taken in the event of a temporary disruption and provide a copy to anyone upon request. Reg. of Ont. 429/07, s. 5 (4).
( Approved by the Board of Directors on December 17, 2019 )
1) Policy
The Vanier Community Service Centre fully adheres to the principle of equal rights as set out in the Ontario Human Rights Code. The Ontario Human Rights Code states that everyone has the right to equal treatment in services, goods or facilities, without discrimination based on race, ancestry, place of origin, color, ethnicity, citizenship, creed, sex, gender and gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, family status or disability.
The Centre will promote the inclusion of all groups in the society it serves and will foster cultural diversity in its programs and services.
a) When the members of the Board of Directors make decisions concerning the Centre, they have a duty to subscribe to the principles of anti-discrimination of the Centre, inclusion and cultural diversity.
b) When members represent the Centre, they should ensure that they follow the Centre's principles of anti-discrimination, inclusion and cultural diversity.
c) Directors must at all times foster an atmosphere of mutual respect, free from discrimination for Board members, staff, volunteers and clients, inclusive and respectful of cultural diversity.
If a member believes he or she has been discriminated against, they should report this to the Board Chair who will decide, with the Board of Directors, on the method of handling the complaint of the Board member.
In the case of employees, volunteers, interns and clients of the Centre, the Board of Directors delegates responsibility for handling the complaint to the General Management, which will have put in place a procedure for handling discrimination complaints.
'Discrimination' any practice or action, intentional or not, which has a negative effect on the person because of their race, ancestry, place of origin, color, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, age. , marital status, family status or disability.
3) Accommodation measures
The Centre is committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all employees are treated with respect and dignity. The Centre will act in a manner consistent with the Code and the Ontario Employment Standards Act 2000. The Centre has established a working environment that guarantees equal opportunities free of discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender and gender expression, marital status, marital status, disability or a conviction for which a pardon or pardon has been obtained (or “pardoned status” in the Code).
The Centre will take reasonable accommodation in the workplace, as long as they do not impose undue hardship. Adaptation measures aim to ensure that people capable of working despite their differences are not unfairly excluded, where it is possible to adapt working conditions, without creating undue hardship on the employer.
The duty to accommodate is not to take into account an employee's preference; it consists of eliminating the discriminatory obstacles provided for in the Code, as long as this does not constitute undue hardship for the employer.
Definitions
Accommodation measures mean measures taken to eliminate differential and negative treatment of persons or groups protected by the Code. Accommodation measures also refer to the term "accommodation (s)".
There is undue hardship when the measures to be taken to adapt the working environment would incur excessive costs on the employer or represent a risk to the health or safety of employees and beneficiaries. No law provides a precise definition of undue hardship and there is no standard formula for setting its limits. Each situation will be considered unique and will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Approved by the Board of Directors on December 17, 2019
a) The Centre adheres to the principle of full occupational health and safety in accordance with the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act.
b) Regular volunteers 1 and interns are considered workers within the meaning of the Act respecting occupational health and safety (OHSA) and as such have the same rights and duties as paid employees.
1 A “regular” volunteer is a volunteer who works at the Centre on a more regular basis and who could be exposed to occupational health and safety risks, as opposed to the “occasional” volunteer who works at the Centre very occasionally, often for a one-off activity, which is not exposed to occupational health and safety risks.
c) The Centre is responsible for informing employees, regular volunteers and interns of their rights and duties in matters of occupational health and safety.
d) Employees, regular volunteers and interns of the Centre are responsible for knowing their rights and obligations in matters of health and safety at work.
e) All workers, including regular volunteers and unpaid interns, must complete the basic training required by Ontario Regulation 297/13 (“Occupational Health and Safety Training and Awareness”).
f) The Board of Directors delegates to the general management and to a joint committee on health and safety at work the responsibility of adopting the various procedures to ensure the full compliance of the Centre with the Act.
2) The Joint Committee on Occupational Health and Safety
a) The Centre creates a Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) in accordance with the Act.
b) The Committee is permanent, and it is formed by the general management in collaboration with the staff to promote the creation and maintenance of healthy and safe workplaces.
c) The Committee also ensures the organization’s compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
d) While senior management and staff are responsible for the procedures and operations of the committee, the Board of Directors expects, among other things, that the Committee:
o conduct monthly safety inspections of workplaces,
o examine incident reports and ensures that corrective measures are put in place,
o identify and provide information, resources and training to personnel regarding certain health and safety practices (i.e. evacuation drills, first aid, CPR, etc.),
o develop and maintain policies and procedures relevant to occupational health and safety practices, and
o respond to staff inquiries and concerns regarding occupational health and safety issues and related practices