ACCESSIBILITY POLICY
The following policy has been established by OSL Retail Services Inc. to govern the company’s programs, services and facilities in accordance with Regulation 191/11, “Integrated Accessibility Standards” (“Regulation”) under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, and as amended O. Reg. 165/16.
These standards are developed to break down barriers and increase accessibility for persons with disabilities in the areas of information and communications and employment.
OSL Retail Services Inc. is governed by this policy as well as the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service Policy and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 in meeting the accessibility needs of persons with disabilities.
COMMITMENT
OSL Retail Services Inc. is committed to treating all people in a way that allows them to maintain their dignity and independence. We believe in integration and equal opportunity. We are committed to meeting the needs of persons with disabilities with respect to the company’s programs, services and facilities in a timely manner, and will do so by preventing and removing barriers to accessibility and meeting accessibility requirements under the Regulation and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act., 2005.
This policy will be implemented in accordance with the time frames established by the Regulation click here for plan.
ACCESSIBILITY PLAN
OSL Retail Services Inc. will develop, maintain and document an Accessibility Plan outlining the company’s strategy to prevent and remove barriers from its workplace and to improve opportunities for persons with disabilities.
The Accessibility Plan will be reviewed and updated once a year, and will be posted on the company’s website. Upon request, OSL Retail Services Inc. will provide a copy of the Accessibility Plan in a downloadable and printable format.
TRAINING EMPLOYEES AND VOLUNTEERS
OSL Retail Services Inc. will ensure that training is provided on the requirements of the Regulation and will continue to provide training on the Human Rights Code as it pertains to persons with disabilities, to:
- all its employees and volunteers;
- all persons who participate in developing OSL Retail Services Inc.’ policies; and,
- all other persons who provide goods, services or facilities on behalf of the company.
The training will be appropriate to the duties of the employees, volunteers and other persons.
Employees will be trained when changes are made to the accessibility policy. New employees will be trained upon being hired as part of their orientation.
OSL Retail Services Inc. will keep a record of the training it provides.
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS STANDARDS
FEEDBACK
OSL Retail Services Inc. will continue to ensure that its process for receiving and responding to feedback is accessible to persons with disabilities by providing, or arranging for the provision of, accessible formats and communications supports, upon request.
ACCESSIBLE FORMATS AND COMMUNICATION SUPPORTS
Upon request, OSL Retail Services Inc. will provide, or will arrange for the provision of accessible formats and communication supports for persons with disabilities in a timely manner that takes into account the person’s accessibility needs due to disability.
OSL Retail Services Inc. will consult with the person making the request in determining the suitability of an accessible format or communication support.
OSL Retail Services Inc. will also notify the public about the availability of accessible formats and communication supports.
ACCESSIBLE WEBSITES AND WEB CONTENT
OSL Retail Services Inc. will ensure that new Internet websites, including web content, conform to the World Wide Web Consortium Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, at Level A (January 1, 2014). We will also take steps to ensure that all Internet websites and web content conform with WCAG 2.0 Level AA (except as outlined in the Regulation) by January 1, 2021.
EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS
RECRUITMENT
OSL Retail Services Inc. will notify its employees and the public about the availability of accommodation for applicants with disabilities in its recruitment process.
RECRUITMENT, ASSESSMENT OR SELECTION PROCESS
OSL Retail Services Inc. will notify job applicants, when they are individually selected to participate further in an assessment or selection process that accommodations are available upon request in relation to the materials or processes to be used.
If a selected applicant requests an accommodation, OSL Retail Services Inc. will consult with the applicant and provide, or arrange for the provision of, a suitable accommodation in a manner that takes into account the applicant’s accessibility needs due to disability.
NOTICE TO SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS
When making offers of employment, OSL Retail Services Inc. will notify the successful applicant of its policies for accommodating employees with disabilities.
INFORMING EMPLOYEES OF SUPPORTS
OSL Retail Services Inc. will continue to inform its employees of its policies (and any updates to those policies) used to support employees with disabilities, including policies on the provision of job accommodations that take into account an employee’s accessibility needs due to disability. This information will be provided to new employees as soon as practicable after commencing employment.
ACCESSIBLE FORMATS AND COMMUNICATION SUPPORTS FOR EMPLOYEES
Upon the request of an employee with a disability, OSL Retail Services Inc. will consult with the employee to provide, or arrange for the provision of, accessible formats and communication supports for information that is needed to perform his/her job, and information that is generally available to other employees.
In determining the suitability of an accessible format or communication support, OSL Retail Services Inc. will consult with the employee making the request. However, the company reserves the flexibility to decide on the most appropriate accessible formats or communication supports for employees (based on the needs of the specific employee and the capacity of the company to provide the support).
WORKPLACE EMERGENCY RESPONSE INFORMATION
OSL Retail Services Inc. will provide individualized workplace emergency response information to employees who have a disability, if the disability is such that the individualized information is necessary, and if OSL Retail Services Inc. is aware of the need for accommodation due to the employee’s disability. OSL Retail Services Inc. will provide this information as soon as practicable after becoming aware of the need for accommodation.
Where the employee requires assistance, OSL Retail Services Inc. will, with the consent of the employee, provide the workplace emergency response information to the person designated by OSL Retail Services Inc. to provide assistance to the employee.
OSL Retail Services Inc. will review the individualized workplace emergency response information when the employee moves to a different location in the organization, when the employee’s overall accommodations needs or when plans are reviewed.
DOCUMENTED INDIVIDUAL ACCOMMODATION PLANS
OSL Retail Services Inc. will maintain a written process for the development of documented individual accommodation plans for employees with disabilities.
If requested, information regarding accessible formats and communications supports provided will also be included in individual accommodation plans.
In addition, the plans will include individualized workplace emergency response information (where required), and will identify any other accommodation that is to be provided.
RETURN TO WORK PROCESS
OSL Retail Services Inc. maintains a documented return to work process for its employees who have been absent from work due to a disability and who require disability-related accommodations in order to return to work.
The return to work process outlines the steps OSL Retail Services Inc. will take to facilitate the return to work and will include documented individual accommodation plans as part of the process.
This return to work process will not replace or override any other return to work process created by or under any other statute (ie., the Workplace Safety Insurance Act, 1997).
Performance Management, Career Development and Advancement & Redeployment
OSL Retail Services Inc. will take into account the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities, as well as individual accommodation plans, when conducting performance management, providing career development and advancement to employees, or when redeploying employees.
QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS POLICY
This policy has been developed to break down barriers and increase accessibility for persons with disabilities in the areas of information and communications and employment. If anyone has a question about the policy, or if the purpose of a policy is not understood, an explanation will be provided by:
Bryan Crisp
OSL Retail Services Inc.
hretail@oslrs.com