Deighton Associates Ltd.

Accessible Customer Service Policy

Purpose and Application

Under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 all public and private sector organizations must meet the requirements of accessibility standards established by regulation. This policy establishes the accessibility standards for customer service for Deighton Associates Ltd., in accordance with Ontario Regulation 429/07. This policy applies to all employees of Deighton Associates Ltd.’s, agents, volunteers, and contracted service staff.

Definitions

Below is a list of definitions used in this policy, listed alphabetically:

Accessible means customer service is provided in a manner that is capable of being easily understood or appreciated; easy to get at; capable of being reached or entered; and obtainable.

Disability means:

Any degree of physical 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 impairment, 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,
An injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997

Guide Dog means a dog trained as a guide for a blind person and having the qualifications prescribed by the Blind Persons’ Rights Act R.S.O. 1990, c. B.7, s. 1 (1).

Service Animal is an animal for a person with a disability, if it is readily apparent that the animal is used by the person for reasons relating to his/her disability; or if the person provides a letter from a physician or nurse confirming that the person requires the animal for reasons relating to the disability.

Dignity ensures persons with disabilities are provided with services in a manner that will allow them to maintain self-respect and the respect of others.

Independence ensures persons with disabilities have the right to work on their own and can do things in their own way.

Integration ensures persons with disabilities fully benefit from the same goods and services, in the same place and in the same or similar manner as others. This may require alternative formats and flexible approaches. It means complete and full participation.

Equal Opportunity ensures persons with disabilities have the same chances, options, benefits, and results as others.

Policy Statement

Deighton Associates Ltd. is committed to providing exceptional and accessible service to its customers. Goods and services will be provided in a manner that respects the dignity and independence to all customers. The provision of services to persons with disabilities will be integrated wherever possible. Persons with disabilities will be given an opportunity equal to that given to others, to obtain, use or benefit from the goods and services provided by and on behalf of Deighton Associates Ltd.

Policy Requirements

Accessibility Training Policy

Every person who deals with members of the public or who participates in developing Deighton Associates Ltd.'s policies, practices, and procedures governing the provision of goods and services to the public; including Company staff, volunteers, agents, contractors, and others who provide service on behalf of Deighton Associates Ltd. will receive training regarding the provision of goods and services to persons with disabilities and on the requirements of the Customer Service Regulation.

The training will include the following five pieces of information:

The purpose of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act
How to interact and communicate with persons with various types of disabilities
How to interact with persons with disabilities who use an assistive device, or require the assistance of a service animal or support person
How to use equipment made available by the Company to help people with disabilities to access goods and services
What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty accessing services.

Training will be provided to each person according to his or her needs and duties and as soon as is practicable on an ongoing basis in connection with changes to policies, practices, and procedures governing the provision of goods or services to persons with disabilities. A record of the dates on which training is provided and the number of individuals to whom it is provided will be kept.

Feedback Process

Deighton Associates Ltd. accepts feedback from the public in a variety of methods including:

Phone: 905 665 6605
In-person: 1555 Wentworth Street, Unit 200, Whitby, Ont., L1N9T6
Email: AODA@deighton.com

All feedback is reviewed by Human Resources. Complaints are investigated and follow-up is provided to the customer if requested.

Recruitment & Selection

As we recruit new talent, we will take all reasonable steps to accommodate job applicants with disabilities. On external postings and ahead of interviews, applicants will be informed that accommodations are available upon request.

Newly hired employees will be informed of our policies and directed on ways to access accommodations in their roles. To ensure that new hires can access support quickly and thoroughly, we encourage persons with disabilities to disclose to their direct manager as early as possible.

Supports for Employees

If an employee with a disability requests assistance, Deighton Associates Ltd. will make every reasonable effort to provide or arrange for the provision of accessible formats and communication supports for the following:

Information needed in order to perform their job.
Information that is generally available to all employees in the workplace.

Individual Accommodation Plans

Individual accommodation plans will be developed for employees with disabilities who request them. Plans will be thoughtfully co-developed with the employee, and will include:

The ways an employee can request an evaluation by an outside medical expert, or other experts to determine if accommodation can be achieved.
Details on the ways in which Deighton Associates Ltd. will accommodate the employee in their role.
The steps taken to protect the privacy of the employee’s personal information.
Where needed, provide customized emergency information to help an employee with a disability during an emergency.
Details on how and when the individual accommodation plan should be reviewed or updated.
The means of providing the accommodation plan in an accessible format, based on the employee’s accessibility needs.

It is important to note that Deighton Associates Ltd. can provide accommodations only if they have been requested. To enable us to meet your needs quickly, employees are encouraged to self-disclose their accommodation needs to their manager as soon as they are comfortable.

Use of Service Animals, Support Persons, and Assistive Devices

We welcome people with disabilities and their service animals. Service animals are allowed on the parts of our premises that are open to the public and third parties.

When we cannot easily identify that an animal is a service animal, our staff may ask for documentation (template, letter, or form) from a regulated health professional that confirms the person needs the service animal for reasons relating to their disability.

A service animal can be easily identified through visual indicators, such as when it wears a harness or a vest, or when it helps the person perform certain tasks. The service animal must be under the care and control of the individual at all times.

If service animals are prohibited by another law, we will do the following to ensure people with disabilities can access our goods, services, or facilities:

explain why the animal is excluded
discuss with the customer another way of providing goods, services, or facilities

If a person with a disability is accompanied by a support person, Deighton Associates Ltd. will ensure that both persons are permitted to enter a Company facility, and that the person with a disability is not prevented from having access to the support person. Deighton Associates Ltd. may require a person with a disability to be accompanied by a support person when in a Company facility, but only if a support person is necessary to protect the health or safety of the person with a disability or the health or safety of others in the facility. A person with a disability is permitted to use their own personal assistive devices to access and benefit from our goods and services. In cases where the assistive device presents a significant and unavoidable health and safety concern, or may not be permitted for other reasons, Deighton Associates Ltd. will use other measures and make best efforts to ensure the person with a disability can access our facilities and services. To do so, Deighton Associates Ltd. will ensure all employees are aware of and become familiar with various assistive devices that may be used by a client or other external we interact with.

Notice of Temporary Disruptions

Deighton Associates Ltd. shall provide notice of disruption of services to the public.

Any Notice of Disruption will contain the following three pieces of information:

Reason for the disruption
Anticipated duration
Alternative facilities or services

Company staff will provide such notice in one or more of the following two ways:

Notice physically posted at the site of the disruption
Notice on Company website

Communications

Deighton Associates Ltd. will provide communication to people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disabilities. When asked, we will provide information about our organization and its services, including public safety information, in accessible formats or with communication supports:

in a timely manner, taking into account the person’s accessibility needs due to disability; and
at a cost that is no more than the regular cost charged to other persons.

We will work with the person with disabilities to determine what method of communication works for them. If the organization determines that information or communications are unconvertible, the organization shall provide the requestor with:

an explanation as to why the information or communications are unconvertible;
and a summary of the unconvertible information or communications.

Notice of Availability of Documents

Deighton Associates Ltd. notifies the public that documents related to accessible customer service, are available upon request by posting a notice in on Deighton Associates Ltd.’s website and through other printed methods. Deighton Associates Ltd. will provide these documents in an accessible format or with communication support, on request. We will consult with the person making the request to determine the suitability of the format or communication support. We will provide the accessible format in a timely manner and, at no additional cost.

Format of Documents

If Deighton Associates Ltd. is required, by the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, to give a copy of a document to a person with a disability, the company will take into account the person’s ability to access the information and will provide the document or information contained in the document in a format that meets those needs as agreed upon with the person.