Accessibility Policy
Handyman Personnel (“the Business”) 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 by meeting our accessibility requirements under Ontario’s accessibility
laws.
1.1 APPLICATION AND SCOPE
This Policy is made pursuant to the requirements of the Accessibility for Ontarians with
Disabilities Act, 2005 (“AODA”) and the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation
(“IAS Regulation”) of the AODA and addresses how the Business will achieve
accessibility. This Policy will be reviewed and updated as necessary at least every five
years and posted on our website.
For purpose of this Policy and Plan, “disability” is defined as follows:
• 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 co-ordination, 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.
1.2 SELF-SERVICE KIOSKS
The Business shall have regard to the accessibility for persons with disabilities when
designing, procuring or acquiring self-service kiosks. “Kiosk” means an interactive
electronic terminal, including a point-of-sale device, intended for public use that allows
users to access one or more services or products or both.
1.3 TRAINING
The Business provides training to all its employees, volunteers, persons who participate
in developing its policies and all other persons who provide goods, services or facilities
on behalf of the Business. The training shall be:
(a) on the requirements of the IAS Regulation and the Human Rights Code as
it relates to persons with disabilities;
(b) appropriate to the duties of the employees, volunteers and other persons;
(c) provided as soon as practicable, on an ongoing basis and as necessary to
comply with all statutory requirements.
1.4 INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION STANDARDS
Accessible Formats and Communication Supports
Upon request, and in accordance with the compliance schedule set out in the IAS
Regulation, the Business will provide or arrange for the provision of accessible formats
and communication supports for persons with disabilities in a timely manner and at a cost
that is not greater than the cost charged to other persons, if any. The Business will consult
with the person making the request to determine the suitability of an accessible format or
communication support and notify the public about the availability of these formats and
supports.
Feedback
In accordance with the requirements of the IAS Regulation, the Business ensures that its
feedback processes are accessible to persons with disabilities by providing or arranging
for the provision of accessible formats and communication supports, upon request. We
will notify the public of the availability of accessible formats and communication supports
including by posting this information online.
Further information about our feedback process is available at the end of this Policy.
Emergency Information
Where the Business prepares emergency procedures, plans or public safety information
and makes such information available to the public, it shall provide the information in an
accessible format or with appropriate communication supports, as soon as practicable,
upon request.
1.5 EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS
The Business is committed to ensuring that its employment practices are in compliance
with the AODA, IAS Regulation and the Ontario Human Rights Code.
Recruitment
Accommodations for applicants (including existing employees) with disabilities are
available in the Business’s recruitment processes.
The Business shall notify applicants when they are individually selected to participate in
an assessment or selection process that accommodations, including Accessible Formats
and Communication Supports, are available upon request in relation to the materials or
processes to be used. If a selected applicant requests an accommodation, the Business
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 a disability.
The Business shall notify successful applicants of its policies for accommodating
employees with disabilities when making offers of employment.
The Business shall also notify employees of its policies which support employees with
disabilities, including but not limited to policies on the provision of job accommodations
that take into account an employee’s accessibility needs due to a disability.
Accessible Formats & Communication Supports for Employees
Where an employee with a disability requests it, the Business will consult with the
employee to provide or arrange for the provision of accessible formats and
communication supports for information that is (a) needed in order to perform the
employee’s job and (b) generally available to employees in the workplace.
Performance Management, Career Development and Advancement, Redeployment
The Business shall take into account the accessibility needs of employees when using
performance management processes, providing career development and advancement,
and using redeployment.
Workplace Emergency Response Information
The Business provides individualized workplace emergency response information to
employees who have a disability if the disability is such that the individualized information
is necessary and the employer is aware of the need for accommodation. The Business
provides this information as soon as practicable after becoming aware of the need for
accommodation.
If an employee who receives individualized workplace emergency response information
requires assistance and provided that the employee’s consent is obtained, the Business
will provide the workplace emergency response information to the person designated by
the employer to provide assistance to the employee.
The Business reviews the individualized workplace emergency response information in
the following circumstances: when the employee moves to a different location in the
organization, when overall accommodation needs or plans are reviewed, and when it
reviews its general emergency response policies.
1.6 ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS FOR OUR FACILITIES
The Business is committed to designing our facilities free from barriers and accessible to
all persons we serve. The Business will comply with the Design of Public Spaces
Standards with respect to public spaces that are newly constructed or redeveloped in
accordance with the requirements of the IAS Regulation.
1.7 REFERENCES
• Accessible Customer Service Policy
• Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005
• Regulation 191/11 made under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act,
2005 (Integrated Accessibility Standards)
1.8 COPIES
Upon request, all of our policies can be made available in an accessible format and we
can provide or arrange to provide communication supports as necessary.
1.9 FEEDBACK AND QUESTIONS
If you have any questions about this Policy or our accessibility initiatives, please let us
know. Feedback on this Policy and the Business’s accessibility measures is welcome.
Feedback can be provided through various means and in various forms. If you have
questions, concerns or comments, please contact your manager.
All feedback received will be reviewed within a reasonable time period and the Business
will take all appropriate steps to address any issues raised. All complaints will be
processed in accordance with the Business’s complaints process.
2.0 CUSTOMER SERVICE POLICY
The Business is committed to excellence in serving all customers, including people with
disabilities. Our accessible customer service policies are consistent with the principles of
independence, dignity, integration and equality of opportunity for people with disabilities.
We will do so by removing and preventing barriers to accessibility and by meeting our
accessibility requirements under Ontario’s accessibility laws and our obligations under
the Human Rights Code.
2.1 ASSISTIVE DEVICES
People with disabilities may use their personal assistive devices when accessing our
goods, services or facilities.
In cases where the assistive device presents a significant and unavoidable health or
safety concern or may not be permitted for other reasons, other measures will be used to
ensure the person with a disability can access our goods, services or facilities.
We will ensure that our staff are trained and familiar with various assistive devices we
have on site or that we provide that may be used by customers with disabilities while
accessing our goods, services or facilities.
2.2 COMMUNICATION
We will communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their
disability. We will work with the person with a disability to determine what method of
communication works for them.
2.3 SERVICE ANIMALS
We welcome people with disabilities and their service animals. Service animals are
allowed on the part of our premises which is open to the public. When we cannot easily
identify whether an animal is a service animal, our staff may ask the person to provide
documentation from a regulated health professional that confirms the person needs the
service animal for reasons relating to their disability. A regulated health professional is
defined as a member of one of the following colleges:
• College of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists of Ontario
• College of Chiropractors of Ontario
• College of Nurses of Ontario
• College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario
• College of Optometrists of Ontario
• College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario
• College of Physiotherapists of Ontario
• College of Psychologists of Ontario
• College of Registered Psychotherapists and Registered Mental Health Therapists
of Ontario
If service animals are prohibited by another law, we will ensure the customer with
disabilities can access our goods, services or facilities by explaining why the animal is
excluded and discussing with the customer another way of providing goods, services or
facilities.
2.4 SUPPORT PERSONS
A person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed to have
that person accompany them on our premises.
In certain cases, we might require a person with a disability to be accompanied by a
support person for the health or safety reasons of the person with a disability or others on
the premises.
2.5 NOTICE OF TEMPORARY DISRUPTION
In the event of a planned or unexpected disruption to services or facilities for customers
with disabilities, we will notify customers promptly. This clearly posted notice will include
information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated length of time, and a
description of alternative facilities or services, if available.
2.6 TRAINING
The Business will provide accessible customer service training to all employees and
volunteers, any person involved in developing our policies and any person who provides
goods, services or facilities to customers on the Business’s behalf.
The training will encompass:
• purpose of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the
requirements of the customer service standard;
• the Business’s policies related to the customer service standard;
• how to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities;
• how to interact with people with disabilities who use an assistive device or require
the assistance of a service animal or support person;
• how to use the equipment or devices available on-site or otherwise that may help
with providing goods, services or facilities to people with disabilities; and
• what to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty accessing the Business’s
goods, services or facilities.
Staff will be trained on accessible customer service as part of their training when they are
first hired and again if changes are made to our accessible customer service policy.
2.7 FEEDBACK PROCESS
We welcome feedback. Customers who wish to provide feedback on the way the
Business provides goods, services or facilities to people with disabilities can provide
feedback in the following way(s):
Requests, issues, and suggestions
In-person at: 203 Rochester St. Ottawa, ON K1R 7M5
By telephone by calling: 613-232-1579
By email to: André Racicot at handymanpersonnel@outlook.com
By mail to: 203 Rochester St. Ottawa, ON K1R 7M5
The Business will make sure our feedback process is accessible to people with disabilities
by providing or arranging for accessible formats and communication supports, on request.
All feedback received will be reviewed within a reasonable time period and the Business
will take all appropriate steps to address any issues raised. All complaints will be
processed in accordance with the Business’s complaints process.
2.8 DOCUMENTS
The Business will provide this document 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.
Any policies of the Business that do not respect and promote the principles of dignity,
independence, integration and equal opportunity for people with disabilities will be
modified or removed.
3.0 REVIEW OF THE POLICY
This Policy will be reviewed and may be amended from time to time based on the needs
and experiences of the Business.