Customer Service Standards and Integrated Accessibility Standards Policy for People with Disabilities
Statement of Commitment
Bennett Cadillac (the "Dealership") is committed to excellence in serving all customers, including people with disabilities. We will endeavor to ensure equal access by meeting the accessibility needs of people with disabilities in a timely manner. This Policy is intended to meet the requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005; Ontario Regulation 429/07; and Ontario Regulation 191/11.
Accessible Formats
Upon request, and in accordance with the compliance schedule set out in the Ontario Regulation 191/11, the Dealership will provide or arrange for the provision of Accessible Formats and Communication Supports for persons with disabilities in a timely manner. The Dealership will consult with the person making the request in determining the suitability of an Accessible Format or Communication Support.
For the purposes of this Policy, "Accessible Formats" may include, but are not limited to large print, recorded audio and electronic formats, Braille and other formats usable by people with disabilities. "Communication Supports" may include, but are not limited to captioning, alternative and augmentative communication supports, plain language, sign language and other supports that facilitate effective communications.
Definitions
For the purpose of this Policy, "disability" is defined as follows:
i. 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,
ii. a condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability,
iii. a learning disability, or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language,
iv. a mental disorder, or
v. an injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997.
Provision of Goods and Services
The Dealership will use reasonable efforts to ensure its practices and procedures are consistent with the following principles:
- Our goods and services will be provided in a manner that respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities.
- The provision of goods and services will be integrated, to the extent possible, to enable a person with a disability to obtain, use or benefit from our goods and services.
- People with disabilities will be given an opportunity equal to that given to others to obtain, use and benefit from our goods and services.
We will ensure that our staff is familiar with various assistive devices that may be used by customers with disabilities while accessing our premises and obtaining, using or benefiting from our goods and services.
Service Animals and Support Persons
We will communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability. We welcome people with disabilities who require service animals or support persons. Service animals are allowed on the parts of our premises that are open to the public.
People accompanied by a support person will be allowed to have that person accompany them on our premises and will not be prevented access to that support person.
The Dealership may require a person with a disability to be accompanied by a support person while on the premises, only if a support person is necessary to protect the health or safety of the person with a disability or others on the premises.
Notice of Temporary Disruptions
In the event of a planned or unexpected disruption to services or facilities for customers with disabilities, the Dealership 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. The notice will be placed at all public entrances.
Staff Training
The Dealership will provide training to employees, who deal with the public and all employees who participate in developing the Dealership's policies, practices and procedures governing the provision of goods and services to members of the public or other third parties.
This training will be provided to new employees through orientation and to existing employees complete with a training component. This Policy, procedures, updates and changes will be posted on our communication boards.
Training will include:
- A review of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, the requirements under Ontario Regulation 429/07 and requirements of the accessibility standards under Ontario Regulation 191/11.
- The Human Rights Code as it pertains to people with disabilities.
- Instruction on how to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities.
- Instruction on how to interact with people with disabilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a service animal or a support person.
- Instruction on how to use equipment provided by the Dealership that may help with the provision of goods and services to a person with a disability.
- What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty in accessing the Dealership's premises.
- A review of this Policy.
- On-going training for all staff when any updates and changes in policy are made.
- The Dealership will keep a record of the training it provides.
Feedback
The ultimate goal of this Policy is to meet goods and service delivery expectations while responding to the requests of individuals with disabilities. Comments on how well the Dealership is meeting those expectations are welcome and appreciated. Customers can expect to hear back within 5 business days.
Feedback about this Policy or its implementation can be submitted:
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: (519) 621-1250 and request to speak to the General Manager
In person: by speaking with the General Manager
By mail to the following address: 445 Hespeler Road, Cambridge, ON, N1R6J2
Notification
The Dealership will notify the public that our documents related to accessible customer service, are available upon request by posting a notice in the following location(s):
- On the Dealership website
- Communication boards
Any policy or statement that does not respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities will be modified or removed.
Website
The Dealership will ensure that our Internet websites, including web content, conform to the World Wide Web Consortium Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, at Level AA by January 1, 2021 (excluding success criteria 1.2.4 Captions (Live) and success criteria 1.2.5 Audio Descriptions (Pre-recorded)).
Multi-Year Accessibility Plan
The Dealership will develop, maintain and document an Accessibility Plan outlining the Dealership'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 at least once every five years, and will be posted on the Dealership's website. Upon request, the Dealership will provide a copy of the Accessibility Plan in an accessible format taking into account a person's particular disability.
Employment Standards
The Dealership 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
The Dealership 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, the Dealership 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, the Dealership will notify the successful applicant of its policies for accommodating employees with disabilities.
Informing Employees of Supports
The Dealership 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, the Dealership 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, the Dealership will consult with the employee making the request.
Workplace Emergency Response Information
The Dealership 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 the Dealership is aware of the need for accommodation due to the employee's disability. The Dealership will provide this information as soon as practicable after becoming aware of the need for accommodation.
Where the employee requires assistance, the Dealership will, with the consent of the employee, provide the workplace emergency response information to the person designated by the Dealership to provide assistance to the employee.
The Dealership 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 plans are reviewed.
Documented Individual Accommodation Plans
The Dealership 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
The Dealership will maintain 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 the Dealership 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 (i.e., the Workplace Safety Insurance Act, 1997).
Performance Management, Career Development and Advancement & Redeployment
The Dealership 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.
Accessibility Standards for our Facilities
The Dealership is committed to designing our facilities to be free from barriers and accessible to all people we serve. The Dealership 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 under Ontario Regulation 191/11.
In the event that the Dealership adopts self-serve kiosks, we shall have regard to accessibility in the design, procurement or acquisition of these kiosks.
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, communications and employment. If anyone has a question about this Policy, or if the purpose of the Policy is not understood, an explanation can be provided by contacting Human Resources in one of the ways listed above under the Feedback section.