Statement of Commitment
Civica is committed to ensuring equal access and participation all people with dignity and independence. We believe in integration and equal opportunity. We are committed to meeting the needs of people with disabilities in a timely manner, and will do so by preventing and removing barriers to accessibility and meeting accessibility requirements under AODA.
Civica is committed to continue developing, implementing and maintaining policies governing how it will achieve accessibility through meeting the requirements under AODA and its associated regulations, the Customer Service Accessibility Standard and the Integrated Accessibility Standard (“IASR”).
The Multi-Year Accessibility Plan outlines the policies, achievements and actions that Civica have put in place to improve opportunities for people with disabilities. The current plan covers a five-year period (2023-2028) to align with our strategic plan.
The AODA Multi-Year Accessibility Plan outlines the policies, achievements, and actions that Crozier has taken to improve opportunities for persons with disabilities.
General Requirements
Accessibility Policies and Procedures
Civica uses reasonable efforts to ensure that its policies, practices and procedures are consistent with the following principles:
- Services are provided in a manner that respects the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities.
- The provision of services to persons with disabilities, and others, is integrated unless an alternate measure is necessary, whether temporarily or on a permanent basis.
- Persons with disabilities may use assistive devices and/or support persons in the access of goods or services.
- Civica employees, when communicating with a person with a disability, will do so in a manner that takes into account the person's disability.
Training
Civica has taken the following steps to ensure employees were provided with the training needed to meet Ontario’s accessible laws:
- Developed a process that determines and ensures that correct training is delivered on the requirements of the IASR and the Ontario Human Rights Code.
- Providing educational or training resources or materials in an accessible format that takes into account the accessibility needs of a person with a disability upon request.
- Ensures that all new employees and volunteers all complete AODA training within two weeks of employment.
- Maintains a database of the training, participant's names and dates of completion of training. All employees and volunteers who have received training will be required to sign off that they have received training in accordance with AODA.
Information and Communication Standards
Civica is committed to meeting the communication needs of people with disabilities on an individualized basis.
To achieve this objective, Civica has implemented the following to ensure compliance with the IASR standard:
- Civica will ensure that essential information is accessible to persons with disabilities.
- A feedback process has been established that is accessible. Alternate formats are also available such as telephone, mail and in-person.
- Our website has been designed to be user friendly for people with a range of needs.
- Training on the AODA Information and Communication Standards has been provided to all employees.
Website Information
In accordance with the IASR, Civica will convert existing emergency & public safety information into a format that will allow it to be made available in accessible formats on request and in a timely manner.
Civica has complied with the IASR requirements and made its website and content compliant to conform to World Wide Web Consortium Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (>NCAG) 2.0, Level AA.
Employment Standards
Civica is committed to inclusive and accessible employment practices that attract and retain individuals with disabilities. Our accommodation statement is listed on all our job postings publicly.
Recruitment
Civica is committed to ensuring that our recruitment processes are fair and accessible.
Civica will take the following steps to ensure compliance with this standard:
- Specify that accommodation is available for applicants with disabilities in recruitment material, and with regards to interviews and assessments.
- All job postings will state that accommodations will be available on request for persons with disabilities.
- Inform employees of policies supporting employees with disabilities during onboarding.
- Provide employees with a copy of Civica’s Employee Handbook that includes information on accommodation policies for employees.
- Consult with employee to determine suitability of format or support in a dignified manner.
Documented Individual Accommodation Plans
Civica is committed to providing documented individual accommodation plans that include the following:
- Participation of the employee requiring the individual accommodation plan.
- Requesting outside medical evaluation, to the extent necessary, to determine if accommodation can be achieved and how.
- Ensuring a high level of privacy is achieved, and that information is only disclosed to individuals as necessary and in order to achieve the accommodation needs of the person with a disability.
- Providing regular review, updates and communications with employee during the accommodation process.
- Providing an employee with information if a request for accommodation is denied.
- Providing Individual Accommodation Plans in a format that takes into account the needs of the employee.
- If required, including individualized workplace emergency response information.
Return to Work
Civica has developed and maintains a return to work process for our employees who have been absent from work due to a disability and require disability-related accommodations in order to return to work. The process includes steps the HRPA takes to facilitate the return to work process and uses the documented individual accommodation plan.
Performance Management, Career Development and Redeployment
Civica is committed to ensuring the accessibility needs of employees with disability needs are taken into account with regards to performance management, career development and redeployment processes
Accessible Emergency Information
In accordance with section 13 of the Ontario Regulation 191/11, Civica has developed emergency and safety procedures to follow in a given emergency situation (fire, bomb threat, earthquake, lockdown etc.)
During the onboarding process for new hires, Civica informs new hires of the availability of individual emergency response plans that takes into account their disability.
Civica is committed to providing employees and the public with a publicly available emergency information, plans or public safety information in an accessible manner upon request.
Civica has a process for documenting issues of accessibility and recording and providing accommodation for individualized accessible emergency response information. Civica will continue to review the individualized workplace emergency response plans when necessary, such as when the location of an employee changes.
Design of Public Spaces
Any new or redeveloped reception or public waiting areas are to be made accessible in accordance with the Accessibility Standard for the Design of Public Spaces. (S.80.41 and S. 80.43 IASR)
Customer Service Accessibility Standard
The following measures have been implemented by Civica:
- The Human Resources Lead, has been designated to present and/or revise practices or procedures. A policy review occurs annually.
- Notice will be provided on the website, email, over the phone or in writing where applicable when a service disruption occurs and will be done quickly as possible if the disruption is unexpected.
- Training on AODA Customer Service has been provided and is given to every person who participates in developing the policy, practices and procedures and this includes every person who deals with the public on behalf of Civica, i.e. employees, volunteers, management, and consultants.
- AODA Training, including Customer Service, is also part of mandatory onboarding for all new hires in Ontario.
- Completion of training of all employees is tracked and recorded.
- Comments relating to our programs and services with regard to customer service are welcomed and appreciated. A process has been established to encourage feedback regarding the way that Civica provides goods and services to people with disabilities.
- Feedback can be submitted using the "Contact Us" page on our website, as well as verbally via our phone line. All feedback will be directed to Civica's Vice President of Business Development.
- All feedback collected from clients, staff or the general public is reviewed and analyzed to identify potential gaps in customer services, and to ensure appropriate actions are taken.
- All regulatory-related requests for accommodation and accessibility needs by customers and employees will be handled by the Human Resources Lead and President of the Civica in accordance with the requirements set forth in AODA and its associated regulations and the Ontario Human Rights Code.
Contact Details
For more information on this accessibility plan, please contact:
Human Resources HR@civi.ca
(905) 417-9792 Ext. 2330
