Providing goods, services or facilities to people with disabilities
Yarlmetal Fabrications is committed to meeting its current and ongoing obligations under the Ontario Human Rights Code respecting non-discrimination.
Yarlmetal Fabrications understands that obligations under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) and its accessibility standards do not substitute or limit its obligations under the Ontario Human Rights Code or obligations to people with disabilities under any other law.
Yarlmetal Fabrications is committed to complying with both the Ontario Human Rights Code and the AODA.
Yarlmetal Fabrications 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.
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.
Communication
We will communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability. This may include the following:
- Agreeing to deal with complex matters in writing and in plain language
- Reading out documents
- Making documents available in a larger font
- Providing captions for images on our website
- Pictograms for safety measures throughout the facility
We will work with the person with a disability to determine what method of communication works for them.
Service Animals
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.
When we cannot easily identify that an animal is a service animal, our staff may ask a person to provide 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.
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
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.
Employees have been trained on how to communicate when a support person is present.
Training
Yarlmetal Fabrications will provide accessible customer service training to:
- all employees and volunteers
- anyone involved in developing our policies
- anyone who provides goods, services or facilities to customers on our behalf.
Staff will be trained on accessible customer service within 3 months after being hired.
Training will include:
- purpose of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the requirements of the customer service standard
- Yarlmetal Fabrication’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 a support person
- what to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty in accessing Yarlmetal Fabrication’s goods, services or facilities
Staff will also be trained when changes are made to our accessible customer service policies.
Feedback process
Yarlmetal Fabrications welcomes feedback on how we provide accessible customer service. Customer feedback will help us identify barriers and respond to concerns.
Individuals may provide their feedback in person, by telephone, in writing, or by email to the Office Manager at YARLMETAL FABRICATIONS.
Complaints may be made in writing to the Office Manager at YARLMETAL FABRICATIONS. When requested and permitted by the Complainant, the Complaint will be reviewed and a response provided to the Complainant.
All feedback, including complaints, will be handled in the following manner:
Feedback may be given over the phone, in person or in writing to the Office Manager.
Customers can expect to hear back in 3 business days.
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.
Employees have been trained on how to communicate when a support person is present.
Upon consent of the client, the client’s support person may be present while confidential information is being exchanged, for example at a lawyer-client meeting.
YARLMETAL FABRICATIONS’s employees who interact with members of the public will be trained on how to interact with customers who are accompanied by a support person.
When representing clients with a disability, YARLMETAL FABRICATIONS shall adhere to the Ontario Human Rights Code.
Further, when representing clients with a disability, lawyers and paralegals with YARLMETAL FABRICATIONS shall follow the Law Society of Upper Canada’s Rules of Professional Conduct, including the Rules with respect to serving clients with disabilities (Rules 1.03(1)(b), 2.02(6) and 5.04).
YARLMETAL FABRICATIONS’s presumption is that an adult client is capable of instructing counsel. This presumption is not rebutted by the mere fact that a client is a person with a disability.
When YARLMETAL FABRICATIONS has concerns about a client or a prospective client’s capacity to instruct counsel, YARLMETAL FABRICATIONS may need to take steps, such as:
- seek to obtain the client or prospective client’s consent to discuss those concerns with the individual’s family members and/or health care providers;
- seek the assistance of the Capacity Assessment Office, a qualified capacity assessor, or a qualified medical professional;
- have a lawfully authorized representative appointed (i.e. a litigation guardian); or
- obtain the assistance of the Office of the Public Guardian or the Office of the Children’s Lawyer.
Unfortunately, in some cases YARLMETAL FABRICATIONS may be required to withdraw their services should a client lack the capacity to instruct counsel.
YARLMETAL FABRICATIONS recognizes that finding a client incapable of providing instruction to counsel is a serious matter and impacts upon a client’s access to justice. In the event that YARLMETAL FABRICATIONS finds that a client no longer has the necessary legal capacity, YARLMETAL FABRICATIONS shall make all efforts to ensure that the client’s interests are not abandoned.
Yarlmetal Fabrications will make sure our feedback process is accessible to people with disabilities by providing or arranging for accessible formats and communication supports, on request.
Notice of availability of documents
Yarlmetal Fabrications 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.
Modifications to this or other policies
Any policies of [organization name] that do not respect and promote the principles of dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity for people with disabilities will be modified or removed.