Multi-Year Accessibility Plan

Act Section and Description

Action

AODA Compliance Date

Status

3. Establishment of Accessibility Policies

3.(1) Every obligated organization shall develop, implement and maintain policies governing how the organization achieves or will achieve accessibility through meeting its requirements under the accessibility standards referred to in this Regulation.

Home Hardware Stores Limited will create an Integrated Standards policy.

January 1, 2014

Completed

4. Accessibility Plans

4.(1) Large organizations shall,

a) establish, implement, maintain and document a multi-year accessibility plan, which outlines the organization‘s strategy to prevent and remove barriers and meet its requirements under this Regulation;

b) post the accessibility plan on their website, if any, and provide the plan in an accessible format upon request; and

c) review and update the accessibility plan at least once every five years.

Home Hardware Stores Limited will prepare and publish an accessibility plan.

January 1, 2014

Completed

7. Training

7.(1) Every obligated organization shall ensure that training is provided on the requirements of the accessibility standards referred to in this Regulation and on the Human Rights Code as it pertains to persons with disabilities to,

a) all employees, and volunteers;

b) all persons who participate in developing the organization's policies; and

c) all other persons who provide goods, services or facilities on behalf of the organization.

Home Hardware Stores Limited will implement, following the development or sourcing of a training program to train required individuals.

January 1, 2015

Completed

Act Section and Description

Action

AODA Compliance Date

Status

11. Feedback

11.(1) Every obligated organization that has processes for receiving and responding to feedback shall ensure that the processes are accessible to persons with disabilities by providing or arranging for accessible formats and communications supports, upon request.

Home Hardware Stores Limited will review and update processes for receiving and responding to feedback as required.

January 1, 2015

Completed

12. Accessible Formats & Communication Supports

12.(1) Except as otherwise provided, every obligated organization shall upon request provide or arrange for the provision of accessible formats and communication supports for persons with disabilities,

a) in a timely manner that takes into account the person's accessibility needs due to disability; and

b) at a cost that is no more than the regular cost charged to other persons

12.(2) The obligated organization shall consult with the person making the request in determining the suitability of an accessible format or communication support.

12.(3) Every obligated organization shall notify the public about the availability of accessible formats and communication supports.

Home Hardware Stores Limited will review and update processes for accessibility requests, as well as evaluate accessible formats and communication supports as required.

January 1, 2016

Completed

14. Accessible Websites & Web Content

14.(2) Designated public sector organizations and large organizations shall make their internet websites and web content conform with the World Wide Web Consortium Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, initially at Level A and increasing to Level AA, and shall do so in accordance with the schedule set out in this section.

Home Hardware Stores limited will assess its website and implement plans to ensure compliance with new website development and content for new websites, and future compliance requirements for all websites in accordance with the Regulation.

January 1, 2014 January 1, 2021

Completed

Act Section and Description

Action

AODA Compliance Date

Status

22. Recruitment – General

22. Every employer shall notify its employees and the public about the availability of accommodation for applicants with disabilities in its recruitment processes.

Home Hardware Stores Limited will review and update existing recruitment policies and processes as required.

January 1, 2016

Completed

23. Recruitment, Assessment or Selection Process

23.(1) During a recruitment process, an employer shall notify job applicants, when they are individually selected to participate in an assessment or selection process, that accommodations are available upon request in relation to the materials or processes to be used.

(2) If a selected applicant requests an accommodation, the employer shall 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.

Home Hardware Stores Limited will review and update existing recruitment policies and processes as required.

January 1, 2016

Completed

24. Notice to Successful Applicants

24. Every employer shall, when making offers of employment, notify the successful applicant of its policies for accommodating employees with disabilities.

Home Hardware Stores Limited will review and update existing recruitment policies and processes as required.

January 1, 2016

Completed

25. Informing Employees of Supports

25.(1) Every employer shall inform its employees of its policies used to support its 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 disability.

25.(2) Employers shall provide the information required under this section to new employees as soon as practicable after they begin their employment.

25.(3) Employers shall provide updated information to its employees whenever there is a change to existing policies on the provision of job accommodations that take into account an employee‘s accessibility needs due to disability.

Home Hardware Stores Limited will review and update communication, training and orientation processes as required.

January 1, 2016

Completed

26. Accessible Formats & Communication Supports for Employees

26.(1) In addition to its obligations under section 12, where an employee with a disability so requests it, every employer shall consult with the employee to provide or arrange for the provision of accessible formats and communication supports for,

(a)    information that is needed in order to perform the employee‘s job; and

(b)    information that is generally available to employees in the workplace.

26.(2) The employer shall consult with the employee making the request in determining the suitability of an accessible format or communication support.

Home Hardware Stores Limited will review and update existing communication and orientation processes as required.

January 1, 2016

Completed

27. Workplace Emergency Response Information

27.(1) Every employer shall provide 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 due to the employee‘s disability.

(2) If an employee who receives individualized workplace emergency response information requires assistance and with the employee‘s consent, the employer shall provide the workplace emergency response information to the person designated by the employer to provide assistance to the employee.

(3) Employers shall provide the information required under this section as soon as practicable after the employer becomes aware of the need for accommodation due to the employee‘s disability.

(4) Every employer shall review the individualized workplace emergency response information,

(a)    when the employee moves to a different location in the organization;

(b)    when the employee’s overall accommodations needs or plans are reviewed; and

(c) when the employer reviews its general emergency response policies.

Home Hardware Stores Limited has existing processes in place to meet the requirement for individualized workplace emergency response plans.

January 1, 2012

Completed

28. Documented Individual Accommodation Plans

28.(1) Employers, other than employers that are small organizations, shall develop and have in place a written process for the development of documented individual accommodation plans for employees with disabilities.

28 (2) The process for the development of documented individual accommodation plans shall include the following elements:

1.    The manner in which an employee requesting accommodation can participate in the development of the individual accommodation plan.

2.    The means by which the employee is assessed on an individual basis.

3.    The manner in which the employer can request an evaluation by an outside medical or other expert, at the employer‘s expense, to determine if and how accommodation can be achieved.

4.    The manner in which the employee can request the participation of a representative from their bargaining agent, where the employee is represented by a bargaining agent, or other representative from the workplace, where the employee is not represented by a bargaining agent, in the development of the accommodation plan.

5.    The steps taken to protect the privacy of the employee‘s personal information.

6.    The frequency with which the individual accommodation plan will be reviewed and updated and the manner in which it will be done.

7.    If an individual accommodation plan is denied, the manner in which the reasons for the denial will be provided to the employee.

8.    The means of providing the individual accommodation plan in a format that takes into account the employee‘s accessibility needs due to disability.

Home Hardware Stores Limited will review and update its existing processes as required.

January 1, 2016

Completed

29. Return to Work Process

29.(1) Every employer, other than an employer that is a small organization,

(a)    shall develop and have in place a return to work process for its employees who have been absent from work due to a disability and require disability-related accommodations in order to return to work; and

(b)    shall document the process.

29. (2) The return to work process shall,

(a)    outline the steps the employer will take to facilitate the return to work of employees who were absent because their disability required them to be away from work; and

(b)    use individual documented accommodation plans, as described in section 28, as part of the process.

29. (3) The return to work process referenced in this section does not replace or override any other return to work process created by or under any other statute.

Home Hardware Stores Limited has existing Return to Work Processes in place that meet the requirements of the regulation.

January 1, 2016

Completed

30. Performance Management

30.(1) An employer that uses performance management in respect of its employees shall take into account the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities, as well as individual accommodation plans, when using its performance management process in respect of employees with disabilities.

Home Hardware Stores Limited will review and update its existing performance management processes as required.

January 1, 2016

Completed

31. Career Development & Advancement

31.(1) An employer that provides career development and advancement to its employees shall take into account the accessibility needs of its employees with disabilities as well as any individual accommodation plans, when providing career development and advancement to its employees with disabilities.

Home Hardware Stores Limited will review and update its existing Career Development & Advancement processes as required.

January 1, 2016

Completed

32. Redeployment

32.(1) An employer that uses redeployment shall take into account the accessibility needs of its employees with disabilities, as well as individual accommodation plans, when redeploying employees with disabilities.

Home Hardware Stores Limited will review and update its existing redeployment processes as required.

January 1, 2016

Completed

Act Section and Description

Action

AODA Compliance Date

Status

Outdoor Public Use Eating Areas

80.17. Obligated organizations, other than small organizations, shall ensure that where they construct or redevelop outdoor public use eating areas that they intend to maintain, the outdoor public use eating areas meet the following requirements:

A minimum of 20 per cent of the tables that are provided must be accessible to persons using mobility aids by having knee and toe clearance underneath the table and in no case shall there be fewer than one table in an outdoor public use eating area that meets this requirement.

The ground surface leading to and under tables that are accessible to persons using mobility aids must be level, firm and stable.

Tables that are accessible to persons using mobility aids must have clear ground space around them that allows for a forward approach to the tables.

Home Hardware Stores Limited will ensure that accessibility considerations are kept in mind when redeveloping existing outdoor public use eating areas, or when constructing new ones.

January 1, 2017

Completed

Exterior Paths of Travel

80.21. (1) This Part applies to newly constructed and redeveloped exterior paths of travel that are outdoor sidewalks or walkways designed and constructed for pedestrian travel and are intended to serve a functional purpose and not to provide a recreational experience.

(2) This Part does not apply to paths of travel regulated under Ontario Regulation 350/06 (Building Code) made under the Building Code Act, 1992.

80.22. Obligated organizations, other than small organizations, shall ensure that any exterior paths of travel that they construct or redevelop and intend to maintain meet the requirements set out in this Part.

Home Hardware Stores Limited will ensure that accessibility considerations are kept in mind when redeveloping existing exterior paths of travel, or when constructing new ones.

January 1, 2017

Completed

Accessible Parking

80.32 Obligated organizations shall ensure that when constructing or redeveloping new off-street parking facilities that they intend to maintain, the off-street parking facilities meet the requirements set out in this part.

Home Hardware Stores Limited will ensure that accessibility considerations are kept in mind when redeveloping existing off-street parking facilities, or when constructing new ones.

January 1, 2017

Completed

Obtaining Services

80.40 (1) Obligated organizations shall meet the requirements set out in this Part with respect to the following:

All newly constructed service counters and fixed queuing guides.

All newly constructed or redeveloped waiting areas.

(2) For the purposes of this Part, requirements for obtaining services in respect of service counters, fixed queuing guides and waiting areas apply whether the services are obtained in buildings or out-of-doors.

Home Hardware Stores Limited will ensure that accessibility considerations are kept in mind when redeveloping existing service counters, fixed queuing guides, and/or waiting areas; or when constructing new ones.

January 1, 2017

Completed

Maintenance

80.44 In addition to the accessibility plan requirements set out in section 4, obligated organizations, other than small organizations, shall ensure that their multi-year accessibility plans include the following:

Procedures for preventative and emergency maintenance of the accessible elements in public spaces required under this Part.

Procedures for dealing with temporary disruptions when accessible elements under this Part are not in working order.

Home Hardware Stores Limited has procedures in place for preventative and emergency maintenance of accessible elements in public spaces required under this Part.

Home Hardware Stores Limited will put in place procedures to prevent service disruption to accessible elements of its public spaces as required under this Part. In the event of a service disruption affecting these accessible elements, Home Hardware Stores Limited will notify the public of such service disruption and any available alternatives.

January 1, 2017

Completed