This policy outlines CIRA’s standards to providing a welcoming, accessible and inclusive environment for all persons with disabilities in compliance with the Accessibility Policy for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.Accessible version follows:
Statement of Commitment
CIRA is committed to providing a respectful, welcoming, accessible and inclusive environment for all persons with disabilities. CIRA will make every reasonable effort to ensure that our policies, practices and procedures are consistent with the principles of dignity, independence, integration, and equal opportunity.
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to ensure that CIRA complies with the Government of Ontario’s Accessibility Policy for Ontarians with Disabilities Act – specifically the Customer Service Standard (Ontario Regulation 427/907) and the Integrated Accessibility Standards covering Information and Communication and Employment (Ontario Regulation 191/11).
Application and Scope
This policy applies to all CIRA employees and governs its policies, practices and information directly under CIRA’s control.
CIRA’s scope of responsibility is limited to that which is within its control; CIRA will make every effort to support Registrars and any third party partners that CIRA deals with, in achieving accommodation of their customers with disabilities.
Definitions
“Customer” includes members, vendors, partners and any other third parties with whom CIRA directly interacts.
“Disability” means:
- 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, and 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 service animal or on a wheelchair or other remedial appliance or device
- A condition of mental impairment or a development 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.
“Barrier” includes anything that prevents a person with a disability from fully participating in one or more aspects of society, including a physical barrier, and architectural barrier, information or communications barrier, attitudinal barrier, policy or practice;
“Assistive Device” any piece of equipment a person with a disability uses to help him or her with daily living. Personal assistive devices include, but are not limited to, wheelchairs, hearing aids, white canes or speech amplification devices.
“Service Animal” is any animal used by a person with a disability where it is readily apparent that the animal is used by the person for reasons relating to his or her disability.
“Support Person” is a person who accompanies a person with a disability in order to help him or her with daily tasks;
“Accessible Format” means a format of communication that may include but is not limited to large print, recorded audio and electronic formats, Braille or other format usable by persons with disabilities;
“Communication Supports” include, but are not limited to, captioning, alternative and augmentative communication supports, plain language, sign language and other supports that facilitate effective communications.
Training
In compliance with regulation 429/07:
CIRA will provide training to employees, volunteers and others who deal with the public or other third parties on its behalf, as well as those who participate in the development of CIRA’s policies, practices and procedures relating to CIRA’s interaction with the public.
This training will include:
- An overview of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the requirements of the customer service standard.
- CIRA’s plan 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 CIRA’s goods and services.
In compliance with regulation 191/11:
CIRA will provide training to all employees, volunteers, all persons who are involved in developing CIRA’s policies and all persons who provide goods, services or facilities on CIRA’s behalf.
This training will include:
- An understanding of the requirements of the accessibility standards regarding regulation 191/11; and
- The Human Rights Code as it pertains to persons with disabilities.
All training will be provided to existing staff as soon as practicable and to new staff upon hire.
Revised training will be provided in the event of changes to CIRA’s existing policies as well as changes to legislation, procedures and/or practices.
CIRA will retain a record of training that includes the dates training was provided and the number of employees who attended the training.
Multi-Year Plan
A multi-year plan has been developed to address sections 2 and 3 of this policy (indicated below). This policy serves as a guideline for the accessibility requirements CIRA is obligated to meet. The plan details our strategy and the steps we will undertake to meet the requirements set out in the policy.
Please refer to the plan to determine the status of each of the sections under the Information and Communication and Employment Standards. While CIRA will work toward meeting the deadlines stipulated by the Ontario government, we will strive to achieve full accessibility in those areas prior to the legislated deadlines.
1. Customer Service Standard
CIRA will use reasonable efforts to ensure that the provisioning of its services are consistent with the principles of dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity by:
- Providing services in a manner that respects the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities;
- Providing services so that persons with disabilities are able to fully benefit from the same services, in the same place, and in the same or similar way as persons without disabilities, unless an alternative measure is necessary to enable a person with a disability to obtain, use, or benefit from CIRA’s services; and
- Offering people with disabilities the same opportunity equal to that of persons without disabilities to obtain, use or benefit from CIRA’s services.
Assistive Devices
CIRA will ensure that staff members are trained and familiar with various assistive devices available on CIRA’s premises which may be used by customers with disabilities while accessing CIRA’s goods or services.
Communication
CIRA will communicate with people who have disabilities in a manner that takes into account their disability.
Service Animals
CIRA welcomes people with disabilities and their service animals. Service animals are permitted on CIRA’s premises that are open to the public.
Support Persons
A person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed to have that person accompany them on CIRA’s premises. Fees will not be charged for support persons to enter CIRA’s premises.
Notice of Temporary Disruption
In the event of any planned or unexpected disruption to facilities or services that customers with disabilities rely on to access or use CIRA’s goods or services, CIRA will make every reasonable effort to 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 posted on the CIRA website at www.CIRA.ca or by any other method that may be reasonable under the circumstances.
Feedback process
Customers who have questions or who wish to provide feedback on the way CIRA provides goods and services to people with disabilities can contact CIRA through any of the following means:
- via email to [email protected]
- via telephone at 1-877-860-1411
- via facsimile to 1-800-285-0517
In person, via mail or courier to:
Manager, Human Resources Canadian Internet Registration Authority
979 Bank Street, #400
Ottawa, ON K1S 5K5
All feedback, including complaints, will be handled through CIRA’s Human Resources Manager. Customers can expect to hear back within fifteen (15) business days.
2. Information and Communication
This policy governs how CIRA will achieve the accessibility needs of persons with disabilities in the provision of information and communication.
Accessible formats and communication supports
CIRA will provide or arrange for accessible formats and communication supports where appropriate for persons with disabilities in a timely manner that takes into account each person’s accessibility needs.
CIRA will consult with the person making the request to determine the suitability of an accessible format or communication support.
Communications supports will be provided at a cost that is no more than the regular cost charged to other persons.
Accessible websites and web content
When designing or redesigning CIRA websites and web content, CIRA will ensure that it conforms to WCAG 2.0 Level AA standards by January 1, 2021.
3. Employment Standards
Individualized Workplace Emergency Response Information
CIRA is committed to the health and welfare of its employees. As such, CIRA will develop Individualized Employee Emergency Information for those who require assistance in the event of an emergency. Such plans may be temporary or permanent in nature, depending on the individual needs. The plans will be made available in accessible formats as required.
Recruitment:
CIRA will ensure that its hiring and selection processes are inclusive of persons with disabilities.
CIRA will notify internal and external job applicants that accommodations for disabilities will be required on request, to support their participation in all aspects of the recruitment process.
Job applicants will be notified when they are individually selected to participate in the selection or assessment process that accommodations are available on request in relation to the materials or processes used.
In addition, the successful applicant will be notified of policies for accommodating employees with disabilities when making an offer of employment.
Notification of Employee Accommodations and Supports
CIRA will inform employees of policies and procedures to support employees with disabilities including the provision of job accommodations.
Provision of Accessible formats and communication support for Employees
When requested, CIRA will consult with employee to provide or arrange for the provision of accessible formats and communication supports for:
- Information to perform their jobs
- Information that is generally available to employees in the workplace
Documented Individual Accommodation Plans
CIRA will work with employees who chose to confidentially self-identify any disabilities, either permanent or temporary, to prepare and document individual accommodation plans. The plan will be a written process for the accommodation of employees with disabilities and will be provided in an accessible format if requested.
Return to Work Process
Where employees have been absent from work due to a disability, either on a permanent or temporary basis, CIRA is committed to ensuring the employee is reintegrated into the workplace.
CIRA will develop and document a return to work process for employees who have been absent from work due to a disability and require disability related accommodations in order to return to work.
Performance Management, Career Development and Advancement
CIRA will ensure that employees with disabilities are considered fairly in assessing their performance, productivity and effectiveness, and are granted equal access to opportunities for career development and advancement.
CIRA will take into account the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities, as well as individual accommodation plans, when providing feedback to employees regarding their performance.
Further, CIRA will take into account the accessibility needs as well as individual accommodation plans for employees with disabilities when providing career development and advancement.
Redeployment
If CIRA should use redeployment, CIRA will take into account the accessibility needs and their individual accommodation plans for employees with disabilities.
Modifications to this or other policies
Any policy of CIRA’s that does not respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities will be modified or removed. This policy and its related procedures will be reviewed and amended as required and/or in the event of legislative changes.
