Accessible Employment Policy

This policy is intended to meet the requirements of the Integrated Accessibility Standards, Ontario Regulation 191/11 for the Employment Standard set forth under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. This policy applies to the provision of accessible employment services for persons with disabilities.

All employment services provided by Project X Ltd. (“PXLTD”) will follow the principles of dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity.

PXLTD is committed to providing equal treatment with respect to employment without discrimination because of a prohibited ground as described by Ontario's Human Rights Code (the Code). 

PXLTD has adopted this policy to ensure that our staff are provided with meaningful employment that is ethical and fair and is in compliance with all applicable employment and human rights legislation. All employment services provided by PXLTD will follow the principles of dignity, independence, integration, and equal opportunity.

The approach taken by PXLTD in the provision of reasonable accommodation includes: 

• Personalized plans designed to meet the specific needs of individuals;

• Collaborative practices in the creation and implementation of accommodation plans through consultation of all relevant stakeholders, the person to be accommodated, and medical professionals; and

• An approach that ensures confidentiality and dignity.

Definitions

Accessible Formats – Include but are not limited to large print, recorded audio and electronic formats, braille and other formats 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.

Performance Management – Activities related to assessing and improving employee performance, productivity and effectiveness with the goal of facilitating employee success.

Redeployment – The reassignment of employees to other departments or jobs within the organization as an alternative to layoff, when a particular job or department has been eliminated by the organization.

General Principles

In accordance with the Integrated Accessibility Standards, Ontario Regulation 191/11, this policy addresses the following:

A.    General Requirements

B.    Recruitment, Assessment, and Selection

C.   Accessible Formats and Communications Supports for Employees

D.   Workplace Emergency Response Information

E.    Documented Individual Accommodation Plans

F.    Performance Management and Careers and Advancement

G.   Return to Work

H.   Redeployment

A. General Requirements

General requirements that apply across all of the 5 standards (information and communication, employment, transportation, design of public spaces, and customer service) are outlined as follows.

Establishment of Accessibility Policies and Plans

PXLTD has developed, implemented and maintains policies governing how it will achieve accessibility through these requirements.

PXLTD has developed a statement of its commitment to meeting the accessibility needs of persons with disabilities in a timely manner in its policies. These documents will be made publicly available in an accessible format, upon request.

PXLTD will establish, implement, maintain and document a multi-year accessibility plan outlining its strategy to prevent and remove barriers and meet its requirements under the IASR. Accessibility plans will be made available in an accessible format, upon request.

PXLTD will review and update its accessibility plan once every 5 years.

Training Requirements

We are committed to training all staff in accessible customer service, other Ontario’s accessibility standards and aspects of the Ontario Human Rights Code that relate to persons with disabilities. In addition, we will train:

a) all persons who participate in developing the organization’s policies; and

b) all other persons who provide services on behalf of the organization

Training of our employees on accessibility relates to their specific roles.

Training includes:

•      purpose of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the requirements of the Customer Service Standards

•      our policies related to the Customer Service Standards

•      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 our organization’s goods, services or facilities.

New employees will be reminded about PXLTD’s job accommodation policies as soon as possible upon being hired and notified when any future changes are made to policies. Training will be provided within every employee’s first week at PXLTD. Training will be refreshed with all employees annually and/or as changes to PXLTD's accessibility policies occur. We maintain certification records of the training provided including the dates on which the training was provided and the number of individuals to whom it was provided.

B. Recruitment, Assessment and Selection

PXLTD will notify employees and the public about the availability of accommodation for job applicants who have disabilities. Applicants will be informed that these accommodations are available, upon request, for the interview process and for other candidate selection methods. Where an accommodation is requested, PXLTD will consult with the applicant and provide or arrange for suitable accommodation.

Successful applicants will be made aware of PXLTD's policies and supports for accommodating people with disabilities.

C. Accessible Formats and Communication Supports for Employees

PXLTD will ensure that employees are aware of our policies for employees with disabilities and any changes to these policies as they occur.

We will work with the person with disabilities to determine what method of communication works for them. If an employee with a disability requests it, PXLTD will provide or arrange for the provision of accessible formats and communication supports for the following:

• Information needed in order to perform their job; and

• Information that is generally available to all employees in the workplace.

D. Workplace Emergency Response Information

Where required, PXLTD will create individual workplace emergency response information for employees with disabilities. This information will take into account the unique challenges created by the individual's disability, the physical nature of the workplace, and will be created in consultation with the employee. 

This information will be reviewed when:

• The employee moves to a different physical location in the organization;

• The employee's overall accommodation needs or plans are reviewed; and/or

• PXLTD reviews general emergency response policies.

E. Documented Individual Accommodation Plans

PXLTD will ensure that our website and all web content published after January 1, 2012, conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 and will refer to the schedule set out in the IASR for specific compliance deadlines.

PXLTD has developed written processes for documenting individual accommodation plans for employees with disabilities. The process for the development of these accommodation plans includes specific elements, including:

• The ways in which the employee can participate in the development of the plan;

• The means by which the employee is assessed on an individual basis;

• The ways that an employer can request an evaluation by an outside medical expert, or other experts (at the employer's expense) to determine if accommodation can be achieved, or how it can be achieved;

• The ways that an employee can request the participation of a representative from their bargaining agent or other representative from the workplace (if the employee is not represented by a bargaining agent) for the creation of the accommodation plan;

• The steps taken to protect the privacy of the employee's personal information;

• The frequency with which the individual accommodation plan should be reviewed or updated and how it should be done;

• The way in which the reasons for the denial of an individual accommodation plan will be provided to the employee; and

• The means of providing the accommodation plan in an accessible format, based on the employee's accessibility needs.

The individual accommodation will also:

• Include information regarding accessible formats and communication supports upon request;

• Where needed, include individualized workplace emergency response information; and

• Outline all other accommodation provided.

F. Performance Management and Career Development and Advancement

PXLTD will consider the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities when implementing performance management processes, or when offering career development or advancement opportunities.

Individual accommodation plans will be consulted, as required.

G. Return to Work

PXLTD has developed a return-to-work process for employees who are absent from work due to a disability and require disability-related accommodation(s) in order to return to work. The return-to-work process documents and includes an outline of the steps required to facilitate the employee’s return to work.

In the event of a redeployment, PXLTD will take into account the accessibility needs of its employees.

H. Redeployment

The accessibility needs of employees with disabilities will be taken into account in the event of redeployment.

Individual accommodation plans will be created, as required.

I. Policy retention

PXLTD will ensure that copies of this policy, including any subsequent revisions, are retained for a period of three (3) years after the policy ceases to be in effect. 

J.Policy distribution

This policy will be distributed to all new hires and existing employees within thirty (30) days of its effective date. Any changes to this written policy will be communicated to existing employees within thirty (30) days.

Questions About This Policy

If anyone has any questions about this policy, or if the purpose of a policy is not understood, please reach out to us at HR@pxltd.ca . We are committed to providing excellent service to our employees and clients, and welcome any suggestions that will help us maintain that commitment by improving this policy and the manner in which we provide services to persons with disabilities.