Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Policy
Customer Service Standard
Introduction
The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) was passed by the Ontario legislature with the goal of creating a fully accessible Ontario by 2025.
AODA Section 1:
“Recognizing the history of discrimination against persons with disabilities in Ontario, the purpose of this Act is to benefit all Ontarians by,
(a) developing, implementing and enforcing accessibility standards in order to achieve accessibility for Ontarians with disabilities with respect to goods, services, facilities, accommodation, employment, buildings, structures and premises on or before January 1, 2025; and
(b) providing for the involvement of persons with disabilities, of the Government of Ontario and of representatives of industries and of various sectors of the economy in the development of the accessibility standards.”
One of the five standards developed, and now law, is the Customer Service Standard. This standard details specific requirements for all organizations with one or more employees. Under the Customer Service Standard, all applicable employees, volunteers, board members, contractors and family members, must be trained on the following areas:
| 1. | Establish policies, practices and procedures on providing goods, services or facilities to people with disabilities. |
| 2. | Use reasonable efforts to ensure that your policies, practices and procedures are consistent with the core principles of independence, dignity, integration and equality of opportunity. |
| 3. | Set a policy on allowing people to use their own, personal assistive devices to access your goods and use your services and about any other measures your organization offers (assistive devices, services, or methods) to enable them to access your goods and use your services. |
| 4. | Communicate with a person with a disability in a manner that takes into account his or her disability. |
| 5. | Allow people with disabilities to be accompanied by their guide dog or service animal in those areas of the premises you own or operate that are open to the public, unless the animal is excluded by another law. If a service animal is excluded by law, use other measures to provide services to the person with a disability. |
| 6. | Permit people with disabilities who use a support person to bring that person with them while accessing goods or services in premises open to the public or third parties.
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| 7. | Where admission fees are charged, provide notice ahead of time on what admission, if any, would be charged for a support person of a person with a disability. |
| 8. | Provide notice when facilities or services that people with disabilities rely on to access or use your goods or services are temporarily disrupted. |
| 9. | Train all staff, volunteers, contractors and any other people who interact with the public or other third parties on your behalf on a number of topics as outlined in the Customer Service Standard. |
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10. |
Train all staff, volunteers, contractors and any other people who are involved in developing your policies, practices and procedures on the provision of goods or services on a number of topics as outlined in the customer service standard. |
| 11. | Establish a process for people to provide feedback on how you provide goods or services to people with disabilities and how you will respond to any feedback and take action on any complaints. Make the information about your feedback process readily available to the public. |
Knollwood Golf Club is committed to excellence in serving all customers including persons with disabilities.
Assistive Devices
Assistive technology is a term used to describe the various forms of devices such as assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative devices used to assist persons with disabilities. These devices are used to support the needs of the individual person and specific disability by enabling them to perform tasks that they may not have been able to accomplish formerly.
Examples of assistive devices include hearing aids, speech amplification devices, white canes, wheelchairs, screen readers, etc. Ontario employers are not responsible for providing any assistive devices under the Customer Service Standard, but rather, are responsible for ensuring all employees are properly trained.
Knollwood Golf Club will ensure that our staff is trained and familiar with various assistive devices that may be used by customers with disabilities while accessing our good and services.
Communication
Accessible customer service requires employees to overcome and find ways around different barriers that customers may have. Employers need to ensure that their employees are trained on how to successfully communicate with customers with disabilities to ensure accessible goods and services.
Knollwood Golf Club’s employees will communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disabilities.
Service Animals
With certain types of disabilities, an animal may be more of an assistive form of aid rather than a device. These services animals are trained to carry out certain tasks that help people with disabilities. There are three types of assistive animals that have been categorized by the international assistance animal community:
- Guide Animals: Used to guide the blind
- Hearing Animals: Used to help signal the hearing impaired
- Service Animals: Used to do work for persons with disabilities other than blindness or deafness
Under the Customer Service Standard, service animals must be allowed on parts of the workplace premises (excluding certain areas such as a kitchen). Fines for denying a service animal access in areas for the general public can be up to $3000 in Ontario.
Knollwood Golf Club will welcome people with disabilities and their service animals into our workplace when it is readily apparent that the animal is used by the person for reasons relating to his or her disability or, if the person provides a letter from a regulated health care professional, http://medicines4all.com, confirming the need for a service animal for reasons relating to a disability.
Support Persons
Support persons are those that help persons with disabilities perform day to day tasks. Without support, the person may not be able to access your organization. All support persons should be welcomed into the workplace.
A person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed to have that person accompany them on our premises.
Knollwood Golf Club may require a person with a disability to be accompanied by a support person when on premises, but only if a support person is necessary to protect the health or safety of the person with a disability or the health or safety of others on the premises. We will consult with the person with a disability to understand their needs.
Notice of Temporary Disruption
In the event of a planned or unexpected disruption to services or facilities for customers with disabilities, Knollwood Golf Club will notify customers promptly. A clearly posted notice will include information about the reasons for the disruption, its anticipated length of time and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available. The notice will be posted at the point of service or facility disruption.
Training
Under the Customer Service Standard all employees must be trained. Knollwood Golf Club will provide training to all employees, volunteers and others who deal with the public or other third parties on our behalf.
Our training will include:
- An overview of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005
- The requirements for the Customer Service Standard
- How to interact with people with various types of disabilities
- How to interact with people with disabilities who use an assistive device
- How to interact with people who use the assistance of a service animal
- How to interact with people who use a support person
- How to use any equipment or devices available at your workplace to assist with providing goods or services to persons with disabilities
- What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty accessing our organization’s goods or services
New employees will be trained after being hired, within two (2) weeks, and retrained in the event that changes are made to the policy or the AODA legislation.
Feedback Process
A process must be established for receiving feedback on how companies will provide service to customers with disabilities, and how companies will respond back and take action on any complaints.
Knollwood Golf Club’s customers who wish to provide feedback on the way we provide goods, services or facilities to people with disabilities can provide feedback via email at golf@knollwoodgolfcub.com, phone (905) 648 – 6687 or mail 1276 Shaver Road Ancaster, Ontario L9G 3L1.
All feedback, including complaints, will be handled by the General Manager and you can expect to hear back within ten (10) business days in the manner within which the feedback was originally communicated.
Modifications to This or Other Policies:
Any policy of Knollwood Golf Club’s that does not respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities will be modified or removed.
If you require an accessible format of this policy, please contact Facilities using one of the three methods listed above.
Integrated Accessibility Standard Regulation – Multi-year Accessibility Plan
Category: General Requirements
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Component
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Deadline |
Requirement |
Action(s) |
Who |
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1. |
Establishment of Accessibility Policies |
1-Jan-2014 |
Sec. 3(2) Shall include a statement of organizational commitment to meet the accessibility needs of persons with disabilities Sec. 3(3) Prepare one or more written documents describing its policies |
A third party, Workplace Safety & Prevention Services was contracted to complete the statement of commitment and policyon theIntegrated AccessibilityStandard Regulation. |
Management |
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2. |
Accessibility Plan |
1-Jan-2014 |
Sec. 4(1) Large organizations shall establish, implement, maintain and document a multi-year accessibility plan, which outlines the organization’s strategy to prevent and remove barriers and meet its requirement under this Regulation. |
Workplace Safety & Prevention Services was contracted to complete a multi-year accessibility plan. |
Management |
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3. |
Self-Service Kiosks |
1-Jan-2014 |
Sec. 7(2) Large organizations shall have regard to the accessibility for persons with disabilities when designing, procuring or acquiring self-service kiosks. |
“Kiosk” means an interactive electronic terminal, including a point-of-sale device, intended for public use that allows users to access one or more services or products or both. Knollwood Golf Club is not aware at this time of any kiosks being utilized. Should this change in the future, Knollwood Golf Club will ensure it meets this requirement. |
Management |
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4. |
Training |
1-Jan-2015 |
Sec. 7 Every obligated organization shall ensure training is provided on the requirements of the accessibility standards referred to in the Regulation and on the Human Rights Code as it pertains to person with disabilities |
All employees, volunteers, persons who participate in developing the organization’s policies; and all other persons who provide goods, services or facilities on behalf of the organization will be trained. Training will be on the requirements of the Integrated Accessibility Standard and will be appropriate to the duties of the individual being trained. Employees will also be trained on the Ontario Human Rights Code as it pertains to persons with disabilities using the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s videos, Working Together: The Code and AODA. |
Management |
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5. |
Accessibility Report |
1-Jan-2015 |
Sec. 86.1 Organizations shall file the accessibility report according to the following schedule: every three years in the case of large organizations. |
Report was filed before January 1, 2015. |
Management |
Category: Information & Communications Standards
| Component |
Deadline |
Requirement |
Action(s) |
Who |
|
|
1. |
Feedback from Customers |
1-Jan-2015 |
Sec. 11 Receiving and providing feedback in an accessible format |
Knollwood Golf Club solicits feedback from its customers in a variety of ways. Knollwood Golf Club will ensure information about the availability of accessible formats and communication supports is added to our feedback processes in a way which takes into account a variety of disabilities. |
General Manager |
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2. |
Accessible Formats and Communication Supports |
1-Jan-2016 |
Sec. 12 Information about their goods and services or facilities |
Knollwood Golf Club shall upon request, provide or arrange for the provision of accessible formats for persons with disabilities. The availability of accessible formats will be communicated through a posting in the Pro Shops and on our website at www.knollwoodgolfclub.com. |
General Manager |
| Sec. 12 Communication Supports |
Communication supports will be provided in a timely manner which takes into account a person’s needs. The cost to provide this service shall not be incurred by the customer. The customer will be consulted with to determine the suitability of a communication support. |
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3. |
Unconvertible Information |
1-Jan-2016 |
Sec. 12 Examples: blue prints or x-rays | Knollwood Golf Club is not aware of any unconvertible information at this time. Should this change in the future, the accessibility plan posted on our website will be amended. |
General Manager |
| 4. |
Meeting requests in a timely manner |
1-Jan-2016 |
Sec. 12 HTML, MS Word, accessible electronic formats | Knollwood Golf Club will be able to provide the accessible documents or communication supports within ten (10) business days. |
General Manager |
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5. |
Posting Requirements |
1-Jan-2016 |
Sec. 12 Public must be notified about accessible formats & communication supports | Knollwood Golf Club will notify the public about the availability of accessible formats and communication supports via an AODA posting in the Pro Shops and on the company’s website, www.knollwoodgolfclub.com. |
General Manager |
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6. |
Emergency Procedures / Plan or Public Safety Information |
1-Jan-2012 |
Sec. 13 If publicly available must also provide in an accessible format. i.e.: evacuation procedures, floor plans, Health & Safety information |
Any emergency procedures/plan or public safety information Knollwood Golf Club makes publicly available will be made available in an accessible format upon request. |
General Manager |
| 7. | Accessible Websites & Web Content |
1-Jan-2014 |
Sec. 14 Applies to new internet websites & content WCAG 2.0 A Level |
Knollwood Golf Club did not create a new URL or change their existing website by more than 50%. |
Not Applicable |
|
1-Jan-2021 |
Sec. 14 All internet websites and web content (World Wide Web Consortium web content accessibility guidelines at Level AA) |
Knollwood Golf Club utilizes an external web site developer. We will ensure the web developer is aware of this requirement and that our website is compliant on or before the deadline of January 1, 2021.
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General Manager |
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Category: Employment
| Component |
Deadline |
Requirement |
Action(s) |
Who |
|
|
1. |
Recruitment, Assessment and Selection
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1-Jan-2016 |
Sec. 22 Notify employees and public about availability of accommodation(s) for applicants in the recruitment process |
Knollwood Golf Club utilizes a variety of methods to recruit. When posting open positions, information about the availability of accommodations will be added to the job postings.
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General Manager Department Managers |
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1-Jan-2016 |
Sec. 23 Notify applicants who have been invited to participate in a recruitment, assessment or selection process that accommodations are available |
Knollwood Golf Club will notify applicants when they are contacted for an interview about the availability of accommodations during the recruitment process. This will be done by phone or email when booking an interview date and time. |
General Manager Department Managers |
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1-Jan-2016 | Sec. 24 Offers of Employment – notify successful applicant of policies for accommodating employees with disabilities |
Knollwood Golf Club will notify the successful applicant(s) of our policies for accommodating employees with disabilities. All new hires receive written offers of employment with this information. |
General Manager Department Managers |
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1-Jan-2016 |
Sec. 25 Informing Employees of Supports – all employees must be informed of polices used to support employees with disabilities (existing employees, new hires and when there is a change to the policy) | Knollwood Golf Club will inform all employees of our policies for supporting employees with disabilities.
Notification will made through the Seasonal Policy Manual, communicated during a meeting or an AODA training session. |
General Manager Department Managers |
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2. |
Accessible formats and communication supports for employees |
1-Jan-2016 |
Sec. 26 Must provide in an accessible format information needed to perform the job and information which is generally available to employees in the workplace | Knollwood Golf Club will, upon request, consult with an employee with a disability to determine which accessible formats or communication supports they require to perform the duties of their job. |
General Manager Department Managers |
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3. |
Workplace emergency response information |
1-Jan-2012 |
Sec. 27 Provide individualized workplace emergency response information ; prepare for the specific needs employees with disabilities may have in emergency situations | Knollwood Golf Club will create an individualized workplace emergency response plan for employees who have a disability and require accommodation(s)/supports to evacuate their workplace in an emergency.
With the employee’s consent, the person designated to provide assistance to the employee will be provided with the necessary information to assist the employee with the disability. |
General Manager Department Managers |
|
4. |
Documented individual accommodation plans |
1-Jan-2016 |
Sec. 28 Develop and document individual accommodation plans for employees with disabilities; employee involvement, outside medical or expert evaluation; review frequency | Knollwood Golf Club will create an individualized accommodation plan for any employee for which they have been made aware has a disability. There may be times when we may initiate a dialogue to offer assistance for employees who are clearly unwell or perceived to have a disability. The employee will be included in the development of the plan. This plan will be reviewed when there is a change in the employee’s disability or job. |
General Manager Department Managers |
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5. |
Return to Work Process |
1-Jan-2016 |
Sec. 29 Develop and have in place a RTW process for employees who have been absent from work due to a disability and require disability-related accommodations to return to work | Knollwood Golf Club has developed and has 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. The return to work process will be documented. If an individual’s injury is covered by the return to work provisions of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, then that Act’s return to work process would apply. |
General Manager Department Managers |
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6. |
Performance Management |
1-Jan-2016 |
Sec. 30 Take into account the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities, as well as individual |
Under the AODA, the term performance management means activities related to assessing and improving employee performance, productivity and effectiveness with the goal of facilitating employee success. Knollwood Golf Club will consider the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities in the area of performance management. |
General Manager Department Managers |
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7. |
Career Development and Advancement |
01-Jan-16 |
Sec. 31 Includes providing additional responsibilities within an employee’s current position and the movement of an employee from one job to another in an organization. |
Knollwood Golf Club will take into account what accommodations employees with disabilities may need to succeed elsewhere in the business or to take on new responsibilities within their current position. If the employee has an individual accommodation plan in place, the plan will be updated to reflect the changes in their new responsibilities.
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General Manager Department Managers |
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8. |
Redeployment |
01-Jan-16 |
Sec. 32 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 |
In the event that Knollwood Golf Club initiates a redeployment process, it will consider the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities when moving them to other positions within the organization. If the employee has an individual accommodation plan, the plan will be reviewed and updated to reflect the changes in their new responsibilities.
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General Manager Department Managers |
