Accessibility Policies
Commitment

Magnussen Home Furnishings Ltd. is committed to treating all people in a way that allows them to maintain their dignity and independence. We believe in integration and equal opportunity. We are committed to meeting the needs of persons with disabilities in a timely manner and will do so by preventing and removing barriers to accessibility and meeting accessibility requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

1. Integrated Accessibility Standards Policy

The following policy has been established by Magnussen Home to govern the provision of services with Regulation 191/11, “Integrated Accessibility Standards” (“Regulation”) under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005.

These standards are developed to break down barriers and increase accessibility for persons with disabilities in the areas of information and communications and employment.

Magnussen Home is governed by this policy as well as the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service Policy and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 in meeting the accessibility needs of persons with disabilities.

This policy will be implemented in accordance with the time frames established by the Regulation.

Accessibility Plan

Magnussen Home will develop, maintain and document an Accessibility Plan outlining the company’s strategy to prevent and remove barriers from its workplace and to improve opportunities for persons with disabilities.

Training Employees and Volunteers

Magnussen Home will ensure that training is provided on the requirements of the accessibility standards referred to in the Regulation and continue to provide training on the Human Rights Code as it pertains to persons with disabilities, to:
  • all its employees and volunteers;
  • all persons who participate in developing Magnussen Home’s policies; and,
  • all other persons who provide goods, services or facilities on behalf of the company

The training will be appropriate to the duties of the employees, volunteers and other persons. Employees will be trained when changes are made to the accessibility policy. New employees will be trained during their new hire orientation.


INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS STANDARDS


Feedback

Magnussen Home will continue to ensure that its process for receiving and responding to feedback is accessible to persons with disabilities by providing, or arranging for the provision of, accessible formats and communications supports, upon request.

Accessible Formats and Communication Supports

Upon request, Magnussen Home will provide, or will arrange for the provision of accessible formats and communication supports for persons with disabilities in a timely manner that takes into account the person’s accessibility needs due to disability.

Magnussen Home will consult with the person making the request in determining the suitability of an accessible format or communication support.

Magnussen Home will also notify the public about the availability of accessible formats and communication supports.


EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS


Recruitment

Magnussen Home will notify its employees and the public about the availability of accommodation for applicants with disabilities in its recruitment process.

Recruitment, Assessment or Selection Process

Magnussen Home will notify job applicants, when they are individually selected to participate further in an assessment or selection process that accommodations are available upon request in relation to the materials or processes to be used.

If a selected applicant requests an accommodation, Magnussen Home will 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.

Notice to Successful Applicants

When making offers of employment, Magnussen Home will notify the successful applicant of its policies for accommodating employees with disabilities.


Informing Employees of Supports

Magnussen Home will continue to inform its employees of its policies (and any updates to those policies) used to support employees with disabilities, including policies on the provision of job accommodations that take into account an employee’s accessibility needs due to disability. This information will be provided to new employees as soon as practicable after commencing employment.

Accessible Formats and Communication Supports for Employees

Upon the request of an employee with a disability, Magnussen Home will consult with the employee to provide, or arrange for the provision of, accessible formats and communication supports for information that is needed to perform his/her job, and information that is generally available to other employees.

In determining the suitability of an accessible format or communication support, Magnussen Home will consult with the employee making the request.

Workplace Emergency Response Information

Magnussen Home will provide individualized workplace emergency response information to employees who have a disability, if the disability is such that the individualized information is necessary, and if Magnussen Home is aware of the need for accommodation due to the employee’s disability. Magnussen Home will provide this information as soon as practicable after becoming aware of the need for accommodation.

Where the employee requires assistance, Magnussen Home will, with the consent of the employee, provide the workplace emergency response information to the person designated by Magnussen Home to provide assistance to the employee.

Magnussen Home will review the individualized workplace emergency response information when the employee moves to a different location in the organization, when the employee’s overall accommodations needs or plans are reviewed.

Documented Individual Accommodation Plans

Magnussen Home will maintain a written process for the development of documented individual accommodation plans for employees with disabilities.

If requested, information regarding accessible formats and communications supports provided will also be included in individual accommodation plans.

In addition, the plans will include individualized workplace emergency response information (where required), and will identify any other accommodation that is to be provided.


Return to Work Process

Magnussen Home maintains a documented return to work process for its employees who have been absent from work due to a disability and who require disability-related accommodations in order to return to work.

The return to work process outlines the steps Magnussen Home will take to facilitate the return to work and will include documented individual accommodation plans as part of the process.

This return to work process will not replace or override any other return to work process created by or under any other statute (ie., the Workplace Safety Insurance Act, 1997).

Performance Management, Career Development and Advancement & Redeployment

Magnussen Home will take into account the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities, as well as individual accommodation plans, when conducting performance management, providing career development and advancement to employees, or when redeploying employees.


2. Accessibility Standards for Customer Service Policy

Introduction

Magnussen Home Furnishings Ltd., has the obligation to operate in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with a Disability Act, 2005 and its regulations. It is the policy of Magnussen Home to provide goods and services to all people including people with disabilities in a way that is consistent with the principles of independence, dignity, integration and equal opportunity.

Scope

This policy shall affect all Magnussen Home employees, contractors, customers and visitors in all functions of business within the facility.

References

Accessibility for Ontarians with a Disability Act, 2005. (Service Ontario)

Disability

The definition of disability under the Accessibility for Ontarians Disability Act is the same as the definition of disability under the Ontario Human Rights Code. This is a condensed definition:
  • Any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness;
  • A condition of mental impairment or a development disability;
  • A learning disability;
  • A mental disorder.

Assistive Devices

Assistive Devices are any devices used by persons with disabilities to help with their daily living and tasks such as auxiliary aids, communication aids, personal mobility aids and medical aids. Assistive devices include a range of products such as wheelchairs, walkers, canes, crutches, oxygen tanks, hearing aids and other electronic devices.

Magnussen Home will ensure that our staff members are trained and familiar with how to interact with people using assistive devices.

Communication

Magnussen Home will communicate with people with disabilities in ways to take into account their disability. A key aspect of communication is taking into consideration the specific needs of an individual. Words we use can be very powerful. However, unintentional, many words used to describe the nature of a disability can be demeaning and disrespectful. For example: the words “disability” and “disabled” are more appropriate than “handicap” or “handicapped”. It is preferable to say “person with a disability” instead of “disabled person”.

Service Animals

Magnussen Home welcomes people with a disability 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 physician or nurse confirming the need for a service animal for reasons relating to the disability. Service animals are allowed on the parts of our 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 at Magnussen Home but only if a support person is necessary to protect the health or safety of the person with a disability or the health and safety of others on the premises.

Temporary Disruptions

If any services to accommodate customers with a disability are interrupted, Magnussen Home will post a notice in a conspicuous place.

Training

Magnussen Home will provide training to any employee and others who deal with the public or third parties on our behalf. Training records will be kept, including the dates on which the training is provided. Training will include:
An overview of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the requirements for the customer service standard.
  • Magnussen Home’s policy 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 assistive devices or require the assistance of service animals or a support person.
  • What to do if a person with disability is having difficulty in accessing Magnussen Home’s goods and services.
  • Staff will also be trained when changes are made to the policy.

Feedback Process

Customers who wish to provide feedback on the way that Magnussen Home provides goods and services to people with disabilities may submit their feedback in person, in writing, by email or by telephone to the Human Resources department. Please direct your feedback to Contact Us function or call us at Corporate Office phone number. Customers can expect to hear back within 2 weeks of the original feedback being submitted.

Modifications to this or other Policies

Any policy of Magnussen Home that does not respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities will be modified or removed.

Questions about this Policy

This policy has been developed to break down barriers and increase accessibility for persons with disabilities in the areas of information and communications and employment. If anyone has a question about the policy, or if the purpose of a policy is not understood, an explanation will be provided by: Human Resources