At Skiis & Biikes we are committed to eliminating barriers and improving accessibility for persons with disabilities and to providing goods and services in a way that respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities.

People with disabilities will be given the same opportunity to access and benefit from our goods and services, in the same place and in a similar way as other customers

Assistive Devices

Skiis & Biikes will ensure that its staff are trained and familiar with various assistive devices that may be used by customers with disabilities while accessing our store or services.

Persons with disabilities may use their own assistive devices as required with accessing a Skiis & Biikes location.

In cases where the assistive device presents a safety concern or where accessibility might be an issue, other reasonable measures will be used to ensure the access of our store or services.

Communication

Skiis & Biikes will:

● Communicate with people with disabilities in ways that consider their disability.

● Train employees to recognize and be aware of signs of communications problems

● Ask the person to indicate their communication preference

● Communicate with person with a disability in a manner that considers their disability

Service Animals

We welcome people with disabilities and their service animals. Service animals are allowed on the parts of our premises that are open to the public.

Support Persons

If a customer with a disability is accompanied by a support person, Skiis & Biikes will ensure that both persons can enter the premises and the customer will not be prevented from having full access to the support person. In situations where confidential information might be discussed, consent will first be obtained from the customer, prior to any such conversation or disclosure.

In the event a third party is hosting an event and charging fees for the event, the support person will be allowed to attend the event at their own cost unless not required by the third party.

Should this situation change in the future, we will notify customers of this through a notice posted on our premises and at the time of booking any appointments.

Notice of Temporary Disruption

In the event of a planned or unexpected disruption to services or our stores for customers with disabilities, Skiis & Biikes will notify customers promptly.

Skiis & Biikes will give notice of temporary disruptions to services or facilities used by persons with
disabilities including the reason for the disruption, the anticipation of the disruption and any alternative facilities or services that may be available. The notice shall be posted in a conspicuous place on the premises.

Training for Staff

Training will be provided to all Skiis & Biikes employee, those that assist in developing policies and procedures that govern the provision of services to the public, and others who deal with the public or other third parties on their behalf. This training will be given to all new employees as part of their orientation. All training records will be kept in employee files.

Training will include:

● an overview of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the requirements of 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 support person

● what to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty accessing Skiis & Biikes services

Additional staff training will be provided when changes are implemented to this plan.

Feedback Process

Customers who wish to provide feedback on the way Skiis & Biikes provides services to people with disabilities can do so by speaking with the representative whom they are dealing with or by contacting any Skiis & Biikes store via e-mail or phone.

All employee feedback should be directed to the Store Manager or the on-site Health and Safety Representative.

Modifications to this or other Policies

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

Providing Services to People with Disabilities

Skiis & Biikes is committed to excellence in servicing all customers, including persons with disabilities.

Skiis & Biikes appreciates the difficulties that can be faced by people with disabilities and strives to ensure that it can provide its services in a way that minimizes those difficulties.

Recruitment and Selection

Skiis & Biikes will notify its employees and the public, including internal and external job applicants about the availability of accommodation for applicants with disabilities in its recruitment processes. Where needed, accommodations for disabilities will be provided, on request, to support their participation in all aspects of the recruitment process.

Skiis & Biikes will notify candidates that accommodations are available upon request in relation to the materials or processes to be used. During the application process, Skiis & Biikes will provide necessary support to the applicants. We will consult with the selected 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.

Employment

Skiis & Biikes will inform its employees of the policies used to support employees with disabilities. We will provide this information to new employees as a part of their orientation. All existing employees will be provided with updated information on changes in accessibility policies whenever there is a change to existing policy.

Accessible Formats and Communication Support for Employees

Skiis & Biikes will consult with the employee, on employee’s request, to provide or arrange for the provision and identify suitability of accessible formats and communication supports for the information that is needed to perform the employee’s job; and the information that is generally available to employees in the workplace. 

Workplace Emergency Response Information

Skiis & Biikes will provide individualized workplace emergency response information to employees who have a disability or to the person designated to aid the employee with 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 (permanent or temporary).

The individualized workplace emergency response information will be reviewed when the employee moves to a different department or location in the organization; when the employee’s overall accommodations needs or plans are reviewed; and when the company reviews its general emergency response policies.

Individual Accommodation Plans

Skiis & Biikes will develop individual accommodation plans for employees with disabilities of which they have been made aware. There may be times where an employer may initiate a dialogue to offer assistance and accommodation to an employee who is clearly unwell or perceived to have a disability.

The process for the development of documented individual accommodation plans will include the following elements:

1. An employee requesting accommodation will have the opportunity to participate in the development of the individual accommodation plan, and will be able to provide own point of view on the accommodation required in his/her circumstances.

2. The employee will be assessed on an individual basis, based on his/her needs.

3. 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 employee can request the participation of a workplace representative in the development of the accommodation plan.

5. Employee’s personal information will be held confidential and will not be shared with the parties not involved in the accommodation process.

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

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

8. Individual accommodation plans will be communicated to the employee by the means and in a format that consider the employee’s accessibility needs due to disability.

9. If requested, individual accommodation plans will include any information regarding accessible formats and communications supports available.

10. If required, individual accommodation plans will include individualized workplace emergency response information; and identify any other accommodation that is to be provided.


Employee’s emergency response information will be reviewed when:

a) The employee changes work locations

b) Employee’s overall accommodation needs are being reviewed

c) Organization’s general emergency response policies are being reviewed

Responsibilities of Employer:


● Provide the same level of safety for all employees and visitors during evacuations.

Following an emergency, the employer’s responsibilities are:

● Call a staff meeting within 48 hours to talk about what has happened.

● Acknowledge the fear, anxiety and loss workers are experiencing.

● Provide information about next steps.

● Inform employees on when, where, and how operations will resume, if worksite operations have been disrupted.

Responsibilities of Employees with Disabilities:

● Be familiar with the building and the evacuation options – exits, stairwells, ramps, areas of refuge.

● Know your workplace emergency evacuation plan.

● Work with employer to select co-workers who are able to assist you in case of an emergency.

● Participate in emergency drills.

● Be aware of the emergency notification systems at the workplace.

● Take responsibility for disability-specific needs, including having own personal preparedness kit with extra medication, extra batteries for personal assistive devices, extra tire or a tire repair kit for wheelchair users, and any other contingency supplies specific to the person’s disability.

Responsibilities of All Employees:

● Ensure the safe evacuation process is followed during the evacuation, and collect accurate information about evacuated employees and visitors.

● Provide information to first responders when they arrive about the number of evacuated employees and visitors including people with disabilities waiting in areas of refuge and where they are located.

Responsibilities of Emergency Wardens:

● Follow evacuation procedure during the evacuation.

● Accompany and ensure safe evacuation of person with disability that an employee is assigned to assist.

● Accompany clients or visitors an employee is with during the emergency, and ensure their safe evacuation.

● Accompany persons with disabilities and ensure safe evacuation of person with disability that an employee is assigned to assist.

Skiis & Biikes has a back to work process in place to help employees to return to work when they have been absent because of their disability and they need some form of accommodation to return to work.

Return to work plan will be appropriate for employees who have permanent, recurring or temporary disabilities and require disability-related accommodation to effectively return to work.

Performance Management

Skiis & Biikes will 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.

If employee responsibilities change as a result of performance management process, and the employee has a disability, Skiis & Biikes will revisit the employee’s individual accommodation plan to ensure that all necessary adjustments are made.

Career Development and Advancement

Skiis & Biikes will take into account the accessibility needs of the employees with disabilities as well as any individual accommodation plans, when providing career development and advancement to the employees who have disabilities.

Skiis & Biikes will take into account what accommodations employees with disabilities may need to succeed elsewhere in the organization or to take on new responsibilities in their current position.

Redeployment

Skiis & Biikes will take into account the accessibility needs of the employees with disabilities as well as any individual accommodation plans, when redeploying employees who have disabilities.

During the redeployment processes, Skiis & Biikes will consider the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities, as well as reviewing individual accommodation plans when moving employees with disabilities to other jobs within the organizations, so that employees can continue to have their accommodation.