Accessibility Statement, Multi-year Plan

Statement of Commitment

SoHo Hotel Toronto is committed to providing an environment that respects the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities and/or persons requiring accommodation. This multi-year plan outlines our strategy to prevent and remove barriers for persons with disabilities, and to address the current and future requirements of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) in order to fulfill our commitment as outlined in SoHo Hotel Toronto accessibility policies.

PART I – General Requirements

3. Establishment of Accessibility Policies

Every obligated organization shall develop, implement and maintain policies governing how the organization achieves or will achieve accessibility through meeting its requirements under the accessibility standards referred to in this Regulation.

Action: Policies drafted and approved.
Status: Completed
Compliance Date: January 1, 2014

4. Accessibility Plans

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 requirements under this Regulation;
Action: Identifying barriers – Run focus group with the Joint Health and Safety Committee to identify and remove barriers.
post the accessibility plan on their website, if any, and provide the plan in an accessible format upon request; and
Action: Post on website with upper management’s approval.
review and update the accessibility plan at least once every five years.
Action: Policies to be updated and reviewed accordingly.

Status: Completed
Compliance Date: January 1, 2014

6. Self-Serve Kiosks

Large organizations and small organizations shall have regard to the accessibility for persons with disabilities when designing, procuring or acquiring self-service kiosks.

Action: Identified all kiosks and will consider accessibility during the replacement cycle.
Status: Completed
Compliance Date: January 1, 2014

7. Training

Every obligated organization shall ensure that training is provided on the requirements of the accessibility standards referred to in this Regulation and on the Human Rights Code as it pertains to persons with disabilities to,

all employees, and volunteers;
all persons who participate in developing the organization‘s policies; and
all other persons who provide goods, services or facilities on behalf of the organization.

Action: To determine method of training and number of training levels. Require separate one for sr. mgt.; one for first line mgrs. and one for all employees
Status: Ongoing
Compliance Date: January 1, 2015

PART II – Information and Communications Standards

11. Feedback

Every obligated organization that has processes for receiving and responding to feedback shall ensure that the processes are accessible to persons with disabilities by providing or arranging for accessible formats and communications supports, upon request.

Action: Conduct a review of all feedback processes across the organization (internally and externally). Consult with all functional areas to make sure all feedback processes are captured.
Determine what accessible formats and communication supports we will provide upon request.
Ensure staff and management are aware of the need to accommodate.
Status: Ongoing
Compliance Date: January 1, 2015

12. Accessible Formats & Communication Supports

Except as otherwise provided, every obligated organization shall upon request provide or arrange for the provision of accessible formats and communication supports for persons with disabilities,
1. in a timely manner that takes into account the person‘s accessibility needs due to disability; and
2. at a cost that is no more than the regular cost charged to other persons.
Action: Determine what accessible formats and communication supports we will provide to persons with disabilities upon request.
Ensure these formats and supports can be provided in a timely manner.
Communicate to staff and management that no additional charge is required.
Status: Ongoing
Compliance Date: January 1, 2016
The obligated organization shall consult with the person making the request in determining the suitability of an accessible format or communication support.
Action: Communicate to staff and management this requirement. Develop protocol for situations where a suitable agreement cannot be made.
Status: Ongoing
Compliance Date: January 1, 2016
Every obligated organization shall notify the public about the availability of accessible formats and communication supports.
Action: Post on website (IT). Include notice on certain print materials.
Status: Ongoing
Compliance Date: January 1, 2016

13. Emergency Procedures, Plans or Public Safety Info

In addition to its obligations under section 12, if an obligated organization prepares emergency procedures, plans or public safety information and makes the information available to the public, the obligated organization shall provide the information in an accessible format or with appropriate communication supports, as soon as practicable, upon request.

Action: Involve Health and Safety:

Emergency procedure binder (accessible on request)
Mgr have word document
Disability concerns
Verbally, increase font

Status: Completed
Compliance Date: January 1, 2012

14. Accessible Websites & Web Content

Designated public sector organizations and large organizations shall make their internet websites and web content conform with the World Wide Web Consortium Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, initially at Level A and increasing to Level AA, and shall do so in accordance with the schedule set out in this section.
Action: Review under way of required changes that need to be made to website by Jan 1, 2014 OR Sourcing vendors and pricing to develop accessible website.
Continuously review WCAG guidelines to be informed of changes and updates.
Status: Ongoing
Compliance Date:
January 1, 2014 – New internet websites and web content on those sites must conform with WCAG 2.0 Level A.
January 1, 2021 – All internet websites and web content must conform with WCAG 2.0 Level AA, other than: success criteria 1.2.4 Captions (Live), success criteria 1.2.5 Audio Descriptions (Pre-recorded).

PART III – Employment Standard

22. Recruitment – General

Every employer shall notify its employees and the public about the availability of accommodation for applicants with disabilities in its recruitment processes.

Action: Job postings will include an accessibility statement
Status: Completed
Compliance Date: January 1, 2016

23. Recruitment, Assessment or Selection Process

During a recruitment process, an employer shall notify job applicants, when they are individually selected to participate 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, the employer shall 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.

Action: Determine how to notify applicants- phone, e-mail, etc.
Identify barriers: location of interview room, format of tests, room set-up for in-person interviews, interviewing timelines, supports, paperwork.
Develop interview guidelines.
Status: Completed
Compliance Date: January 1, 2016

24. Notice to Successful Applicants

Every employer shall, when making offers of employment, notify the successful applicant of its policies for accommodating employees with disabilities.

Action: Develop phone call verbiage/email.
Write appropriate script (Notification to Successful Applicants).
Status: Completed
Compliance Date: January 1, 2016

25. Informing Employees of Supports

Every employer shall inform its employees of its policies used to support its employees with disabilities, including, but not limited to, policies on the provision of job accommodations that take into account an employee‘s accessibility needs due to disability.
Action:
- Enrolment Process
- New Hire Orientation
- Customer Service/AODA
- Brochures available
- Online website
Status: Completed
Compliance Date: January 1, 2016
Employers shall provide the information required under this section to new employees as soon as practicable after they begin their employment.
Action: New Hire Enrolment and orientation.
Status: Ongoing
Compliance Date: January 1, 2016
Employers shall provide updated information to its employees whenever there is a change to existing policies on the provision of job accommodations that take into account an employee‘s accessibility needs due to disability.
Action: See Section 25 (1)
Status: Ongoing
Compliance Date: January 1, 2016

26. Accessible Formats & Communication Supports for Employees

In addition to its obligations under section 12, where an employee with a disability so requests it, every employer shall consult with the employee to provide or arrange for the provision of accessible formats and communication supports for,
1. information that is needed in order to perform the employee‘s job; and
  Action: Functional audit of information specific to departments.
2. information that is generally available to employees in the workplace.
  Action: Audit of regular communications.
Status: Ongoing
Compliance Date: January 1, 2016
The employer shall consult with the employee making the request in determining the suitability of an accessible format or communication support.
Action: List what the employee will require – ie. Policy, communication supports that are available (text-to-speech, braille, large print, accessible PDFs, plain language versions, closed captioning.)
Status: Ongoing
Compliance Date: January 1, 2016

27. Workplace Emergency Response Information

Every employer shall provide individualized workplace emergency response information to employees who have a 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.
Action: Develop process (Identification of Potential Barriers During an Emergency Response)
Status: Ongoing
Compliance Date: January 1, 2012
If an employee who receives individualized workplace emergency response information requires assistance and with the employee‘s consent, the employer shall provide the workplace emergency response information to the person designated by the employer to provide assistance to the employee.
Action: Develop process for employees who self-identify as having a disability.
Compliance Date: January 1, 2012
Employers shall provide the information required under this section as soon as practicable after the employer becomes aware of the need for accommodation due to the employee‘s disability.
Status: Completed
Compliance Date: January 1, 2012
Every employer shall review the individualized workplace emergency response information,
1. when the employee moves to a different location in the organization;
2. when the employee‘s overall accommodations needs or plans are reviewed; and
3. when the employer reviews its general emergency response policies.
Action: Develop process for employees who self-identify as having a disability.
Status: Ongoing
Compliance Date: January 1, 2012

28. Documented Individual Accommodation Plans

Employers, other than employers that are small organizations, shall develop and have in place a written process for the development of documented individual accommodation plans for employees with disabilities.
Action: Develop process for employees who self-identify as having a disability.
Status: Ongoing
Compliance Date: January 1, 2016
The process for the development of documented individual accommodation plans shall include the following elements:
1. The manner in which an employee requesting accommodation can participate in the development of the individual accommodation plan.
2. The means by which the employee is assessed on an individual basis.
3. The manner in which 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 manner in which the employee can request the participation of a representative from their bargaining agent, where the employee is represented by a bargaining agent, or other representative from the workplace, where the employee is not represented by a bargaining agent, in the development of the accommodation plan.
5. The steps taken to protect the privacy of the employee‘s personal.
6. The frequency with which the individual accommodation plan will be reviewed and updated and the manner in which it will be done.
7. If an individual accommodation plan is denied, the manner in which the reasons for the denial will be provided to the employee.
8. The means of providing the individual accommodation plan in a format that takes into account the employee‘s accessibility needs due to disability.
Action: Review current policies and procedures to determine if revisions are required.
Status: Ongoing
Compliance Date: January 1, 2016

29. Return to Work Process

Every employer, other than an employer that is a small organization,
1. shall develop and have 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; and
2. shall document the process.
Action: Review current policies and procedures to determine if revisions are required.
Status: Completed
Compliance Date: January 1, 2016
The return to work process shall,
1. outline the steps the employer will take to facilitate the return to work of employees who were absent because their disability required them to be away from work; and
2. use individual documented accommodation plans, as described in section 28, as part of the process.
Action: Review current policies and procedures to determine if revisions are required.
Status: Completed
Compliance Date: January 1, 2016

30. Performance Management

An employer that uses performance management in respect of its employees shall 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.

Action: Review current process. Need to keep individual accommodation plan in mind.
Status: Ongoing
Compliance Date: January 1, 2016

31. Career Development & Advancement

An employer that provides career development and advancement to its employees shall take into account the accessibility needs of its employees with disabilities as well as any individual accommodation plans, when providing career development and advancement to its employees with disabilities.

Action: Review current policies and procedures to determine if revisions are required.
Status: Ongoing
Compliance Date: January 1, 2016

32. Redeployment

An employer that uses redeployment shall take into account the accessibility needs of its employees with disabilities, as well as individual accommodation plans when redeploying employees with disabilities.