General Accessibility Policy
Note: This Policy has taken into consideration our obligations under Canadian laws, including Ontario’s Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). As legislation changes and develops, Lynx Planning & Engineering Inc. will review and amend its policies, practices and procedures, as necessary.
Ensuring an accessible environment is one of Lynx Planning & Engineering’s top priorities which requires providing all stakeholders (customers, employees and general public) equal access to our products and services while upholding their dignity and independence. We are committed to encourage and promote positive and inclusive attitudes towards all individuals including people with disabilities to help them reach their potential. Our mission is to enable and support people of all abilities to reach their full potential.
Objective
Lynx Planning & Engineering Inc. (‘We’) is committed to giving people with disabilities an equal opportunity to provide feedback and access any information they may need. We will deliver on this commitment by identifying, mitigating or removal of barriers to accessibility in a timely manner. We incorporate principles of equal opportunity and integration by meeting accessibility requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and other applicable accessibility legislation. We can also provide accessible formats and communication supports in addition to our website where possible for persons with disabilities upon request.
General Consideration
We operate throughout Canada in provinces and territories such that its employment policies could be subject to different laws and regulations. If any provincial, local or federal law differs from what is described in this Policy, we will comply with applicable laws. In addition, the terms described in this Policy work in conjunction with, and do not replace, amend or supplement any terms or conditions of employment stated in any employment agreement.
Range of Program
This policy applies to all Lynx Planning & Engineering Inc. employees who report to work within the Province of Ontario, Canada, including hourly operations and salaried employees; as well as contingent workers (sub-contractors, independent contractors, etc.). This policy applies to those who provide service in Ontario regardless of where they are located.
Multi Year Accessibility Plan
We have developed and will continue to maintain a Multi-Year Accessibility Plan outlining our strategy to prevent and remove barriers from its workplace and to improve opportunities for persons with disabilities.
This Multi-Year Accessibility Plan will be reviewed and updated at least once every five years (with the last revision in 2023) and will be available for viewing upon request. Upon request, we will provide a copy of the Multi-Year Accessibility Plan in an accessible format.
Providing Goods and Services to Customers with Disabilities
We are committed to excellence in serving all our visitors, customers and employees including those with disabilities. Our accessible customer service policies are consistent with the principles of independence, dignity, integration, and equality of opportunity for people with disabilities.
Training Employees
Where employees self-identify as having an AODA recognized disability; we will ensure that training is provided on the requirements of accessibility standards and on the Human Rights Code as it applies to persons with disabilities, to:
- All its employees
- All other persons who provide goods or services on behalf of Lynx
Training will include:
- Purpose of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and requirement of the customer service standard
- How to interact and communicate with persons of disability in a manner that considers his or her disability
- How to interact with persons with disabilities who require the assistance of a service animal or a support person or who use an assistive device
- Our policies and procedures as they pertain to accessibility.
New employees will be trained within two (2) months of commencing employment with our Company and we will keep a record of the training it has provided.
Information and Communications Standard
We are committed to making our information and communications accessible to people with disabilities.
Accessible Websites and Web Content
We will ensure that our website, including web content, conform to the Worldwide Consortium Web Content Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 A and where applicable AA- in accordance with legislated deadlines, except where this is impracticable.
We aim to make our website assessed regularly by internal and third-party accessibility consultants who would help us identify usability issues and discover new solutions to further improve the accessibility of our site.
Accessible Formats and Communication Supports
Upon request, we will provide, or will arrange for the provision of accessible formats and communications supports for persons with disabilities in a timely manner that considers the person’s accessibility needs. We will consult with the person making the request in determining the suitability of an accessible format or communication support.
We will notify the public through our website about the availability of accessible formats and communication supports. Upon request we will arrange for an alternate accessible communication format for receiving and responding to customer/employee feedback.
Employment Standards
Informing Employee of Supports
We will continue to inform our self-identifying employees of our policies (and any updates to those policies) used to support employees with disabilities, including policies on provision of job accommodations that consider an employee’s accessibility needs due to disability. This information will be provided to new employees as soon as practicable after commencing employment.
Support Persons/Assistive Animals
We are committed to welcoming people with disabilities who are accompanied by a Support Person/Service Animals. Any person with a disability who is accompanied by a Support Person/Assistive Animals will be allowed to enter our facilities with his or her support person/assistive animals. At no time will a person with a disability who is accompanied by a Support Person/Assistive Animal be prevented from having access to his or her support person while on our premises.
We respect the personal space and dignity of its customers when communicating private issues related to the person with a disability, in the presence of a support person.
Accessible Formats and Communication Supports for Employees
Upon the request of an employee with a disability, we will consult with the affected employee to provide, or arrange for the provision of, accessible formats and communication supports for information that is needed to perform their job, and information that is generally available to other employees.
Recruitment, Assessment or Selection Process
We will notify our employees and the public about the availability of accommodation for applicants with disabilities in its recruitment process.
We 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, we will consult with the applicant and provide, or arrange for the provision of, a suitable accommodation in a manner that considers the applicant’s accessibility needs due to disability.
When making offers of employment, we will notify all successful applicants of our policies for accommodating employees with disabilities.
Notice of Temporary Disruption
We will provide facility-based workplace emergency response information to employees who have a self-identified disability. If the disability is such that the individualized information is necessary, and if we are aware of the need for accommodation due to the employee’s disability, we will provide this information as soon as practicable after becoming aware of the need for accommodation. Notice may also be posted at the reception area of our facilities.
Where the employee requires assistance and has self-identified we will-with the consent of the employee- provide workplace emergency response information to the person designated by our Company to aid the employee.
We will review the individualized workplace emergency response information when the employee moves to a different location in the organization or when the employee’s overall accommodation needs, or plans are reviewed.
Documented Individual Accommodation Plans
We 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 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
We will maintain a documented return to work process for our employees who have been absent from work due to a disability and who require disability-related accommodation to return to work. The return-to-work process outlines the steps we will take to facilitate the return to work and will include documented individual accommodation plans as part of the process.
Performance Management, Career Development, Advancement and Redeployment
To ensure career development- performance management and redeploying of employees with disabilities, will be considered in regard to the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities. We will also handle individual accommodation plans, when conducting performance management, providing career development and advancement to employees, or when redeploying them.
Want more information about this Policy?
This policy has been developed to break down barriers and increase accessibility for persons with disabilities in the areas of information, communication, and employment. We retain the right to amend or change this policy at any time; however, any such change will only be made after considering the impact on people with disabilities.
Employees who have questions about this policy should contact a member of the HR team. If anyone else has a question about the policy, or if the purpose of the policy is not understood, please contact us