Accessibility Policy

Statement of Commitment

The AWIN Advanced Body Shops are committed to providing an accessible environment for all clients, employees, job applicants, suppliers, and visitors who may enter our premises, access our information, or use our services. As an organization, we respect and comply with the requirements of the AODA and its associated regulations. We strive to provide an accessible and welcoming environment for everyone by identifying and removing barriers in our workplace and ensuring that new barriers are not created. The company ensures that persons with disabilities are provided with equal opportunities. We are committed to meeting the needs of individuals with disabilities in a timely and integrative manner that respects their dignity and independence.

The AWIN Advanced Body Shops makes every reasonable effort to ensure that its policies, practices, and procedures are consistent with the principles of dignity, independence, integration, and equal opportunity by:

• Allowing customers with disabilities to do things in their own ways and at their own pace when accessing goods, services, and facilities, as long as this does not present a health or safety risk;
• Using alternative methods of access when necessary to ensure that customers with disabilities have access to the same goods, services, and facilities in a similar manner;
• Taking into account individual accommodation needs when providing goods and services; and
• Communicating in a manner that takes into account a customer’s disability.

Upon request, the company provides a person with a disability with a copy of this policy, or the information contained within it, in a format that meets their accessibility needs. Requests should be directed to the General Manager.

Persons with disabilities may use their own assistive devices and company-provided assistive devices as required when accessing goods or services or facilities. If the assistive device presents a health or safety concern or where accessibility might be an issue, employees should inform the General Manager so that other reasonable measures can be put in place to ensure the access of goods and services.

Guide Dogs and Service Animals

A customer with a disability who is accompanied by a guide dog or other service animal is welcome to access to premises that are open to the public and keep the animal with them unless the animal is otherwise excluded by law. “No pet” policies do not apply to guide dogs or service animals. If a customer’s guide dog or service animal is excluded by law, the AWIN Advanced Body Shops offers alternative methods to enable the person with a disability to access goods, services, and facilities.

Support Persons

If a customer with a disability is accompanied by a support person, the AWIN Advanced Body Shops will ensure that both persons may enter the premises together and that the customer is not prevented from having access to the support person. In situations where confidential information might be discussed, consent must be obtained from the customer before any potentially confidential information is mentioned in the presence of the support person.

The company may require a person with a disability to be accompanied by a support person while on the premises if the support person is required to protect the health or safety of the person with the disability or others in the workplace and there are no other reasonable measures that can be taken to ensure this. The company consults the person with the disability and assesses available evidence before making such a decision. Employees are informed of any such arrangements.

Notice of Temporary Disruptions

AWIN Advanced Body Shops will provide customers with notice in the event of a planned or unexpected disruption in the facilities or services used by persons with disabilities. This notice will include information about the reason for the disruption, how long the disruption is expected to last, and a description of any alternative facilities or services available (if any).

The notice will be placed at all public entrances and service counters on our premises.

Training

Training is provided to employees, volunteers, those who participate in the development of company policies, and any other person who provides goods, services, or facilities on behalf of the company. Training is provided on the accessibility standards found in the IASR and on the Human Rights Code that is appropriate for the duties they complete while at work.

Training specific to the customer service standards covers the following:

• A review of the purpose of the AODA;
• A review of the requirements of the customer service standards;
• Instructions on how to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities;
• Instructions on how to interact with people with disabilities who use assistive devices or

require the assistance of a guide dog or other service animal or a support person;

• Instructions on how to use equipment or devices that are available at the company’s premises or that the company provides that may help people with disabilities;
• Instructions on what to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty accessing the company’s services; and
• Policies, procedures, and practices of the company pertaining to providing accessible customer service to customers with disabilities.

AWIN Advanced Body Shops provides training as soon as practicable. Training is provided to new employees, volunteers, agents, and contractors. Revised training is provided in the event of changes to legislation, procedures, policies, or practices.

The company keeps a record of training that includes the dates training was provided. Where required, retraining is provided to ensure compliance with the company’s policies and procedures.

Accessible Feedback Process

We are committed to ensure that our feedback process is accessible to people with disabilities by providing or arranging for accessible formats and communication supports upon request in a timely manner and at no extra cost.

Feedback may be submitted:

• In person
• By telephone
• In writing (handwritten or delivered)
• By email: accessibility@awin.ca