Accessibility plan

Introduction

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (“AODA”) seeks to provide a fully accessible Ontario by 2025. Consistent with this objective, various obligations have been placed on organizations, including Financeit Canada Inc. (“Financeit”), to ensure that workplaces and services are fully accessible to the public and employees, including persons with disabilities. The AODA requires every employer with 50 or more employees to develop and post a Multi-Year Accessibility Plan on its website. Financeit’s Multi-Year Accessibility Plan outlines our strategy to prevent and remove barriers to accessibility.

Statement of Commitment to Accessibility

Financeit Canada Inc. is committed to providing a barrier-free environment for our customers, employees, job applicants, suppliers, visitors, and other stakeholders who enter our premises, access our information, or use our services. As an organization, we respect and uphold the requirements set forth under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, and its associated standards and regulation.

Financeit Canada Inc. understands that we have a responsibility for ensuring a safe, dignified, and welcoming environment for everyone. We are committed to ensuring our organization’s compliance by incorporating accessibility legislation into our policies, procedures, training, and best practices. We will review these policies and practices annually, as organizational changes occur, or in anticipation of compliance deadlines. In addition, we will strive to meet the needs of individuals with disabilities in a timely and effective manner.

Providing an accessible and barrier-free environment is a shared effort, and as an organization, Financeit Canada Inc. is committed to working with the necessary parties to make accessibility for all a reality. For more detailed information on our accessibility policies, plans, and training programs, please contact our People Success team.

Sincerely,

Michael Garrity

CEO

Accessibility Standards

This Multi-Year Accessibility Plan outlines the steps which Financeit is taking to meet applicable accessibility standards under the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (“IASR”) of the AODA. In particular, it outlines our policies and initiatives to improve opportunities for people with disabilities in the areas of (i) customer service; (ii) information and communications; (iii) employment and (iv) the design of public spaces. Our Plan shows how Financeit will play its role in making Ontario an accessible province for all Ontarians.

Customer Service Standards

Financeit is committed to providing accessible customer service to people with disabilities. This means that we will provide goods and services to people with disabilities with the same high quality and timeliness as others.

All goods and services provided by Financeit follow the principles of dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity.

Provision of Goods, Services and Facilities to Persons with Disabilities

Financeit will make every reasonable effort to ensure that its policies, practices and procedures are consistent with the following core principles:

  • Our goods, services and facilities will be provided in a manner that respects the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities;
  • The provision of goods, services or facilities to persons with disabilities will be integrated with the provision of goods, services or facilities to others, unless an alternative measure is necessary, whether temporarily or on a permanent basis, to enable a person with a disability to obtain, use or benefit from our goods, services or facilities; 4
  • Persons with disabilities will be given an opportunity equal to that given to others to obtain, use and benefit from our goods, services or facilities; and
  • When communicating with a person with a disability, we will do so in a manner that takes into account the person’s disability.
Assistive Devices

Persons with a disability are permitted, where possible, to use their own assistive devices when on our premises for the purposes of obtaining, using or benefiting from our goods, services and facilities. If it is not possible to use an assistive device while on our premises (due to safety reasons or otherwise), Financeit will use its best efforts to provide an alternative means of assistance to the person with a disability. We will ensure that our staff is trained and familiar with various assistive devices that may be used by individuals with disabilities while accessing our goods, services and facilities.

Service Animals

A customer with a disability that is accompanied by a guide dog or other service animal will be allowed access to those parts of our premises that are open to the public, unless otherwise excluded by law.

If a guide dog or other service animal is excluded from parts of our premises by law, staff at Financeit would be pleased to accompany a person with a disability in the absence of their service animal. Financeit also welcomes suggestions with respect to other measures that we can make available to persons with disabilities in order to allow them to obtain, use and benefit from our goods, services and facilities.

Support Persons

A person may enter Financeit’s premises with a support person and have access to the support person while on the premises. Financeit may require a person with a disability to be accompanied by a support person where it is necessary to protect the health and safety of the person with a disability or the health or safety of others on the premises.

Before making a decision to require a support person, Financeit will:

  • consult with the person with a disability to understand their needs;
  • consider health or safety reasons based on the available evidence; and
  • determine if there is any other reasonable way to protect the health or safety of the person or others on the premises.

In situations where confidential information might be discussed with a customer with a disability, the customer’s consent will be required to discuss confidential matters in the presence of their support person prior to initiating the conversation.

Notice of Temporary Disruptions

Service disruptions may occur due to reasons that may or may not be within the control or knowledge of Financeit. In the event of any temporary disruption to facilities or services that individuals with disabilities rely upon to access or use Financeit’s goods, services or facilities, reasonable efforts will be made to provide advance notice of the disruption. In some circumstances, such as unplanned temporary disruptions, advance notice may not be possible.

A notice of disruption will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated length of time, and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available. Financeit will provide notice by:

  • posting notices in visible places including at the point of disruption, at the main entrance, at the nearest accessible entrance to the disruption and/or on Financeit’s website;
  • contacting individuals with appointments at our premises;
  • verbally notifying individuals when they are making a reservation or appointment; or
  • by any other method that may be reasonable in the circumstances.
Training

We are committed to training our staff in Ontario’s accessibility laws and aspects of the Ontario Human Rights Code that relate to persons with disabilities. We will train our employees on accessibility as it relates to their specific roles.

The following training has been implemented at Financeit:

  • The purposes of the AODA and the requirements of the IASR;
  • Our policies, practices and procedures for accessible customer service;
  • How to interact and communicate with persons with various types of disability;
  • How to interact with persons with disabilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a guide dog or other service animal or the assistance of a support person;
  • How to use equipment or devices available on our premises or otherwise provided by us that may help with the provision of goods or services to a person with a disability; and
  • What to do if a person with a particular type of disability is having difficulty accessing our goods, services or facilities.
Initiatives

The following measures have been implemented by Financeit to ensure compliance with the customer service accessibility standard:

  • People Success (i.e Human Resources) oversees our accessibility practices and procedures;
  • We have an Accessible Customer Service Policy which is available upon request, in an accessible format;
  • We review our Accessible Customer Service Policy annually and revise it as necessary to improve accessibility;
  • Notice will be provided on the website, over the phone, and/or in writing where applicable, when a service disruption occurs and will be done as quickly as possible if the disruption is unexpected;
  • We have designated an internal officer who is responsible for developing and coordinating appropriate training;
  • Training session(s) on accessibility have been provided to all employees who provide goods, services and facilities on Financeit’s behalf;
  • Training on accessibility will be provided to new employees at Financeit as part of their orientation;
  • Training is provided in respect of any changes to Financeit’s accessibility policies on an ongoing basis;
  • Training is tracked and recorded upon completion;
  • Comments relating to the accessibility of our customer service are welcomed and appreciated. A process has been established to encourage feedback regarding the way in which Financeit provides goods and services to people with disabilities. This feedback can be made: in person, by phone, by email, through our customer service surveys or otherwise in writing. A Customer Service Feedback Form is available upon request. All feedback will be directed to People Success and/or our Customer Service Team;
  • A process is in place to ensure that all feedback collected from customers, staff or the general public is reviewed and analyzed to identify potential gaps in customer services, and to ensure appropriate actions are taken.

Information and Communications Standards

Financeit is committed to meeting the communication needs of people with disabilities. We will consult with people with disabilities to determine their information and communication needs. We want to achieve the most effective and efficient access to information for all users.

Financeit has undertaken the following initiatives to ensure compliance with this standard:

Accessible Emergency Information

Financeit provides its employees and customers with publicly available emergency information in an accessible way upon request. We have developed an Emergency Response Plan, which is available in an accessible format upon request.

Financeit has also provided and will continue to provide employees with disabilities with individualized emergency response information when necessary, and as soon as practically possible. If an employee who receives individualized workplace emergency response information requires assistance, with the employee’s consent, the workplace emergency response information will be given to the designated employee providing the assistance.

Financeit has created a process for documenting issues of accessibility and recording and providing accommodation for individuals requiring individualized emergency response plans. Financeit will continue to review the individualized emergency response plans when necessary, such as when the location of the employee changes, when overall accommodation needs or plans are reviewed, or when Financeit reviews general emergency response policies.

Website and Content

Financeit has taken steps to ensure that its new website and content on that site conform to World Wide Web Consortium Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, Level A. We have reviewed accessibility features related to our current internet website and have implemented measures to adopt new internet technology standards to ensure that accessibility features are installed on the new internet website. Financeit commits to conform to WCAG 2.0, Level AA by January 1, 2021. Compliance with AODA will be included as one of the criteria in selecting technology vendors for new website development initiatives.

Accessible Formats and Communication Supports

Financeit provides accessible formats and communications supports to persons with disabilities. Requests for accessible formats and communications supports are dealt with in a timely manner. Financeit takes into account the person’s accessibility needs due to a disability by consulting with persons making the request to determine the suitability of the accessible format or communications support. As well, we will provide accessible formats and communications supports to persons with disabilities at a cost that is no more than the regular cost charged to other persons.

Feedback Process

Individuals who wish to provide feedback on the way that Financeit provides goods and services to people with disabilities can contact People Success. Feedback may be provided in person, by telephone (1-888-536-3025), in writing (296 Richmond Street West, Suite 500, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 1X2), electronically (service@financeit.io), through our customer service surveys or by other available methods.

All feedback will be directed to People Success and/or our Customer Service Team. Individuals who provide feedback can expect to hear back from us within seven (7) days. Complaints will be addressed in accordance with Financeit’s regular complaints procedure. Individuals that provide formal feedback will receive acknowledgement of their feedback, along with any resulting actions based on concerns or complaints that were submitted.

We ensure that existing and new processes for receiving and responding to feedback are accessible to persons with disabilities by providing or arranging to provide accessible formats and communications supports, upon request.

Employment Standards

Financeit is committed to fair and accessible employment practices. We have taken the following steps to make employment at Financeit more accessible to persons with disabilities:

Recruitment

Financeit notifies its employees and the public about the availability of accommodation for applicants with disabilities during the recruitment processes, including in its job postings located on the “Careers” page of its website.

In addition, we will notify job applicants (either by phone or in writing) 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.

Financeit will consult with selected applicants if accommodation is requested by them. We will provide or arrange to provide suitable accommodation to selected applicants in a manner that takes into account their accessibility needs due to a disability.

When making offers of employment, Financeit will notify successful applicants of our policies for accommodating employees with disabilities.

Financeit will review and modify its existing recruitment policies, procedures and processes, as necessary to ensure accessibility in its recruitment process.

Supports for Employees

Financeit informs all employees of its policies that support 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. We have developed an Accommodation Policy and Return to Work Policy to support employees with disabilities. Information about our policies supporting employees with disabilities is provided as soon as practicable after a new hire begins employment, and whenever accommodation is requested by an employee.

As well, Financeit keeps employees updated on changes to existing policies on the provision of job accommodations that take into account an employee’s accessibility needs due to disability.

Where an employee with a disability so requests it, Financeit will consult with the employee to provide or arrange to provide suitable accessible formats and communications supports for information that is needed in order to perform the employee’s job or that is generally available to employees in the workplace.

Individual Accommodation Plans/Return to Work Process

Financeit has created and implemented an Accommodation Policy and process to assist it in developing individual accommodation plans for employees with disabilities. We have also developed and put in place a Return to Work Policy and program for employees who have been absent due to a disability.

Financeit’s process for the development of documented individual accommodation plans includes the following elements:

  • The manner in which the employee requesting accommodation can participate in the development of the plan;
  • The means by which the employee is assessed on an individual basis;
  • The manner in which Financeit can request an evaluation by an outside medical or other expert, at our expense, to assist us in determining if and how accommodation can be achieved;
  • The manner in which the employee can request participation of a representative from the workplace;
  • The steps in place to protect the privacy of the employee’s personal information;
  • The frequency with which individual accommodation plans will be reviewed and updated and the manner in which this will be done;
  • The manner in which reasons will be provided in the event that an individual accommodation plan is denied; and
  • The means of providing the individual accommodation plan in a format that takes into account the employee’s accessibility needs due to disability.

Financeit Return to Work Policy outlines the program that we will undertake to facilitate the employee’s return to work after a disability-related absence, and will use documented individual accommodation plans as part of the process.

Performance Management, Career Development and Redeployment

Financeit takes the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities and, as applicable, their individualized accommodation plans, into account when assessing performance, managing career development and advancement, and reassignment is required.

Design of Public Spaces Standards

Financeit will meet applicable accessibility standards when building or making major modifications to service-related elements such as service counters or public waiting areas.

For More Information

This Multi-Year Accessibility Plan, and information about Financeit’s related policies and procedures, is made available to any member of the public upon request. We will provide this information in an accessible format or with communication support, upon request.

For more information on this Plan, or to obtain this Plan in an accessible format, please contact:

Petroula Tsirimbis
Phone: 416-646-2177 ext. 107
Address: 8 Spadina Avenue, Suite #2400,
Toronto, Ontario, M5V 0S8
Email: petroula@financeit.io