Accessibility

Our Commitment

We are committed to providing our services in a way that respects the dignity, independence, integration, and equality of opportunity for persons with disabilities. We are also committed to providing opportunities to persons with disabilities to access our services and to benefit from our same services, at all Forest City Staffing locations.

Providing Services to People with Disabilities

We use reasonable effort to ensure that all policies, practices, and procedures are consistent with the 4 principles laid out in the customer service standard:

• Dignity — A program, ministry, good, or service is provided in a way that allows the person with a disability to maintain self-respect and the respect of other people.
• Independence — A person with a disability is allowed to do things on their own without unnecessary help or interference from others.
• Integration — A program, ministry, good, or service is provided in a way that allows the person with a disability to benefit from the same services, in the same place, and in the same or similar way as other customers, unless an alternate measure is necessary to enable a person with a disability to access programs, ministries, goods and services.
• Equal Opportunity — A program, ministry, good, or service is provided to a person with a disability in such a way that they have an opportunity to access your programs, ministries, goods or services equal to that given to others.

Areas of Possible Barriers / Disabilities Per The Code

• Physical
• Mental
• Learning
• Mental Disorders
• Hearing or Vision
• Speech Impairment
• Epilepsy
• Drug and Alcohol
• Environmental Sensitivities
• Workplace Injuries

People with disabilities may use their personal assistive devices when accessing our goods, services or facilities.

In cases where the assistive device presents a significant and unavoidable health or safety concern or may not be permitted for other reasons, other measures will be used to ensure the person with a disability can access our goods, services or facilities.

Communication

We are committed to providing outstanding customer service. This extends to the following areas:

We will communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability. We will train staff who communicate with customers on how to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities.

Telephone Services

We will train staff to communicate with customers over the telephone in clear and plain language and to speak clearly and slowly. We will communicate with customers by e-mail if telephone communication is not suitable to their communication needs or is not available.

Assistive Devices

We will ensure that our staff is trained and familiar with various assistive devices that may be used by customers with disabilities while accessing our goods or services.

Use of Service Animals and Support Persons

We welcome people with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal on the parts of our premises that are open to the public and other third parties. We will also ensure that staff, volunteers and others dealing with the public are trained in how to interact with people with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal.

We welcome people with disabilities who are accompanied by a support person. Any person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person may enter Forest City Staffing premises with his or her support person. At no time will a person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person be prevented from having access to his or her support person while on our premises.

Notice of Temporary Disruption

We will provide customers with notice in the event of a planned or unexpected disruption in the facilities or services that are often used by people with disabilities. The notice will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated duration, and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available. The notice will be placed at the front entrance of the affected office(s).

Support Person

A person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed to have that person accompany them on our premises.

Training

We will provide training to all employees and others who deal with the public or other third parties on our behalf, and all those who are involved in the development and approval of customer service policies, practices and procedures. Training will include the following:

1. The purposes of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, Integrated Accessibility Standard Regulation, the requirements of the Ontario Human Rights Code, and Customer Service Standards. (e-laws.gov.on.ca)
2. How to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities.
3. How to interact with people with disabilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a service animal or a support person.
4. How to use the assistive devices available at our premises that may help with the provision of services to people with disabilities.
5. What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty in accessing our services.
6. Our policies, practices and procedures relating to the Customer Service Standard.

Applicable staff will be trained on policies, practices and procedures that affect the way services are provided to people with disabilities. Staff will also be trained on an ongoing basis when changes are made to these policies, practices and procedures.

Feedback Process

We strive to meet customer expectations while serving customers with disabilities. Feedback about our customer service is welcome.

Feedback will be received by any of our staff. It will also be received at our corporate offices located in London, Ontario, by phoning 519-649-8200 or by visiting our website: www.forestcitystaffing.com.

We will respond to issues raised in the feedback in a timely fashion.