The Forest Hill Group’s ACCESSIBILITY – Multi-Year Accessibility Plan
The Forest Hill Group will strive to ensure that its policies, practices and procedures are consistent with the following core principles as outlined in the AODA:
Dignity – ensure persons with disabilities are provided with services in a manner that will allow them to maintain self-respect and the respect of others.
Independence – ensure persons with disabilities have their right to do for themselves and are able to do things in their own way.
Integration – ensure persons with disabilities fully benefit from the same services and goods, in the same place and in the same or similar manner as others. This may require alternative formats and flexible approaches. It means complete and full participation.
Equal Opportunity – ensure persons with disabilities have the same chances, options, benefits and results as others.
Introduction
The Forest Hill Group believes in integration and equal opportunity. We are committed to meeting the needs of people with disabilities in a timely manner and will do so by preventing and removing barriers regarding accessibility. Our management team works together with staff and clients to create a barrier-free work environment; our goal is to help staff enhance their skills and comfort in assisting people with disabilities. We continue to develop and post workplace policies, practices and procedures and use reasonable efforts to ensure the policies, practices, and procedures reflect our core principles, which include independence, dignity, integration and equal opportunity for everyone.
Our staff and clients are valued for their contributions; management speaks with the staff regarding requests and suggestions for customer service accommodations and takes any request without prejudice. As we continue to grow as a company, we constantly initiate company training and quarterly AGMs with the board of directors at each building we service; this allows for both staff and client feedback on how we can become a more accessible company. Our Human Resource team is dedicated to providing accessible options for all employees, for example, Signs and postings to follow accessibility and inclusion guidelines.
The Forest Hill Group acknowledges the history of discrimination against persons with disabilities in Ontario, and we are committed to change.
“Accessibility allows us to tap into everyone’s potential” – Debra Ruh.
SCOPE / APPLICATION
This policy applies to all Forest Hill Group employees or any person who works on behalf of The Forest Hill Group in providing our services to clients and the public.
PROCEDURES FOR PROVIDING SERVICES TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
The Forest Hill Group is committed to excellence in serving all clients, including people with disabilities, by removing barriers that might arise in the course of doing business as follows:
COMMUNICATION
*The Forest Hill Group will ensure that emergency information, procedures, plans, and public safety information is available in alternate formats when requested.
*Developing guidelines and best practices for creating accessible documents for standard desktop applications
*The Forest Hill Group has established accessible means of communication for all staff and clients to raise issues through its Open-Door Policy protocols. Staff can contact our human resource department verbally through telephone, or they may speak directly to any member of management. Alternatively, clients or staff may contact us in writing through email or letter.
SERVICE ANIMALS
An animal is qualified to be a service animal if it is readily apparent the person uses the animal for reasons relating to their disability, whereas a service animal accompanies a person with a disability. The Forest Hill will ensure that our staff dealing with the public are adequately trained to interact with people with disabilities accompanied by a service animal where service animals are not clearly identified.
Actions planned:
Our existing accommodation policies will be reviewed regularly, and procedures may be updated to facilitate the process as needed.
SUPPORT PERSON
The Forest Hill Group employees will allow any support person to enter the property.
NOTICE OF TEMPORARY DISRUPTION
The Forest Hill Group will notify all staff and clients if there is an unexpected disruption of a service that persons with disabilities use to access its services. The notice will be posted in a conspicuous location at any of the condominiums we service and will also be posted on the company website.
TRAINING
The Forest Hill Group will provide accessibility training to its staff on Ontario’s accessibility laws and Human Rights Code related to disabled persons. The Forest Hill Group has taken the following steps to ensure all staff are provided with AODA Customer Service Standards training:
*All customer-facing Ontario staff received and acknowledged AODA Customer Service Standards training through The Forest Hill Group training module.
*All new hires receive training.
*Training also provided to Client Service Managers, Recruiters, Scheduling Managers, and The Forest Hill Group Support staff.
Sensitivity awareness is discussed with all employees on a yearly basis through our Standard of Conduct training sessions. This training covers topics on creating a respectful workplace and discusses inclusion and acceptance in accordance with the Human Rights Code.
Actions planned:
Whenever an amendment is made the policies, forms and training will be reviewed and updated as needed.
RECRUITMENT
The Forest Hill Group shall notify all employees, staff and the public regarding our accommodation policies and the availability of accommodations for applicants with disabilities throughout the selection process. If a selected applicant requests accommodation, The Forest Hill Group shall consult with the applicant and provide or arrange for a suitable accommodation that considers the applicant’s disability.
Actions planned:
Training will be provided to all management and recruiters.