Accessibility Policy

Accessibility Policy

Suzy’s Inc. (hereafter referred to as the “Company”) is committed to meeting its current and ongoing obligations under the Ontario Human Rights Code (the “Code”) and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) and its accessibility standards.

PURPOSE & SCOPE

1. To provide access to goods and services for individuals with disabilities, as defined under the Human Rights Code. The Human Rights Code definition of “disability” is:
   
   
   1. any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, a brain injury, any degree of paralysis, amputation, lack of physical co-ordination, blindness or visual impediment, deafness or hearing impediment, muteness or speech impediment, or physical reliance on a guide dog or other animal or on a wheelchair or other remedial appliance or device;
   2. a condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability;
   3. a learning disability, or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language;
   4. a mental disorder; or
   5. an injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act (“handicap”).
      
      
2. To communicate and respond to the needs of customers with disabilities and to provide excellent customer service.

PROVIDING GOODS AND SERVICES TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

COMMUNICATION

Employees will professionally interact and communicate with all people including those with various types of disabilities. In the event where communication is limited, employees will take the person’s disability into account and use different communication methods (i.e., if a customer is deaf, employees can use a pen and paper to communicate vs. speaking aloud) and provide alternate communication formats upon request. Where possible and necessary, employees will ask the customer how to best communicate with them.

SERVICE ANIMAL

A person with a disability is able to bring a service animal on Company premises and can keep the service animal with them, unless such animal is otherwise excluded by law from the premises. Employees should refrain from touching or addressing the service animal without permission. The management team member on duty is to make alternate arrangements for employees in case of allergies or phobias related to the service animal. Those alternate arrangements may include removing the employee from the immediate area until such time that the service animal has left the premises.

A service animal can be easily identified through visual indicators, such as when it wears a harness or a vest, or when it helps the person perform certain tasks. When we cannot easily identify that an animal is a service animal, employees may ask for documentation (template, letter or form) from a regulated health professional that confirms the person needs the service animal for reasons relating to their disability.

A regulated health professional is defined as a member of one of the following colleges:

• College of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists of Ontario
• College of Chiropractors of Ontario
• College of Nurses of Ontario
• College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario
• College of Optometrists of Ontario
• College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario
• College of Physiotherapists of Ontario
• College of Psychologists of Ontario
• College of Registered Psychotherapists and Registered Mental Health Therapists of Ontario

SUPPORT PERSONS

The Company will welcome persons who support a person with a disability to accompany the customer anywhere on our premises where the customer would otherwise be permitted. When assisting the customer with the disability, employees will speak directly to the customer and not the support person, unless necessary to accommodate the person with the disability.

ASSISTIVE DEVICES

Assistive devices used by a person with a disability will be welcome on Company premises that are open to the public. Examples of assistive devices include wheelchairs, canes, walkers, etc.

FEEDBACK SYSTEM

Our Company goal is to surpass all of our customers’ expectations and create a memorable shopping experience. Feedback and comments are always welcome and appreciated. Our Company feedback process is accessible to people with disabilities by providing or arranging for accessible formats and communication supports, on request.  The Customer Service Department will respond to all comments, inquiries and concerns, usually within 48 hours, through the following means:

Customer Service Hotline: Toll free: 1-844-416-7899

Email:

In store: sz_ops@suzyshier.ca

E-Commerce:

customerservice@suzyshier.ca

In writing:

Suzy’s Inc.

130 Orfus Rd. Suite 201, 2nd Floor

Toronto, ON

M6A 1L9

Customer Access to our Accessibility Policy:

Our Company notifies the public that documents related to accessible customer service, are available upon request by posting a notice in the following location(s)/way(s):

Will provide these documents in an accessible format or with communication support, on request. We will consult with the person making the request to determine the suitability of the format or communication support. We will provide the accessible format in a timely manner and, at no additional cost.  Customers requesting a copy of this policy are to be directed to our Customer Service Department either through email, phone, or in writing.

EMPLOYMENT

1. Recruitment

Suzy’s Inc. is committed to fair and accessible employment practices that attract and retain employees with disabilities. The Company will notify employees and the public about the availability of accommodation for applicants with disabilities in our recruitment process.

Recruitment, Assessment & Selection

The Company will notify job applicants in the selection process that accommodations are available upon request. If a selected applicant requests accommodation, the Company will consult with the applicant and arrange suitable accommodation based on the applicant’s accessibility needs.

Notice to Successful Candidates

When offers of employment are extended, the Company will notify successful candidates of its policies for accommodating employees with disabilities.

2. Informing Employees of Supports

The Company will notify all employees of policies that support employees with disabilities, including but not limited to policies on job accommodations that take into account an employee’s accessibility needs due to a disability.


In response to an employee’s request, the Company will, in consultation with the employee, provide or arrange for the provision of accessible formats and communication support for information required for the employee to perform their job and access information readily available to employees in the workplace.

3. Individualized Accommodation Plans / Return to Work Process

The Company will ensure that the process for the development of Individualized Accommodation Plans and the Return to Work Process includes the following:

• The manner in which an 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 the employer can request an evaluation by an outside medical or other expert, at the employer’s expense, to determine if and how accommodation is to be provided.
• The steps taken to protect the privacy of the employee’s personal information.
• The frequency with which the individual accommodation plan will be reviewed and updated and the manner in which it will be done.
• Provide the employee with the reasons for the denial if an individual accommodation plan is denied.
• The means of providing the individual accommodation plan in a format that takes into account the employee’s accessibility needs.
• The steps that will be taken to facilitate the employee’s return to work after a disability-related absence.

4. Performance Management, Career Development & Redeployment

The Company will take the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities and individual accommodation plans into account in all performance management and career development processes. The Company will also consider the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities when providing career development and advancement opportunities, including notification of the ability to provide accommodations on internal job postings. Where the Company redeploys an employee with a disability, the employee’s accessibility needs and individual accommodation plan will be taken into account to ensure accommodation needs are met.

5. Workplace Emergency Response Information

The Company will provide workplace emergency response information to employees with disabilities and, with the employee’s consent, to a designated employee or Human Resources to assist them. The Company will review the individualized workplace emergency response information:

• When the employee moves to a different location in the organization;
• When the employee’s overall accommodation needs or plans are reviewed; and
• When the employer reviews its general emergency response policies.

ACCESSIBILITY PLAN TRAINING

The Company provides training as soon as practicable to employees after being hired and training in respect of any policies changes. The Company maintains records of the training, including the dates on which the training was provided and the employees who participated in the training.

Training includes:

• purpose of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the requirements of the Customer Service Standards
• our policies related to the Customer Service Standards
• how to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities
• how to interact with people with disabilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a service animal or a support person
• what to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty in accessing our Company’s products.

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION STANDARD

The Company is committed to providing information and communication accessible to persons with disabilities. We will ensure that communication and information are accessible and are in accessible formats that meet the needs of persons with disabilities.

The Company has taken the following steps to ensure that all new websites and content conform to WCAG 2.0, Level A and WCAG 2.0, Level AA as of October 1, 2021.

• Ensure development of all new websites and content meet Information and Communication Standards under the regulation and that partnering individuals have expertise with such technology.
• Provide guidelines to all employees to ensure public documents and media are readily available upon request in accessible formats.

The Company has taken the following steps to ensure existing feedback processes are accessible to people with disabilities upon request and that all publicly available information is made accessible upon request.

• Ensure that existing and new processes of providing feedback are accessible to persons with disabilities by providing or arranging accessible formats upon request and within a timely manner.
• When requested by persons with disabilities, we will consult with the person making the request to determine the suitability of the accessible format or communication support, provide or arrange the accessible format or communication support within a timely manner that takes into account the person’s accessibility needs and notify the public about the availability of accessible formats and communication

EMPLOYMENT STANDARD

The Company is committed to fair and accessible employment practices. This includes providing accessibility across all stages of the employment cycle.

The Company has taken the following steps to notify the public and staff that, upon request, we will accommodate people with disabilities during the recruitment process.

• Review and if necessary, create modification to our current recruitment process.
• Specify that accommodation for persons with disabilities can be made available on our job postings and websites.
• Include that accommodation is available when scheduling an interview with persons with disabilities.
• If a selected candidate requests accommodation, consult with the applicant and arrange suitable accommodation in a manner that takes into account their accessibility needs.
  
  

The Company has taken the following steps to develop and implement a process for developing individual accommodation plans and return-to-work policies for employees who have been absent due to a disability.

• The employee may participate in the development of the plan and will be assessed on an individual basis.
• The Company reserves the right to request an evaluation to be completed by an outside medical expert, at the Company’s expense, to assist in determining if and how accommodation can be achieved.
• Outline the frequency in which the accommodation will be reviewed and provide reasons if accommodation is denied.
• Provide individual accommodation in a format that takes into consideration the employee’s accessible
  
  

We have taken the following steps to ensure the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities are taken into account when using the performance management process, career development and redeploying employees with disabilities.

• Review, assess, and if necessary, make modifications to current procedures and policies.
• Take the needs of employees with disabilities and if applicable, their individualized accommodation plans into account when reviewing performance, managing career development, and when redeployment is required.
  
  

The Company will provide individualized workplace emergency response information to employees who have a disability, if the disability is such that the individualized information is necessary, and if the Company is aware of the need for accommodation due to the employee’s disability. The Company will provide this information as soon as practicable after becoming aware of the need for accommodation. Where the employee requires assistance, the Company will, with the consent of the employee, provide the workplace emergency response information to the person designated by the Company to provide assistance to the employee.

The Company will review the individualized workplace emergency response information when the employee moves to a different location in the organization, when the employee’s overall accommodations needs or plans are reviewed and when the Company reviews its general emergency response practices.

DESIGN OF PUBLIC SPACES STANDARDS

The Company will meet the Accessibility Standards for the Design of Public Spaces when building or making modifications to public spaces which include service counters, fixed queuing lines and waiting areas.

The Company will put procedures in place to prevent service disruptions. In the event of a service disruption, we will notify the public of the service disruptions and alternatives available.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

For more information on this accessibility plan, please contact Human Resources at:

Phone:  416-789-6999 ext 2247

Email: hrhotline@suzyshier.ca

Website:  www.ym-inc.com

Accessible formats of this document are available upon request.

Document Management

Effective Date:	January 2014
Revision Date:	July 2021