Romet Limited Multi-year Accessibility Plan

INTRODUCTION AND STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT

In 2005, the government of Ontario passed the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (the “AODA”). It is the goal of the Ontario government to make Ontario accessible by 2025.  The Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulations (“IASR”) under the AODA require that Romet Limited establish, implement, maintain and document a multi-year accessibility plan which outlines the company’s strategy to prevent and remove barriers for persons with disabilities and to meet its requirements under the IASR.

Under the AODA, the following accessibility standards set certain requirements that are applicable to Romet Limited:

• Customer Service;
• Information and Communications;
• Employment; and
• Accessibility Standards for the Built Environment

This multi-year plan outlines Romet Limited’s strategy to prevent and remove barriers to address the current and future requirements of the AODA, and in order to fulfill Romet Limited’s commitment as outlined in the Romet Limited Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) Policy.

In accordance with the requirements set out in the IASR, Romet Limited will:

• Establish, review and update this plan in consultation with persons with disabilities;
• Post this plan on its website (www.rometlimited.com);
• Report as required on its website (www.rometlimited.com) on the progress of the implementation of this plan;
• Provide this plan in an accessible format, upon request; and
• Review and update this plan at least once every five years.

OVERVIEW

• Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulations
• Emergency Procedure, Plans or Public Safety Information
• Workplace Emergency Response Information
• Procuring or Acquiring Goods, Services or Facilities
• Training
• Information and Communication Standards
• Feedback, Accessible Formats and Communication Supports
• Accessible Websites and Web Content
• Employment Standards

 1.  Recruitment

 2.  Informing Employees of Supports

 3.  Documented Individual Accommodation Plans/Return to Work Process

 4.  Performance Management, Career Development and Redeployment

 5.  Accessibility Standards for the Built Environment

 CUSTOMER SERVICE STANDARDS

Commitment:

Since 2012, Romet Limited has been in compliance with the Accessible Customer Service Regulation under the AODA and will continue to comply with the Customer Service Standards under the IASR.

Romet Limited is committed to excellence in serving all customers, including persons with disabilities and it will carry out its functions in a manner which delivers an accessible customer service experience.

Romet Limited is committed to providing its goods and services in a way that respects the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities. This commitment will be integrated wherever possible and will ensure that persons with disabilities will benefit from the same services, in the same place and in a similar way as other customers.

Action Taken:

The following measures have been implemented by Romet Limited:

• Ensuring all persons who, on behalf of Romet Limited, deal with the public or other third parties, and all those who are involved in the development and approvals of customer service policies, practices and procedures, as well as all others providing services to our customers, are trained to communicate and provide the best possible customer service to all customers, including persons with disabilities;
• Ensuring such persons are trained and familiar with various assistive devices that may be used by customers with disabilities who are accessing Romet Limited’s goods or services;
• Ensuring completion of accessibility training is tracked and recorded;
• Providing accessible service to customers, offering to communicate with customers in various ways to meet what is suitable to their needs;
• Ensuring customers accompanied by a guide dog or other service animal in areas of Romet Limited open to the public and other third parties, are accommodated;
• Ensuring that if a person with a disability is accompanied by a support person, the support person is accommodated.  If the support person is assisting the customer participating in a Romet Limited event or program, but that person is not participating in the event/program on his or her own behalf, the support person is not charged a fee to attend the event/program;
• Providing the public with notice in the event of a planned or unexpected disruption of service or inaccessibility of facilities used by persons with disabilities, by placing such notices at all public entrances on Romet Limited premises. If the disruption is long-term, Romet Limited posts an announcement on its website informing customers of the location, duration of the disruption and alternate solutions;
• Continuing to welcome and appreciate feedback from persons with disabilities through multiple communication channels;
• An “Accessibility” tab has been added to the Resources section of the website www.rometlimited.com, to communicate Romet Limited’s accessible customer service policy; and
• Reporting compliance with the customer service standard to www.ontario.ca every three (3) years.

Required legislative compliance: January 1, 2012
Completion date: January 1, 2012

INTEGRATED ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS REGULATIONS

EMERGENCY PROCEDURE, PLANS OR PUBLIC SAFETY INFORMATION

Commitment:

Romet Limited is committed to providing and maintaining premises that respect the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities.

Action Taken:

The following measures were implemented by Romet Limited effective January 1, 2012:

• Emergency procedures, plans and public safety information that are prepared by Romet Limited and made available to the public, will be made available in an accessible format or with appropriate communication supports, and upon request;
• For the purposes of this policy, "accessible formats" and "communications supports" are defined as follows:
• "accessible formats" may include, but are not limited to, large print, recorded audio and electronic formats, Braille and other formats usable by persons with disabilities;
• "communication supports" may include, but are not limited to, captioning, alternative and augmentative communication supports, plain language, sign language and other supports that facilitate effective communications.

Requests can be made using the following methods:

• Phone: 905-624-1591 or Toll-free 1-800-387-3201
• Mail: Attention Romet Limited - Accessible Customer Service 
  5030 Timberlea Blvd.
  Mississauga, Ontario CANADA
  L4W 2S5
• Website/Chat: www.rometlimited.com
• E-mail: romet@rometlimited.com
  (enter the word Accessibility in the subject line)
• Hours: Monday to Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Customers can expect a response from Romet Limited within five (5) business days, and Romet Limited will make reasonable efforts to provide a response in the same format that the feedback was received.

Required legislative compliance: January 1, 2012
Completion date: January 1, 2012

WORKPLACE EMERGENCY RESPONSE INFORMATION

Commitment:

Where Romet Limited is aware that an employee has a disability and that there is a need for accommodation, individualized workplace emergency response information will be provided to the employee as soon as practicable if such information is necessary given the nature of the employee’s disability.

Action Taken:

The following measures were implemented by Romet Limited;

• Individualized workplace emergency response information procedures have been developed for employees with disabilities, as required;
• Workplace Emergency Response Information forms have been prepared for employees who have disclosed a disability and who are being accommodated according to their disabilities;
• Where required, Romet Limited provides assistance to disabled employees, with the disabled employees’ prior consent, to help them evacuate the workplace in case of an emergency or disaster. These plans for providing assistance have been set out in individualized emergency plans for the employees;
• These individualized emergency plans have been communicated to the employees’ respective managers and safety personnel, on an ‘as needed’ basis;
• On an ongoing and regular basis, and as per the applicable terms of the IASR, Romet Limited will review and assess general workplace emergency response procedures and individualized emergency plans to ensure accessibility issues are addressed.

Required legislative compliance: January 1, 2012
Completion date: January 1, 2012

PROCURING OR ACQUIRING GOODS, SERVICES OR FACILITIES

Commitment:

Romet Limited is committed to incorporating accessibility criteria and features when procuring or acquiring goods, services or facilities, except where it is not practicable to do so.

Action Taken:

The following measures have been implemented by Romet Limited, effective January 1, 2013:

• Use accessibility criteria and features when procuring or acquiring goods, services or facilities, except where it is not practicable to do so;
• Where Romet Limited has decided that it is not practicable to incorporate accessibility criteria and features, it will provide an explanation upon request;
• Provide educational awareness and tools to internal stakeholders and communication to external stakeholders, informing on changes to procurement procedures and purchasing criteria.

Required legislative compliance: January 1, 2015
Completion date: January 1, 2015

TRAINING

Commitment:

Romet Limited is committed to implementing a process to ensure that all employees, volunteers, third-party contractors who provide goods, services and facilities on Romet Limited’s behalf, and persons participating in the development and approval of Romet Limited’s policies, are provided with appropriate training on the requirements of the IASR and on the Ontario Human Rights Code as it pertains to persons with disabilities, and are provided with such training as soon as practicable.

Action Taken:

The following measures have been implemented by Romet Limited, effective January 1, 2015 the following:

• Establish an internal committee with the responsibility for developing appropriate training;
• Determine and ensure that appropriate training on the requirements of the IASR and on the Ontario Human Rights Code as it pertains to persons with disabilities, is provided to all employees, volunteers, contract employees and temporary staff who work within the facility and on Romet Limited’s behalf, and persons participating in the development and approval of Romet Limited’s policies;
• Ensure that the training is provided to persons referenced above as soon as practicable;
• Keep and maintain a record of the training provided, including the dates that the training was provided and the number of individuals to whom it was provided;
• Ensure that training is provided on any changes to the prescribed policies on an ongoing basis.
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Required legislative compliance: January 1, 2015
Completion date: January 1, 2015

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION STANDARDS

Commitment:

Romet Limited is committed to making company information and communications accessible to persons with disabilities. Romet Limited will incorporate new accessibility requirements under the information and communication standard to ensure that its information and communications systems and platforms are accessible and are provided in accessible formats that meet the needs of persons with disabilities.

1. Feedback, Accessible Formats and Communication Supports

Action Taken:

The following measures were implemented by Romet Limited, effective January 1, 2015;

• Ensure that existing and new processes for receiving and responding to feedback are accessible to persons with disabilities by providing or arranging for the provision of accessible formats and communication supports, upon request and in a timely manner;
• More broadly, as a general principle where accessible formats and communication supports for persons with disabilities are requested:
• Provide or arrange for the provision of such accessible formats and communication supports;
• Consult with the person making the request to determine the suitability of the accessible format or communication support;
• Provide or arrange for the provision of accessible formats and communication supports in a timely manner that considers the person’s accessibility needs due to disability, and at a cost no more than the regular cost charged to other persons;
• Notify the public as needed or upon request about the availability of accessible formats and communication supports.

Required legislative compliance: January 1, 2021

Completion date: January 1, 2021

2. Accessible Websites and Web Content

Accomplishments to Date:

• Visitors to Romet Limited’s public website www.rometlimited.com may access and navigate the website features, if the customer(s) have dexterity challenges or reading challenges related to a variety of disabilities.
• New website content is coded in a compliant function, for example, readers with the inclusion of descriptive alt tags on all links and images directed through the site-map page;
• Adoption of standards in Internet technology to ensure the website is compatible with the above-mentioned tools and have moved away from non-W3C formats (World Wide Web Compliant) to more flexible Internet rich media in the website implementations;
• AODA compliance is included as one of the criteria in selecting technology vendors for new website development initiatives.
• Ensure development of its next generation digital platform for public websites, mobile applications, in-store media and information technology infrastructure meet AODA Information and Communication Standards and that partnering vendors have necessary expertise with such technology;
• Use guiding principles in the development of new corporate intranet applications as outlined by the Ontario Government’s new Online Design Program standard, which specifies compliance with international accessibility guidelines, W3C WCAG 2.0;
• Follow the mandated Accessibility Directorate of Ontario (ADO) guidelines and Province of Ontario I&IT solutions that support obligated Private Sector and Broader Public Sector organizations in compliance initiatives;
• Provide guidelines to all staff to ensure public documents and media are readily available in alternate accessible formats; and
• Expand company awareness of requirements for compliance with Information and Communication Standards of AODA.

Required legislative compliance: January 1, 2016
Completion date: January 1, 2016

EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS

1. Recruitment

Romet Limited is committed to fair and accessible employment practices that attract and retain employees with disabilities. This includes providing accessibility across all stages of the employment cycle.

• A review and, as necessary, modification of existing recruitment policies, procedures and processes;
• Providing accommodation to applicants with disabilities;
• Working with suppliers to ensure external Web pages are compliant with the Information and Communication Standards under the IASR’s requirements;
• A review and, as necessary, modification of existing recruitment policies, procedures and processes;
• Inclusion of availability of accommodation notice during the interview and/or assessment process;
• If a selected applicant requests an accommodation, consult with the applicant and arrange for provision of suitable accommodations in a manner that considers the applicant’s accessibility needs due to disability.
• Inclusion of notification of Romet’s policy on accommodating employees with disabilities during the offer of employment process.

2. Informing Employees of Supports

In accordance with the IASR, Romet Limited will inform all employees of policies that support employees with disabilities, including, but not limited to, policies on the provision of job accommodations that take consider an employee’s accessibility needs due to a disability.

3. Documented Individual Accommodation Plans/Return to Work Process

Romet Limited will incorporate new accessibility requirements under the IASR to ensure that barriers in accommodation and return to work processes are eliminated and corporate policies surrounding accommodation and return to work are followed, where applicable:

• Romet Limited’s existing policies include steps that Romet Limited will take to accommodate an employee with a disability and to facilitate an employee’s return to work after absenteeism due to disability.
• Romet Limited will review and assess the existing policies to ensure that they include a process for the development of documented individual accommodation plans for employees with a disability, if such plans are required.
• Include in the process the manner in which the employee requesting accommodation can participate in the development of the plan;
• Include in the process the means by which the employee is assessed on an individual basis;
• Include in the process the manner in which Romet Limited can request an evaluation by an outside medical or other expert, at Romet Limited’s expense, to assist Romet Limited in determining if and how accommodation can be achieved;
• Steps are in place to protect the privacy of the employee’s personal information;
• Outline the frequency in which individual accommodation plans will be reviewed and updated and the manner in which this will be done;
• Provide the employee with the reasons for the denial if an individual accommodation plan is denied;
• Include in the process the means of providing the individual accommodation plan in a format that considers the employee’s accessibility needs;
• Information that is needed in order to perform the employee’s job;
• Information that is generally available to employees in the workplace.

Romet Limited will ensure that the return to work process as set out in its existing policies outlines the steps Romet Limited will take to facilitate the employee’s return to work after a disability-related absence, outlines the development of a written individualized return to work plan for such employees, and requires the use of individual accommodation plans, as discussed above, in the return to work process.

4. Performance Management, Career Development and Redeployment

Romet Limited will take into account the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities, as well as individual accommodation plans:

• When using its performance management process in respect of employees with disabilities;
• When providing career development and advancement to its employees with disabilities;
• When redeploying employees with disabilities.
• Review, assess and, as necessary, modify existing policies, procedures and practices to ensure compliance with the IASR;
• Take the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities and, as applicable, their individualized accommodation plans, into account when:
• Assessing performance
• Managing career development and advancement
• Redeployment is required
• Take into account the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities when providing career development and advancement to its employees with disabilities;
• Take into account the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities when redeploying employees, including review and, as necessary, modification of employee transfer checklist.
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Required legislative compliance: January 1, 2017
Completion date: September 1, 2018

DESIGN OF PUBLIC SPACES STANDARDS (ACCESSIBILITY FOR THE BUILT ENVIRONMENTS)



Romet Limited is committed to designing public spaces that are free from barriers and accessible to all persons we serve while undertaking new construction or planned significant alterations.

• Romet Limited planned and met the AODA Design of Public Spaces Standards (Accessibility Standards for the Built Environment) when undertaking the move to our new facility September 1, 2018.