Accessible Customer Service Policy

Our Commitment

Weins Canada Inc. strives at all times to provide our goods and services in a way that respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities.

Our Commitment provides that all individuals shall have the same opportunity to access our goods and services, and benefit from the same services, in the same place and in a similar way.

Assistive Devices

Assistive technology is a term used to describe the various forms of devices such as assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative devices used to assist persons with disabilities. These devices are used to support the needs of the individual person and specific disability by enabling them to perform tasks that they may not have been able to accomplish formerly.

Examples of assistive devices include hearing aids, speech amplification devices, white canes, wheelchairs, screen readers, etc. Ontario Employers are not responsible for providing any assistive devices under the Customer Service Standard, but rather, are responsible for ensuring all employees are properly trained.

Weins Canada Inc. 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 and services. 

Communication

Accessible customer service requires employees to overcome and find ways around different barriers that customers may have.  Employers need to ensure that their employees are trained on how to successfully communicate with customers with disabilities to ensure accessible goods and services.

Weins Canada Inc.’s employees will communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disabilities.

Service Animals

With certain types of disabilities, an animal may be more of an assistive form of aid rather than a device. These services animals are trained to carry out certain tasks that help people with disabilities. There are three types of assistive animals that have been categorized by the international assistance animal community:

  1. Guide Animals: Used to guide the blind
  2. Hearing Animals: Used to help signal the hearing impaired
  3. Service Animals: Used to do work for persons with disabilities other than blindness or deafness

Under the Customer Service Standard, service animals must be allowed on parts of the workplace premises (excluding certain areas such as a kitchen).  Fines for denying a service animal access in areas for the general public can be up to $3000 in Ontario.

Weins Canada Inc. will welcome people with disabilities and their service animals into our workplace when it is readily apparent that the animal is used by the person for reasons relating to his or her disability or, if the person provides a letter from a regulated health care professional, confirming the need for a service animal for reasons relating to a disability.

Support Persons

Support persons are those that help persons with disabilities perform day to day tasks. Without support, the person may not be able to access your organization.  All support persons should be welcomed into the workplace.

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

Weins Canada Inc. may require a person with a disability to be accompanied by a support person when on premises, but only if a support person is necessary to protect the health or safety of the person with a disability or the health or safety of others on the premises.  We will consult with the person with a disability to understand their needs.

Notice of Temporary Disruption

In the event of a planned or unexpected disruption to services or facilities for customers with disabilities at Weins Canada Inc. will notify customers promptly. A clearly posted notice will include information about the reasons for the disruption, its anticipated length of time and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available. The notice will be posted at the point of service or facility disruption. 

Training

Under the Customer Service Standard all employees must be trained. Weins Canada Inc. will provide training to all employees, volunteers and others who deal with the public or other third parties on our behalf.

Our training will include:

  • An overview of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005
  • The requirements for the Customer Service Standard
  • How to interact with people with various types of disabilities
  • How to interact with people with disabilities who use an assistive device
  • How to interact with people who use the assistance of a service animal
  • How to interact with people who use a support person
  • How to use any equipment or devices available at your workplace to assist with providing goods or services to persons with disabilities
  • What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty accessing our organization’s goods or services

New employees will be trained within 12 months after being hired and retrained in the event that changes are made to the policy.

Feedback Process

A process must be established for receiving feedback on how companies will provide service to customers with disabilities, and how companies will respond back and take action on any complaints.

Weins Canada Inc.’s customers who wish to provide feedback on the way we provide goods, services or facilities to people with disabilities can provide feedback to the HR department via email at aoda@weinscanada.com, phone 905-475-1625 or mail 3120 Steeles Avenue East, Markham, ON, L3R 1G9. 

All feedback, including complaints, will be directed to the relevant General Manager and you can expect to hear back within ten (10) business days in the manner within which the feedback was originally communicated.

If you require accessible formats or communication supports to give or receive feedback, please notify us using the contact information listed above.

Availability of Documents

A copy of this policy is available in an accessible format or with communication support upon request.

Modifications to This or Other Policies:

Any policy of Weins Canada Inc.’s that does not respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities will be modified or removed.

Multi-year Accessibility Plan

The Weins Canada AODA Integrated Accessibility Standard Multi-year Plan can be found here