Premier’s Accessibility Multi-Year Plan and Policy

1. Definitions:

Every person has a right to dignity in the workplace and equitable employment practices and accessibility.  Employment equity and accessibility means fairness in terms of equal access and equal opportunity for everyone, with no one denied employment opportunities or benefits for reasons unrelated to ability. We are committed to providing an accessible environment with allows all individual to have equal access to Premier, for all employees, customers, vendors and all of our partners.

Disability

In accordance with Human Rights legislation, a disability is defined as follows:

a)     Any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfiguration caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness and includes but is not limited to:

• • Diabetes mellitus;
  • Epilepsy;
  • A brain injury;
  • Any degree of paralysis;
  • Amputation;
  • Lack of physical coordination;
  • Blindness or visual impediment;
  • Deafness or hearing impediment;
  • Muteness or speech impediment; or
  • Physical reliance of a guide dog or other animal, or on a wheelchair or other remedial appliance or device.

b)     A condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability;
c)     A learning disability, or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language;
d)     A mental disorder; or
e)     An injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997.

Barrier

A barrier is anything that prevents a person with a disability from fully taking part in society because of that disability. Some barriers include:

• • Physical barriers (e.g. a step at the entrance to the building or a door that is too heavy to be opened by an individual with limited upper body mobility and strength)
  • Architectural barriers (e.g. A hallway or door that is too narrow for a wheelchair or scooter)
  • Information or communication barriers (e.g. a publication that is not available in large print)
  • Attitudinal barriers (e.g. assuming people with a disability cannot perform a certain task when in fact they can or ignoring a customer in a wheelchair)
  • Technological barriers (e.g. a website that is not accessible for people who require the use of screen readers)
  • Barriers created by policies or practices (e.g. Not allowing animals on the premises, excluding or removing individuals who require the use of service animals)

2. Purpose:

We are committed to ensuring accessibility for persons with disabilities by identifying, removing and preventing barriers to promote the rights of all persons.  To build and create an inclusive and accessible working environment in accordance with the requirements of all Human Rights legislation and other federal and provincial legislation. As legislation changes and develops, Premier will review, and change as necessary, its policies, practices and procedures to reflect any changes made in legislation.

Premier will endeavor to take the following steps:

• • Identification of Barriers
  • Removal of Identified Barriers
  • Prevention of Barriers
  • Increase Awareness of Accessibility Initiatives at all levels of the organization
  • Promotion of compliance policies and procedures with respect to accessibility to both staff and clients

3. Scope:

This Policy applies to all Premier employees whether full time, part time or contract and all of our customers, vendors and partners.

4. Policy:

Premier will revise and update policy and procedure guidelines on an ongoing basis in the following areas:

• • Recruiting ‐ Hiring procedures will be reviewed and regularly evaluated to ensure that selection criteria do not inappropriately limit job opportunities for any prospective employee.
  • Training ‐ All qualified employees will be encouraged to take advantage of training and development initiatives.
  • Career Development ‐ efforts will be made to inform employees of career opportunities within Premier and related requirements.
  • Compensation ‐ Total compensation will be reviewed to ensure that job evaluation criteria and salary and benefit structures are equitable measures of job worth and that promotions and rewards are based on qualifications and merit.
  • Working Environment ‐ reasonable physical accommodation will be provided to enable qualified handicapped people to become part of Premier and to achieve satisfactory job performance.

Premier will take the following steps to act on its commitment and concern:

• • communicate this policy, and programs to all employees, including managerial personnel,
  • examine and alter as necessary any policies and practices that have the result of unreasonably preventing or limiting the provision of equality in employment in hiring, promotion, remuneration, training or working conditions;
  • recognize, in addition to educational qualifications, other forms of training and skills gained through experience and records of accomplishment in other endeavours;
  • monitor documents and other communications to ensure that they are free of discriminatory language and sex‐role or other stereotyping;
  • foster and endorse attitudes and behaviour that advance employment equity.
  • accommodate the use of service animals by person with disabilities
  • ensure that support persons are permitted to enter the premises to support persons with disabilities

Premier is committed to meeting the communication needs of people with disabilities. Those individuals with disabilities can consult with Premier’s Management to determine how we can best meet their information and communication needs:

• • ensures all websites conform to WCAG 2.0., Level A. While we do our best to ensure documents in other formats (such as PDF) are also accessible, this is not feasible in all cases. In these instances, we will consult with the individual making the request to find an alternate solution that takes their disability into consideration.
  • we periodically review and monitor the navigational experience for those with disabilities needs and make adjustments accordingly.

Premier will endeavor to meet the Accessibility Standards for the Design of Public Spaces when building or making major modifications to public spaces, including:

• • Sidewalks, ramps, stairs, curb ramps, etc.;
  • Accessible off-street parking; and
  • Service counters and waiting areas