Information and Communications, Employment

Introduction

The following policy has been established by Home Hardware Stores Limited, and applies to the corporation only, to govern the provision of services with Regulation 191/11, "Integrated Accessibility Standards" ("Regulation") under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. For Individual store policies, please see the Note at the end of this policy.

These standards are developed to break down barriers and increase accessibility for persons with disabilities in the areas of information and communications and employment. Home Hardware is governed by this policy as well as the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service Policy and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 in meeting the accessibility needs of persons with disabilities.

1. COMMITMENT

Home Hardware Stores Limited is committed to treating all persons in a way that allows them to maintain their dignity and independence. We believe in integration and equal opportunity. We are committed to meeting the needs of persons with disabilities in a timely manner, and will do so by preventing and removing barriers to accessibility and meeting accessibility requirements where possible under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

This policy will be implemented in accordance with the time frames established by the Regulation.

2. ACCESSIBILITY PLAN

Home Hardware will develop, maintain and document an Accessibility Plan outlining Home Hardware's strategy to prevent and remove barriers from its workplace and to improve opportunities for persons with disabilities.

The Accessibility Plan will be reviewed and updated at least once every five years, and will be posted on the company's website. Upon request we will provide a copy of the Accessibility Plan in an accessible format.

3. SELF-SERVICE KIOSKS

Home Hardware will have consideration for accessibility when designing, procuring or acquiring our self-serve kiosks to better serve persons with disabilities.

4. TRAINING EMPLOYEES AND VOLUNTEERS

Home Hardware will ensure that training is provided on the requirements of the accessibility standards referred to in the Regulation and will provide training on the Human Rights Code as it pertains to persons with disabilities, to:

• all its employees and volunteers;
• all persons who participate in developing Home Hardware's policies; and,
• all other persons who provide goods, services or facilities on behalf of Home Hardware.

The training will be appropriate to the duties of the employees, volunteers and other persons. Employees will be trained when changes are made to the accessibility policy. New employees will be trained as soon as practicable. Home Hardware will keep a record of the training it provides.

5. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS STANDARDS

Feedback
Home Hardware will continue to ensure that its process for receiving and responding to feedback is accessible to persons with disabilities by providing, or arranging for the provision of, accessible formats and communications supports, upon request.

Accessible Formats and Communication Supports
Upon request, Home Hardware will provide, or will arrange for the provision of accessible formats and communication supports for persons with disabilities in a timely manner that takes into account the person's accessibility needs due to disability.

Home Hardware will consult with the person making the request in determining the suitability of an accessible format or communication support.

Home Hardware will also notify the public about the availability of accessible formats and communication supports.

Accessible Websites and Web Content
Home Hardware will ensure that our Internet websites, including web content, conform to the World Wide Web Consortium Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, at Level AA except where this is impracticable.

6. EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS

Recruitment
Home Hardware will notify its Staff Members and the public about the availability of accommodation for applicants with disabilities in its recruitment process.

Recruitment, Assessment or Selection Process
Home Hardware will notify job applicants, when they are individually selected to participate further in an assessment or selection process that accommodations are available upon request throughout the Recruitment Process.

If a selected applicant requests an accommodation, Home Hardware will consult with the applicant and provide, or arrange for the provision of, a suitable accommodation in a manner that takes into account the applicant's accessibility needs.

Notice to Successful Applicants
When making offers of employment, Home Hardware will notify the successful applicant of its policies for accommodating employees with disabilities.

Informing Staff Members of Supports
Home Hardware will continue to inform its Staff Members of its policies (and any updates to those policies) used to support Staff Members with disabilities, including policies on the provision of job accommodations that take into account a Staff Member's accessibility needs due to disability. This information will be provided to new Staff Members as soon as practicable after commencing employment.

Accessible Formats and Communication Supports for Employees
Upon the request of a Staff Member with a disability, Home Hardware will consult with the Staff Member to provide, or arrange for the provision of, accessible formats and communication supports for information that is needed to perform his/her job, and information that is generally available to other Staff Members.

Workplace Emergency Response Information
Home Hardware will provide individualized workplace emergency response information to Staff Members who have a disability, if the disability is such that the individualized information is necessary, and if Home Hardware is aware of the need for accommodation due to the Staff Members' disability. Home Hardware will provide this information as soon as practicable after becoming aware of the need for accommodation.

Where the Staff Member requires assistance, Home Hardware will, with the consent of the Staff Member, provide the workplace emergency response information to the person(s) designated by Home Hardware to provide assistance to the Staff Member.

Home Hardware will review the individualized workplace emergency response information when the Staff Member moves to a different location in the organization, when the Staff Member's overall accommodations needs or plans are reviewed.

Documented Individual Accommodation Plans
Home Hardware will maintain a written process for the development of documented individual accommodation plans for Staff Member's with disabilities.

If requested, information regarding accessible formats and communications supports provided will also be included in individual accommodation plans.

In addition, the plans will include individualized workplace emergency response information (where required), and will identify any other accommodation that is to be provided.

Return to Work Process
Home Hardware maintains a documented return to work process for its Staff Members who have been absent from work due to a disability and who require accommodations in order to return to work.

The return to work process outlines the steps Home Hardware will take to facilitate the return to work and will include documented individual accommodation plans as part of the process.

This return to work process will not replace or override any other return to work process created by or under any other statute.

Performance Management, Career Development and Advancement & Redeployment
Home Hardware will take into account the accessibility needs of Staff Members with disabilities, as well as individual accommodation plans, when conducting performance management, providing career development and advancement to Staff Members, or when redeploying Staff Members.

Questions about this policy
This policy has been developed, for corporate use, to break down barriers and increase accessibility for persons with disabilities in the areas of information and communications and employment. For more information, or to request this policy in an alternate format please click here to contact us by email.

A NOTE ABOUT OUR DEALERS

Home Hardware, Home Hardware Building Centres, Home Building Centres and Home Furniture stores are owned and operated by a member of your community. If you have a question about accessibility relating to your relationship with one of our Stores, please contact the Store directly. For a complete listing of our Stores and their phone numbers, please click here.