Commitment to Accessibility

Local Staffing is fully committed to our obligations under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA). We believe that accessible services directly contribute to the success of our business and will do all we can to foster a culture of accessibility within our organization.

We recognize that people with disabilities all face unique barriers depending on their situation. In this policy we will establish best practices based on the principals of independence, dignity, integration, and equality of opportunity which will reduce or eliminate barriers faced by people with disabilities. Where barriers cannot be eliminated Local Staffing will work on a case-by-case basis to provide solutions and make our services accessible.

We will work to ensure that persons with disabilities are communicated with in a manner that considers the needs of the individual. We will be open to feedback on our accessibility practices we will continually review and update our program in order to ensure our services are available to all Ontarians.

Local Staffing further understands that obligations under the AODA do not substitute or limit our obligations under the Ontario Human Rights Code or obligations to people with disabilities under any other law.

Support Persons and Service Animals

Some people with disabilities rely on support persons or service animals to help them overcome barriers. In providing our services, Local Staffing will not restrict a person’s access to support persons or service animals. Likewise, we will never require accompaniment by a support person or service animal as a condition of service.

In the case of support animals, Local Staffing reserves the right to request documentation from a regulated health professional that proves a need for the support animal. This will be done on a case-by-case basis, and only when there is reason to doubt the animal’s support status.

Assistive Devices

Local Staffing understands that many people living with disabilities use assistive devices to help them overcome barriers they face in their work and life. Assistive devices come in all shapes and sizes. They may be physical objects that aid in mobility such as a wheelchair, they could be small devices such as hearing aids, or they could be intangible such as specialized screen reading software.

Individuals are welcome to supply any personal assistive devices they require in order to overcome barriers to accessing our services. Our representatives will be trained to recognize assistive devices and accessibility supports. Local Staffing will not limit a person’s access to personal assistive devices, unless they present a legitimate health and safety concern. In these rare cases we will work with the individual on a case-by-case basis to find an alternative solution and make our services accessible.  

Notification of Disruption of Services

If circumstances cause a disruption of our services, we will notify the public in two ways. A notice posted on the main page of our website will explain the nature of the disruption and mentions an expected timeframe for a return of service. Clients with active appointments will be notified of the disruption directly by their Local representative, who can then work with the client to address accessibility barriers and propose a solution.

Accessibility Feedback

Local Staffing will always welcome feedback which helps us identify barriers and improve the accessibility of our services. We accept accessibility feedback online here, in writing by filling out our accessibility feedback form which can be provided by any Local representative upon request, and/or in interview with a member of Local’s team.

We take accessibility feedback seriously. If a person completing the feedback form opts to be contacted a Local representative will contact them within 48 business hours of receipt of the feedback to address accessibility barriers noted in the feedback and attempt to find a solution. We will periodically review accessibility feedback in order to identify recurring barriers and determine measures to minimize or eliminate them.          

Recruiting and Onboarding

When hiring Local Staffing will provide accommodations to persons with disabilities, giving equal opportunity to all applicants who make their requirements known. We will disclose this in all public job advertisements by including the following paragraph at the base of the advertisement:

“We are an inclusive and equal opportunity employer committed to providing accommodations for applicants upon request at any stage of the recruitment process in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and the Ontario Human Rights Code. All applicants must make their requirements known when contacted.”

When hiring individuals with disabilities we will work with them to prepare individualized accommodation plans. These plans will cover any accommodations the individual may require including affordances, assistive devices, scheduling requirements, and/or special emergency/evacuation procedures.

More information regarding preparing and managing individual accommodation plans will be covered in the Employee Management Policy section of this guide.     

Internal Accessibility Training Program

In support of our effort to improve the accessibility of our services we have implemented a staff training program. All members of our team, including assignment employees, recruiters, supervisors, managers, and company owners will receive in-house AODA & Accessibility Awareness training which covers:

• The purpose of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (ADOA)

• The major requirements of the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (IASR)

• How to address people with disabilities in a way that follows from the guiding principles

• How to interact with persons using assisted devices

• How to interact with persons using support animals/support persons

• What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty in accessing Local Staffing’s goods, services, or facilities.

We have also implemented a training program that instructs team members in the specifics of Local Staffing’s Accessibility policy. This includes how to provide documents in accessible formats when requested, how to obtain and analyze accessibility feedback, and how to accommodate persons with disabilities when advertising, interviewing, and onboarding new employees.

Limitations of our Facility

Our office should be accessible to most Ontarians. However, we understand that everyone’s situation is different. When individuals are unable to access our facilities, we encourage them to contact us and help us understand what accommodations they require. Local Staffing will work with the individual to determine a plan that ensures they can access our services. For example, we may agree to meet in an accessible public location, or agree to teleconference, etc.