AODA

This 2014 – 2023 accessibility plan (AODA) outlines the policies and actions that Stitch It Canada’s Tailor Inc. will put in place to improve opportunities for people with disabilities.

STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT

Stitch It Canada’s Tailor Inc. is committed to treating all people 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 people with disabilities in a timely manner, and will do so by preventing and removing barriers to accessibility and meeting accessibility requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

Stitch It is committed to providing accommodations in the application and recruitment process. If you require an accommodation in the application process or need job postings in an alternative format, please email your request to careers@stitchit.com.

Stitch It is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

ACCESSIBLE EMERGENCY INFORMATION

Stitch It Canada’s Tailor Inc. is committed to providing the customers and clients with publicly available emergency information in an accessible way upon request. We will also provide employees with disabilities individualized emergency response information when necessary.

PROCURING OR ACQUIRING GOOD OR SERVICES, OR FACILITIES

Stitch It Canada’s Tailor Inc. will incorporate accessibility criteria and features when procuring or acquiring goods, services or facilities. The only exception is in cases where it is impractical to do so.

TRAINING

Stitch It Canada’s Tailor Inc. will provide training to employees, volunteers, and other staff members on Ontario Accessibility laws and on the Human Rights Code as it relates to the people with disabilities. Training will be provided in a way that best suits the duties of employees, volunteers and other staff members.

Stitch It Canada’s Tailor Inc. will ensure employees are provided with the training needed to meet Ontario’s accessible laws by January 1, 2015.

SELF-SERVICE KIOSK

Stitch It Canada’s Tailor Inc. will ensure employees consider the needs of people with disabilities when designing, procuring, or acquiring self-service kiosks by January 1, 2014.

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS

Stitch It Canada’s Tailor Inc. is committed to meeting the communication needs of people with disabilities. We will consult with people with disabilities to determine their information and communication needs.

Accessible Websites and Web Content

Stitch It Canada’s Tailor Inc. will take the following steps to make all new websites and content on those sites conform with WCAG2.0, Level AA by January 1, 2014 by working with our website developer to ensure that all new content meets requirements.

Feedback

Stitch It Canada’s Tailor Inc. will take the following steps to make sure existing feedback processes are accessible to people with disabilities upon request by January 1, 2015. – modifying email communications using third party providers that are AODA compliant – Ensuring our customer service phone line is accessible

Stitch It Canada’s Tailor Inc. will take the following steps to make sure all publicly available information is made accessible upon request by January 1, 2016. Stitch It will develop a process that directs requests for accessible formats and information to a designated individual/department.

Stitch It Canada’s Tailor Inc. will take the following steps to make all websites and content conform with WCAG2.0, Level AA by January 1, 2021 by working with our website developer to ensure that all new content meets requirements.

EMPLOYMENT

Stitch It Canada’s Tailor Inc. is committed to fair and accessible employment practices.

We will take the following steps to notify the public and staff that, when requested, Stitch It Canada’s Tailor Inc. will accommodate people with disabilities during the recruitment and assessment processes and when people are hired.

Recruitment, Assessment or Selection Process

During a recruitment process, Stitch It Canada’s Tailor Inc. Shall notify job applicants, when they are individually selected to participate in an assessment or selection process that accommodations are available upon request in relation to the materials or processes to be used.

If a selected applicant requests an accommodation, Stitch It Canada’s Tailor Inc. shall 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 needs due to disability.

Documented Individual Accommodation Plan

Stitch It Canada’s Tailor Inc. will develop and have in place written processes for documenting individual accommodation plans for employees with disabilities. The process for the development of these accommodation plans should include specific elements, including: – The ways in which the employee can participate in the development of the plan; – The means by which the employees is assessed on an individual bases; – The ways an employee can request an evaluation by an outside medical expert, or other experts (at the employer’s expense) to determine if accommodation can be achieved, or how it can be achieved; – The steps taken to protect the privacy of the employee’s personal information; – The frequency with which the individual accommodation plan should be reviewed or updated, determined, and how it should be done; – The means of providing the accommodation plan in an accessible format, based on the employee’s accessibility needs.

Return to Work and Redeployment

Stitch It Canada’s Tailor Inc. will develop and have return to work processes in place for  employees who are absent from work due a disability and require disability-related accommodations in order to return to work. Stitch It Canada’s Tailor Inc. will document these processes. The return to work process will include an outline of the steps Stitch It Canada’s Tailor Inc. will take to facilitate the employee’s return to work and use documented individual accommodation plans. Stitch It Canada’s Tailor Inc. will take into account the accessibility needs of its employees with disabilities when using redeployment processes.

Performance Management

Any department within Stitch It Canada’s Tailor Inc. that utilizes performance management tools, or provides career development and advancement to their employees, must respect the accessibility needs of the employees with disabilities when developing these processes. Every department within Stitch It Canada’s Tailor Inc. must provide a tailored workplace emergency response plan or information for employees with disabilities, if their disability makes it necessary.

DESIGN OF PUBLIC SPACES

Stitch It Canada’s Tailor Inc. will meet the Accessibility Standards for the Design of Public Spaces when building or making major modifications to public spaces.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

For more information on this accessibility plan,

Please contact Human Resources at 905-335-0922 Ext 231 or 236 or contact us.