Accessibility Policy

The purpose of this Policy is to ensure that all employees, customers, and members of the community who are on Kira Systems’ premises or are using our services have full access to our facilities, services, and information.

The Ontario Human Rights Code defines disability as:

Any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement including, but 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;
• A condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability;
• A learning disability or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language;
• A mental disorder; or
• An injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety & Insurance Act, 1997.

The definition includes disabilities of different severity, visible as well as non-visible disabilities, and disabilities the effects of which may come and go. This is a broad definition, and one which we consider closely when educating our employees in the appropriate response to our customers.

There are many ways that persons with disabilities may require accommodations in the ability to access services. In each case, we will do our best to accommodate all needs, maintaining an environment that respects the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities.

As some of our business is conducted virtually or by phone, Kira Systems will need persons with disabilities to identify their needs for assistance. We may use alternate methods to provide services to customers with disabilities, but in each case, will work with the person to make sure their disability is taken into consideration.

Examples of Accommodations may include:

• Assistive Devices;
• Service Animals; and
• Support Persons

Assistive Devices

We recognize that some customers with disabilities use assistive devices in order to access or benefit from our services. A person with a disability may provide their own assistive device or such other reasonable alternative measure or accommodation that Kira Systems may propose for the purpose of obtaining, using and benefiting from the goods and services provided by Kira Systems.

Exceptions may occur in situations where it is determined that the assistive device may pose a risk to the health and safety of a person with a disability or the health and safety of others on the premises. In these situations, and others, we may offer a person with a disability other reasonable measures to assist him or her in obtaining, using and benefiting from our services. We will use our best efforts to accommodate all assistive devices or use alternate methods to enable services that take their disability in mind.

It should be noted that it is the responsibility of the person with a disability to ensure that his or her assistive device is operated in a safe and controlled manner at all times.

Service Animals

Kira Systems welcomes people with disabilities and their service animals. A person with disabilities may be accompanied by a guide dog or other service animal when on our premises. If access is required to a non-public area of Kira Systems, we will work with the person for the most suitable way to enable the person to obtain, use or benefit from the service.

In the event that it is not readily apparent that an animal is being used as a service animal for reason relating to the customer’s disability, we may request verification from the customer.

In the event a health and safety concerns presents itself, for example in the form of a severe allergy to the animal, we will make all reasonable efforts to meet the needs of all individuals.

Support Persons

Kira Systems recognizes that some individuals with disabilities rely on support persons for assistance while accessing services. In some cases, Kira Systems may require a person with a disability to be accompanied by a support person while on our premises in situations where it is necessary to protect the health and safety of the person with a disability or of others on the premises. A support person may be used for assistance with communication, mobility, personal care, or medical needs.

A person with disabilities who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed to enter into our premises together with the support person, in accordance with Kira Systems’ policies and procedures for security, and handling and disclosing confidential information.

All customer/client confidentiality requirements and practices will also apply to support persons. The support person may be required to execute a Non-Disclosure Agreement as part of this accommodation.

Kira Systems will make every effort to notify customers with disabilities of any planned or unexpected disruptions to our services or facilities. This notice will include information on the reasons for disruption, the expected length of the disruption and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available. There may be situations where advanced notice will not be possible.

Where practical, this information will be posted on the premises, our website, and customers with appointments will be contacted and informed of the disruption.

Training will be provided to all employees, volunteers/interns, and contractors who deal with the public or other third parties that act on behalf of Kira Systems in accordance with the requirements of AODA.

As required, the training will cover the following:

• A review of the purpose of AODA;
• The requirements of the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service (Ontario Regulation 429 / 07)
• How to interact and communicate with persons with various types of disabilities;
• Instruction on Kira Systems’ policies, procedures, and practices pertaining to the provision of goods and services to persons with disabilities;
• What to do if a person with a particular type of disability is having difficulty accessing our services;
• How to interact with persons with disabilities who use assistive devices or who require the assistance of a support person or service animal; and
• Instruction about the equipment or devices available on Kira Systems’ premises that may help with the provision of goods or services to persons with disabilities.

Kira Systems will provide training as soon as practicable to all current employees and will also include training as part our onboarding process with any new additions to the team and thereafter on an ongoing basis.

Revised training will be provided in the event of any changes to legislation, procedures and/or practices. We will also keep a record of training that includes the dates training was provided and the number of employees who completed the training.

We encourage all of our customers, employees, and members of the public to provide feedback on our services provided to customers with disabilities. Feedback may be submitted in the following ways:

Mail:

People Team
370 King St W #500, Toronto, ON M5V 1J9

Email:

accessibility@kirasystems.com

Phone:

416-900-6685

Additionally, Kira Systems has a process in which our customers may provide regular written and verbal feedback when interacting with any of our employees. This will be passed along to our Client Services Team for handling.

Alternate formats of our Accessibility Standards for Customer Service and our services are available upon request through any of the means noted above.

This Policy is effective immediately and may be amended from time to time in response to legislative changes that may occur. In the event of any changes, employees will be notified of any amendments to the Policy.

Scope

This policy applies to all employees, customers, and members of the community that are on Kira Systems’ premises. All Kira Systems employees, volunteers, interns, contractors and any other third parties that interact with customers are required to abide by this Policy.