Accessibility Plan for Ontarians and Manitobans
Multi-year accessibility plan
Bentley strives to meet the needs of its employees and customers with disabilities and is working to remove and prevent barriers to accessibility. Bentley is committed to filling requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians and Manitobans with Disabilities Act. Our accessibility plan presents the steps that our organization is taking to meet these requirements. We will provide a written statement that confirms that alternative format of our Multi-Year Accessibility Plan is available upon request.
Past Achievements to Remove and Prevent Barriers
Topic: Accessibility Standards for Customer Service
compliance date: January 1, 2012
Commitment:
Bentley strives to provide and is committed to give the best customer service to all customers including those with disabilities.
Strategies and actions taken:
The following measures have been implemented and are continuing to be implemented by Bentley.
- Bentley ensures all staff are trained with various assistive devices that may be used by customers with disabilities.
- Vision Loss: Bentley has implemented a standard practice to describe to customers the goods if they are unable to view.
- Deaf or hard of hearing: Bentley has established a practice of repeating, communicating more clearly to customers upon request.
- Intellectual/Development disability: Bentley uses plain language and avoids technical language when communicating.
- Physical Disability: Bentley has reduced the stock level and made sure the aisles are not obstructed. The cash area being accessible to accommodate wheelchairs. The monthly store inspection check list has been revised (aisles and passageways checkpoints).
- Speech Impairment: Bentley employees are required to have paper and pen to communicate through note writing when requested.
Integrated accessibility standards
Bentley is committed to ensuring equal access and participation for people with disabilities. We are committed to treating people with disabilities in a way that allows them to maintain their dignity and independence.
Topic: Feedback, Accessible Formats and Communication Supports
compliance date: November 6, 2015
Commitment:
Bentley is committed to making company information and communications accessible to persons with disabilities. Bentley will incorporate new accessibility requirements under the information and communication standard to ensure that its information are accessible and are provided in accessible formats that meet the needs of persons with disabilities.
Strategies and actions:
In accordance with the IASR (Sections 11), Bentley as follows:
• Ensure that existing and new processes for receiving and responding to feedback are accessible to persons with disabilities by providing or arranging for the provision of accessible formats and communication support, upon request and in a timely manner.
In accordance with the IASR (Sections 12), Bentley as follows:
More broadly, as a general principle where accessible formats and communication supports for persons with disabilities are requested Bentley will:
• Provide or arrange for the provision of such accessible formats and communication supports.
• Consult with the person making the request to determine the suitability of the accessible format of communication support.
• This document is included in the Bentley Policy binder and is in all of our stores.
Topic: Accessible websites and web content
compliance date: November 6, 2015 to January 2021
Commitment:
Bentley is committed to make its internet website and web content conform to the World Wide Consortium Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0.
Strategies and actions:
In accordance with the IASR (section 14), Bentley will :
The company’s internet websites and content since January1, 2012 conform to the WCAG 2.0 level and the company will ensure that websites conform to level AA by January 1, 2021, except where it is impracticable to do so.
Topic: training
compliance date: November 6, 2015
Commitment:
Bentley is committed to implementing a process to ensure all employees, volunteers, third-party contractors and persons participating in the development and approval of Bentley’s policies, are provided with appropriate training on the requirements of the IASR and on the Ontario Human Rights Code.
Strategies and actions:
In accordance with the IASR (section 7), Bentley will :
• Develop appropriate training and make sure that it will be updated.
• Determine and ensure that appropriate training on the requirements of the IASR and on the Human Rights Code as it pertains to persons with disabilities, is provided.
• Keep and maintain a record of the training provided, including the dates that the training was provided and the number of individuals to whom it was provided; and ensure that training is provided on any changes to the prescribed policies on an ongoing basis (Acknowledgement Form).
Employment standards
Bentley is committed to fair and accessible employment practices.
Topic: Recruitment, Assessment and Selection
compliance date: January 1, 2016
Commitment:
Bentley is committed to providing accommodations to applicants with disabilities during the entire recruitment process. We will work with applicants selected for the interview and assessment process to accommodate all accessibility needs.
Strategies and actions:
In accordance with the IASR (section 22), Bentley will :
• Bentley will notify its employees and the public about the availability of accommodations for applicants with disabilities in its recruitment process.
• Bentley will review and include a statement in job postings.
• Bentley will modify its website and specify that accommodation is available for applicants with disabilities.
In accordance with the IASR (section 23), Bentley will :
• Accommodate during interviews and assessments.
• Provide the appropriate training about our Recruitment Process.
In accordance with the IASR (section 24), Bentley will :
• Provide notice of organizational policies for accommodating employees when we made an offer.
In accordance with the IASR (section 25), Bentley will :
• Provide training to all the new employees during their onboarding.
• We will inform all employee’s when there will be a change in the policy.
Topic: Accessible formats and communication supports for employees
compliance date: January 1, 2016
Compliance:
Bentley is committed to making company information and communications accessible to persons with disabilities that need to perform.
Strategies and actions:
In accordance with the IASR (section 26), Bentley will :
• Ask to an employee with a disability to determine which accessible formats or communications supports they required to perform.
Topic: Workplace Emergency Response Information
compliance date: November 6, 2015
Commitment:
Bentley is committed to provide individualized workplace emergency response information to employees who have disability and accommodate them.
Strategies and actions:
• Provide a plan to help an employee with disability during an emergency.
• Provide individualized workplace emergency response information to the employee.
• Get the employee’s consent.
• Review organization’s emergency response policies.
• Communicate and train all the employees about the emergency plan.
Topic: Documented Individual Accommodation Plans
compliance date: January 1, 2016
Commitment:
Bentley is committed to ensure that the process for the development of documented individual accommodation plans includes the following elements, in accordance with the provisions of the IASR.
Strategies and actions:
In accordance with the IASR (section 28), Bentley will :
• Bentley is committed to providing individual accommodations for people with disabilities.
• If individual accommodation plans are established, ensure that they include: Individualized workplace emergency response information that is required.
• Providing the individual accommodation plan and any information regarding accessibility in formats and communication supports that have provided for.
• Include in the process that Bentley could request an evaluation by outside medical.
Topic: Return to work process
compliance date: January 1, 2016
Commitment:
Bentley is committed to incorporate new accessibility requirements under the IASR to ensure that barriers in accommodation and return to work processes are applicable to persons with disabilities. The steps are in place to protect the privacy of the employee’s personal information.
Strategies and actions:
In accordance with the IASR (section 29), Bentley will :
• Will include in their policies, the steps that Bentley will take to accommodate an employee with a disability and to facilitate an employee’s return to work after absenteeism due to disability.
• Bentley will review and assess the existing policies to ensure that they include a process for the development of documented individual accommodation plans for employees with a disability.
• Include in the process the manner in which the employee requesting accommodation can participate in the development of the plan.
• Include in the process the means by which the employee is assessed on an individual basis.
• Provide the employee with the reasons for the denial if an individual accommodation plan is denied.
• Identify any other accommodation that is to be provided to the employee.
Topic: Performance Management, Career Development and Advancement
compliance date: January 1, 2016
Commitment:
Bentley is committed to take into account the accessibility needs and include additional responsibilities within an employee’s current position and the movement of an employee in our organisation.
Strategies and actions:
In accordance with the IASR (section 30 and 31), Bentley will:
• In our performance management process, consider the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities, as well as individual accommodation plan.
• Take into account what accommodation employees with disabilities may need to succeed elsewhere in the organization or take on new responsibilities in their current position. If the employee has an individual accommodation plan in place, the plan will be updated to reflect the changes in their new responsibilities.
• Policies will be revised to include a statement that an employee with a disability will not be hindered in their advancement opportunities within the company. All employees will and are considered based on their skill.
Topic: Redeployment
compliance date: January 1, 2016
Commitment:
Bentley is committed to reassign employees to other departments or jobs with the organisation as an alternative to layoff, when a particular job or department has been eliminated by the organization.
Strategies and actions:
In accordance with the IASR (section 32), Bentley will :
• Consider the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities when moving them to other positions within the organization. If the employee has an individual accommodation plan, the plan will be reviewed and updated to reflect the changes im0n their new responsibilities.