ACCESSIBILITY STATEMENT

Updated: April 2024

GENERAL

influencemarketing.ca strives to ensure that its services are accessible to people with disabilities. influencemarketing.ca has invested a significant amount of resources to help ensure that its website is made easier to use and more accessible for people with disabilities, with the strong belief that every person has the right to live with dignity, equality, comfort and independence.

ACCESSIBILITY ON INFLUENCEMARKETING.CA

influencemarketing.ca makes available the UserWay Website Accessibility Widget that is powered by a dedicated accessibility server. The software allows influencemarketing.ca to improve its compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1).

ENABLING THE ACCESSIBILITY MENU

The influencemarketing.ca accessibility menu can be enabled by clicking the accessibility menu icon that appears on the corner of the page. After triggering the accessibility menu, please wait a moment for the accessibility menu to load in its entirety.

DISCLAIMER

At Influence Retail Services Inc d/b/a Influence Marketing, we are committed to ensuring accessibility for all individuals, including those with disabilities. We strive to provide information and communication in a manner that is accessible to all. If you require any written information or other forms of communication in an alternative format, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We will make every effort to accommodate your request promptly. Your feedback helps us to continually improve our accessibility efforts and better serve all members of our community. Thank you for your cooperation and support in making accessibility a priority.

HERE FOR YOU

If you are experiencing difficulty with any content on influencemarketing.ca or require assistance with any part of our site, please contact us during normal business hours as detailed below and we will be happy to assist.

CONTACT US

If you wish to report an accessibility issue, have any questions or need assistance, please contact influencemarketing.ca.

 

ACCESSIBILITY POLICY

The following policy has been established by Influence Retail Services Inc. (Influence Marketing) to govern company programs, services and facilities in accordance with Regulation 197/ll, “Integrated Accessibility Standards” (“Regulation”) under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, as amended by 0. Reg. 765/76.

This policy has been developed to break down barriers and increase accessibility for persons with disabilities in the areas of information and communications as well as employment. Influence Marketing is governed by this policy as well as the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service Policy and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005.

COMMITMENT

Influence Marketing 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 persons with disabilities with respect to the company’s programs, services and facilities in a timely manner, and will do so by preventing and removing barriers to accessibility and meeting accessibility requirements under the Regulation and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act., 2005. This policy will be implemented in accordance with the time frames established by the Regulation.

ACCESSIBILITY PLAN

Influence Marketing has developed an Accessibility Plan outlining the company’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 annually and will be posted on the company’s website. Upon request, Influence Marketing will provide a copy of the Accessibility Plan in a downloadable and printable format.

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS STANDARDS

ACCESSIBLE FORMATS AND COMMUNICATION SUPPORTS

Upon request, Influence Marketing will provide, or will arrange for the provision of accessible formats and communication supports for persons with disabilities in a timely manner that considers the person’s accessibility needs due to disability. Alternate formats will be available for individuals seeking to provide feedback upon request. We are committed to providing all written communication including invoices, letters etc. in a format that is accessible to all our employees, customers and partners. This may include large print, email etc. We will answer any questions about the content of any written document in person, by telephone or email. OSL will consult with the person making the request in determining the suitability of an accessible format or communication support.

ACCESSIBLE WEBSITES AND WEB CONTENT

Influence Marketing will ensure that websites, including web content, conform to the World Wide Web Consortium Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, at Level A (January l, 2024). We will also take steps to ensure that all company websites and content conform with WCAG 2.0 Level AA (except as outlined in the Regulation).

TELEPHONE SERVICES

We are committed to providing fully accessible telephone service to all individuals. We will train staff to communicate over the telephone in clear and plain language and to speak slowly. We will offer to communicate by other means including letter mail, e-mail, or facsimile if telephone communication is not suitable to their communications needs or is not available.

NOTICE OF TEMPORARY DISRUPTION

Influence Marketing will provide employees, customers and partners with notice in the event of a planned or unexpected disruption in the facilities or services usually used by people with disabilities. This notice will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated duration, and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available. The notice will be placed at all public entrances and reception areas on our premises.

EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS

RECRUITMENT

Influence Marketing will notify its employees and the public about the availability of accommodations for applicants with disabilities in its recruitment process.

RECRUITMENT, ASSESSMENT OR SELECTION PROCESS

Influence Marketing will notify job applicants, when they are individually selected to participate further 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, Influence Marketing will consult with the applicant and provide, or arrange for the provision of, a suitable accommodation in a manner that considers the applicant’s accessibility needs due to disability.

NOTICE TO SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS

When making offers of employment, Influence Marketing will notify the successful applicant of its policies for accommodating employees with disabilities.

INFORMING EMPLOYEES OF SUPPORTS

Influence Marketing will continue to inform its employees of its policies (and any updates to those policies) used to support employees with disabilities, including policies on the provision of job accommodations that consider an employee’s accessibility needs due to disability. This information will be provided to new employees as soon as practicable after commencing employment.

ACCESSIBLE FORMATS AND COMMUNICATION SUPPORTS FOR EMPLOYEES

Upon the request of an employee with a disability, Influence Marketing will consult with the employee to provide, or arrange for the provision of, accessible formats and communication supports for information that is needed to perform their job, and information that is generally available to other employees.

In determining the suitability of an accessible format or communication support, Influence Marketing will consult with the employee making the request. However, the company reserves the flexibility to decide on the most appropriate accessible formats or communication supports for employees (based on the needs of the specific employee and the capacity of the company to provide the support).

WORKPLACE EMERGENCY RESPONSE INFORMATION

Influence Marketing will provide individualized workplace emergency response information to employees who have a disability, if the disability is such that individualized information is necessary, and if Influence Marketing is aware of the need for accommodation due to the employee’s disability. Influence Marketing will provide this information as soon as practicable after becoming aware of the need for accommodation.

Where the employee requires assistance, Influence Marketing will, with the consent of the employee, provide the workplace emergency response information to the person designated by Influence Marketing to assist the employee.

Influence Marketing will review the individualized workplace emergency response information (i) when the employee moves to a different location in the organization, (ii) the employee’s overall accommodations needs are reviewed, or (iii) the employee’s individual accommodation plans are reviewed.

DOCUMENTED INDIVIDUAL ACCOMMODATION PLANS

Influence Marketing will maintain a written process for the development of documented individual accommodation plans for employees 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 PRINCIPLES

Influence Marketing maintains a documented return-to-work process for its employees who have been absent from work due to a disability and who require disability­ related workplace accommodations to return to work.

The return-to-work process outlines the steps Influence Marketing  will take to facilitate return-to-work and will include documented individual accommodation plans. We will consult with the person making the request in determining the suitability of an accessible format or communication supports, specifically for:

a) information that is needed to perform the employee’s job; and
b) information that is generally available to employees in the workplace

We will provide the information as soon as practicable after we become aware of the need for accommodation due to the employee’s disability. This return-to-work process will not replace or override any other return to work process created by or under any other statute (i.e., the Workplace Safety Insurance Act, 1997).

RETURN TO WORK PROCESS

Influence Marketing works in partnership with our third-party vendors, Crawford and Broadspire, to manage accommodation and leave of absence requests. Notwithstanding some unique process differences between our vendors, the leave and return to work processes adhere to the following steps:

Step 1 – Initiating the leave of absence or accommodation:

If an employee needs to take a disability leave, they will promptly inform their manager. The employee and manager will maintain regular contact, with the employee’s consent, to address any problems that may arise and facilitate the return-to-work process. If an employee needs to request an accommodation, then they will promptly inform their manager.

Step 2 – Gather relevant information and assess individual needs:

The employee will work with our Human Resources Dept. to share information and to find the most appropriate accommodation. These plans will be developed in consultation with the employees, considering their needs.

Manager/ Human Resources:

• Provides the employee with return-to-work information.
• Helps resolve any problems with treatment if requested to do so by the employee.
• Maintains regular contact with the employee.
• Ensures work practices are safe for returning employee.
• Assists with identifying accommodations.
• Assists with analyzing the demands of each job task.

Employee

• Seeks and follows the appropriate medical treatment.
• Provides updates about their progress, including their functional ability to perform the job.
• Informs their health care provider with the return-to-work information.

Step 3 – Develop a return-to-work/Accommodation Plan:

After identifying the most appropriate accommodation, safety considerations and any transitional measures, the Manager works with the employee to capture the details in a written plan. Depending on circumstances, the employee may:

a) return to the original position,
b) return to the original position with accommodation(s) on a temporary or permanent basis, or
c) return to an alternate position on a temporary or permanent basis.

The return-to-work plans are documented and retained by Infleunce Marketing password protected Human Resources file. Plans include specific accommodations and safety considerations for the employee.

Step 4: Implement, Monitor and Update the Plan:

After implementing the return-to-work plan, the employee and manager will monitor and review the plan regularly to ensure that it remains effective. The accommodation plan will also be reviewed and updated if:

• the accommodation is no longer appropriate,
• the employee’s work location or position changes, or
• the nature of the employee’s disability changes.

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT, CAREER DEVELOPMENT, ADVANCEMENT AND REDEPLOYMENT

Influence Marketing will consider the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities, as well as individual accommodation plans, when conducting performance management, providing career development and advancement to employees, or redeploying employees.

TRAINING

Influence Marketing will provide training to employees and volunteers; persons who participate in developing Influence Marketing policies; and other persons who provide goods, services or facilities on behalf of the company. They will be trained in all aspects of the Ontario Himan Rights Code that relate to persons with disabilities.

Applicable staff will be trained on policies, practices and procedures that affect the way services are provided to people with disabilities. Staff will also be trained on an ongoing basis when changes are made to these policies, practices and procedures.

Our content is housed on our shared server and is a hybrid of a pre-fabricated course through Access Forward, and customized information specific to our company. Content includes:

• Who Must Be Trained and When
• What the Accessible Customer Service Training Must Cover
• Purpose of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005
• Customer Service Standard – The Requirements
• Serving People with Disabilities – Introduction
• Serving People Who Have Various Types of Disabilities
• Serving People Who Use Service Animals
• Serving People with a Support Person
• Serving People Who Use Assistive Devices
• Serving People with Disabilities – At Home or Over the Phone
• If There Are Difficulties Accessing Your Goods, Services or Facilities
• Specifics relating to our organization.

The training will be appropriate to the duties of the employees, volunteers and other persons as it relates to their specific roles. Training includes:

• purpose of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the requirements of the Customer Service Standards
• our policies related to the Customer Service Standards.
• how to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities
• how to interact with people with disabilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a service animal or a support person
• how to use the equipment or devices available on-site or otherwise that may help with providing goods, services or facilities to people with disabilities.
• what to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty in accessing our organization’s goods, services or facilities.

Employees will be trained when changes are made to the accessibility policy. New employees will be trained within 30 business days of their start date as part of their orientation.

Influence Marketing will keep a record of the training it provides, including the dates on which the training was provided and the number of individuals to whom it was provided.

CUSTOMER SERVICE

Infleunce Marketing is committed to providing accessible and inclusive customer service to all individuals, including those with disabilities. The principles of dignity, independence and equal opportunity are at the forefront when OSL delivers its services.

Influence Marketing will strive to provide services in a manner that promotes independence for individuals with disabilities. We provide integrated services to individuals with disabilities, allowing them to fully benefit from and participate in our offerings alongside those without disabilities.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities have the same opportunities to access our services, in the same place and in a similar manner as others.

Influence Marketing will communicate with individuals with disabilities in ways that consider their disability. This includes training employees on how to interact and communicate with people with various disabilities.

We are committed to serving people with disabilities who use assistive devices to obtain, use or benefit from our services. We will ensure that our employees are trained and familiar with various assistive devices that may be used by people with disabilities while accessing our services.

Influence Marketing will accommodate individuals with disabilities to the point of undue hardship, including but not limited to offering accessible formats of information, assistive devices, service animals, and support persons.

We are committed to welcoming people with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal on the areas of our offices that are open to the public and other third parties.

We will ensure that all staff dealing with the public are properly trained in how to interact with people with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal. We are committed to welcoming people with disabilities who are accompanied by a support person. Any person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will always have access to their support person while on our premises.

DESIGN OF PUBLIC SPACES

Influence Marketing is committed to incorporating inclusive design principles that consider the diverse needs of individuals with disabilities, ensuring that public spaces are usable by everyone to the greatest extent possible.

We will strive to provide spaces that afford individuals with disabilities the same opportunities to participate in and enjoy services, programs, and facilities as those without disabilities. This includes considering elements such as clear pathways, appropriate signage, and accessible amenities.

POLICY MODIFICATIONS AND QUESTIONS

We are committed to developing customer service policies that respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. Therefore, no changes will be made to this policy before considering the impact on people with disabilities and any policy of Influence Marketing that does not respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities will be modified or removed.

This policy exists to achieve an accessible and equitable experience for every one of our diverse and valued employees, clients and partners in all office locations in Ontario in accordance with the requirements of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (“AODA”). Questions about the policy, or requests for clarification about the purpose of the policy, may be sent to:

Phone: 905.282.0770 ext. 221
E-Mail: info@influencemarketing.ca
Mail: 2 – 5090 Orbitor Dr, Mississauga, ON L4W 5B5