This accessibility policy and plan outline the actions that McCarthy Tétrault LLP and MT Services Limited Partnership (the “Firm”) has put in place to improve opportunities for individuals with disabilities, and has implemented in accordance with the time frames set out in the Integrated Accessibility Standards under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (“AODA”). The Accessibility Plan will be reviewed every five years.
1. Commitment Statement of McCarthy Tétrault LLP
McCarthy Tétrault LLP strives at all times to provide its services in a way that respects the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities. McCarthy Tétrault LLP is also committed to giving persons with disabilities the same opportunity to access and benefit from its services, in the same place and in a similar way as other clients.
2. Commitment Statement of MT Services Limited Partnership
MT Services Limited Partnership strives at all times to provide its services in a way that respects the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities. MT Services Limited Partnership is also committed to giving persons with disabilities the same opportunity to access and benefit from its services, in the same place and in a similar way as other clients.
3. Joint Policy and Plan
Since MT Services Partnership is principally engaged in providing management, administrative and other services to the offices of McCarthy Tétrault LLP and the employees of MT Services Limited Partnership work together with the partners, employees and others who work at McCarthy Tétrault LLP, each of McCarthy Tétrault LLP and MT Services Limited Partnership has determined that this policy and plan (the “Policy”) is desirable for purposes of ensuring the fulfillment of its commitment with respect to providing services to persons with disabilities, and each of them has separately adopted this Policy.
For convenience, references in this Policy to the “Firm” include both McCarthy Tétrault LLP and MT Services Limited Partnership.
4. Scope
This Policy applies to Firm Members and to the Firm’s provision of services in Ontario to its clients, members of the public and other third parties.
5. Definitions
For the purposes of this Policy, the following definitions shall apply:
- “assistive device” means any device which a person with a disability uses to perform a particular task, or to aid that person in activities of daily living
- “disability” means a disability within the meaning of the Ontario Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005.
- “support person” means any person who accompanies a person with a disability to assist with communication, mobility, personal care or medical needs or with access to services.
- “service animal” means an animal used by a person with a disability for reasons relating to his or her disability
- Provision of Service to Persons with Disabilities
The Firm will provide its services and communicate with members of the public to whom it provides services in a manner that takes into account a person’s disability.
Persons with disabilities will be permitted to obtain, use or benefit from the Firm’s services through the use of their own assistive devices. 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. In cases where the assistive device presents a significant and unavoidable health or safety concern or may not be permitted for other reasons, other measures will be used to ensure the person with a disability can access the Firm’s goods, services or facilities.
The Firm is committed to welcoming persons with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal on the parts of its premises that are open to the public and other third parties, as long as the service animal remains under the control of the person requiring its service, and their presence is not otherwise excluded by law. If it is not readily apparent whether an animal accompanying an individual is a service animal, the Firm may choose to request a letter from a physician, nurse practitioner or accredited service animal training institution confirming the animal’s status. The Firm will also ensure that all partners, employees, staff and others who deal with the public are properly trained in how to interact with persons with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal.
7. Support Persons
A person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed to have that person accompany them on all publicly accessible Firm premises. In certain cases, the Firm might require a person with a disability to be accompanied by a support person for the health or safety reasons of the person with a disability or others on the premises. The Firm is also committed to providing access to its premises to the support persons of persons with disabilities.
8. Emergency Information and Procedures
The Firm is committed to providing customers and clients with publicly available emergency information in an accessible way upon request. We will also provide individualized workplace emergency response information to members of the Firm with disabilities when we are made aware of the need for accommodation.
9. Notice of Temporary Disruption
The Firm will provide clients with notice in the event of a planned or unexpected disruption in the services usually used by persons 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.
10. Training
Training required by the AODA will be given to all partners, employees, volunteers and others who deal with the public or other third parties on the Firm’s behalf, and all those who are involved in the development and approvals of client service policies, practices and procedures.
The content and format of training may vary based on the level of public interaction, and/or involvement in the development of policies, procedures and practices pertaining to the provision of services.
Where third parties are engaged to perform services in Ontario on behalf of the Firm, the Firm may require that such third parties provide an acknowledgment that their principals, employees, agents and volunteers receive any applicable training required by the AODA.
Training was provided to all members of the Firm and it continues to be provided in a way that best suits the duties of the applicable members of the Firm, as part of new hire onboarding, and on an ongoing basis when changes are made to policies pursuant to the Integrated Accessibility Standards. A record of this training will be kept, including the dates on which training is provided and the number of individuals to whom it is provided.
11. Communication
Upon request, the Firm will provide or arrange for the provision of accessible formats and communication supports for persons with disabilities (including members of the Firm) in a timely manner that takes into account that person’s accessibility needs due to disability. The Firm will consult with the person making the request
12. Kiosks
While the Firm does not presently use any self-service kiosks, the Firm will ensure that members of the Firm consider the needs of individuals with disabilities when designing, procuring or acquiring self-service kiosks.
13. Feedback Process
The Firm is committed to establishing and maintaining a process for receiving and responding to feedback about how its services are provided to persons with disabilities.
Feedback regarding the way the Firm provides goods and services to persons with disabilities can be made by e-mail. All feedback will be directed to the Director Human Resources (Ont.). Complaints will be addressed as soon as practicable after receiving a complaint.
14. Accessible Formats
The Firm is committed to meeting the communication needs of individuals with disabilities.
The Firm will take reasonable steps to ensure that all publicly available information controlled by the Firm is provided in an accessible way upon request, including the feedback process referred to in section 13 above. The Firm will also consult with the person making the request to determine their information and communication needs.
The Firm will notify the public about the availability of accessible formats and communication supports.
15. Websites
The Firm will take reasonable steps to ensure that all websites controlled by the Firm meet internationally-recognized Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Level AA website requirements in accordance with Ontario’s accessibility laws.
16. Employment
The Firm notifies members of the Firm, job applicants and the public that accommodations can be made during recruitment and hiring. The Firm notifies job applicants when they are individually selected to participate in an assessment or selection process that accommodations are available upon request. The Firm consults with the applicants and provide or arrange for suitable accommodation.
The Firm notifies successful applicants of policies for accommodating members of the Firm with disabilities when making offers of employment.
The Firm notifies members of the Firm that supports are available for those with disabilities as soon as practicable after they begin their employment. The Firm provides updated information to members of the Firm whenever there is a change to existing policies on the provision of job accommodation that take into account an individual’s accessibility needs due to a disability.
The Firm will consult with a member of the Firm when arranging for the provision of suitable accommodation in a manner that takes into account the accessibility needs due to disability. The Firm will consult with the person making the request in determining the suitability of an accessible format or communication supports specifically for: information that is needed in order to perform the individual’s job; and information that is generally available to members of the Firm in the workplace.
The Firm maintains a written process for accommodating members of the Firm with disabilities that provides for the development of documented individual accommodation plans. The Firm also maintains a written return to work process for members of the Firm who have been absent from work due to a disability and who require disability-related accommodations in order to return to work.
The Firm will take into account the accessibility needs of members of the Firm with disabilities, as well as individual accommodation plans when conducting performance management, providing career development and advancement to members of the Firm, or when redeploying members of the Firm.
17. Design of Public Spaces
The Firm will meet the Design of Public Spaces Standards when building or making major modifications to public spaces, including to service-related elements, in the Firm’s reception and waiting areas, and publicly accessible meeting rooms and service counters.
We will also put reasonable procedures in place to prevent service disruptions to accessible parts of these public spaces and to deal with temporary disruptions when accessible elements required under these Standards are not in working order.
In the event of a service disruption, the Firm will notify the public of the service disruption and alternatives available, as soon as practicable.
18. Availability of Documents
A copy of this Policy shall be made available on the Firm’s intranet and the Firm’s external website.
Accessible formats of this document are also available for free upon request.
19. Contact Information
For more information about this accessibility policy and plan, please contact us by:
Email to [email protected]
Or Mail, or in person at:
McCarthy Tétrault LLP
66 Wellington St W, Suite 5300
Toronto, ON
M5K 1E6
Attention: HR Department
Members of the Firm are welcome to contact Human Resources, if they have any questions or would like to make a request under this accessibility policy and plan.