Accessibility

StarFish Medical – Accessibility Policy

Effective Date: September 20th, 2024

StarFish Medical is committed to creating an inclusive environment that respects the dignity, independence, integration, and equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities. The policy applies to all employees, contractors, and services provided by StarFish Medical and its subsidiaries in Ontario. We are dedicated to ensuring that our services, facilities, and workplace are accessible to all individuals, including those with disabilities. Our goal is to foster an inclusive environment that promotes dignity, independence, integration, and equal opportunity.

The purpose of this policy is to comply with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), 2005, Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (IASR), and the Ontario Human Rights Code to advance equal treatment for all.

Message from Our CEO

We are committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful, and empowering community with accessibility for all. Every person we serve and every team member we work alongside should feel valued and supported. An accessible organization is a stronger, more innovative, and compassionate one.

As we implement our Accessibility Policy and the Multi-Year Accessibility Plan, I ask each of you to support this initiative. Your cooperation, feedback, and proactive engagement are important. Together, we can ensure that our organization meets the standards set by the AODA.

– Scott Phillips

Statement of Commitment

At StarFish Group, we are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible environment for all individuals, including persons with disabilities. We are committed to meeting the needs of people with disabilities in a timely manner by removing and preventing barriers to accessibility and meeting our accessibility requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and Ontario’s
accessibility laws.

Providing an accessible and barrier-free environment is a shared effort, and we are committed as an organization to working with the necessary parties to make accessibility for all a reality.

Multi-year Accessibility Plan

We have established and implemented a multi-year accessibility plan, which outlines our strategy to prevent and remove barriers and to meet the requirements of accessibility standards in the areas of customer service, information and communication, employment, and training under this Regulation.

Training

Employees and contractors must undergo training on the AODA, the Ontario Human Rights Code, and specific accessibility standards related to customer service, employment, and information and communication. We train every person as soon as practicable after being hired and training will be updated to reflect any changes in our accessibility policies and maintain records of provided training in our Learning Management System (LMS).

Information and Communication Standards

Accessible formats and communication support, as detailed in the Customer Service Standards section, will be provided upon request. We will work with the person with disabilities to determine what method of communication works for them. If we determine that information or communications are unconvertible, we shall provide the requestor with an explanation as to why the information or communications are
unconvertible and a summary of the unconvertible information or communications.

We will ensure that our websites and web content conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, Level AA standards, and will continuously monitor and update our content to maintain these standards.

Visitors with disabilities should inform the person that they are meeting if they require assistance in the event of an emergency. We will work with them to provide the requested information in an accessible format or with appropriate communication support as soon as practicable, for emergency plans and procedures, maps pointing out to emergency exits, information about alarms, or other emergency alerts.

Employment Standards

We will work with candidates and employees when arranging for the provision of suitable accommodation in a manner that takes into account their unique accessibility needs. We will provide the information as soon as practicable after we become aware of the need for accommodation

We will notify employees and the public about availability of accommodation for applicants with disabilities, and we will share policies for accommodating employees with disabilities when making offers of employment.

We will provide workplace information in an accessible format when requested by an employee. This includes providing accessible formats and communication supports for job-related information and general information that is available to all employees at work.

We will develop and maintain individualized accommodation plans for employees with disabilities, with the employee being an active participant in this process. The plan will include recognizing the need for accommodation, gathering information from the employee and assessing the accommodation requested, making information accessible, and implementation and reviewing of the plan.

We will have a documented return to work process for employees who have been absent due to a disability and require accommodation to return to work. We will ensure that our performance management, career development processes take into account the accessibility needs of all employees.

We will develop customized emergency information to help an employee with a disability during an emergency. With the employee’s consent, we will provide workplace emergency information to a designated person who is providing assistance to that employee during an emergency. We will review the individualized workplace emergency response information when the employee moves to a different location in the building, when the employee’s overall accommodations needs or plans are reviewed, or when we review our general emergency response policies.

Customer Service Standards

At StarFish Medical service animals are permitted in all areas with the exception of the clean room as it is required to maintain a sterile environment. This restriction applies to all service animals, regardless of type. When service animals are excluded by law, alternative ways to access services will be provided after consulting with the individual. The care, supervision, and control of the service animal are the responsibility of the person using the service animal.

Support persons accompanying individuals with disabilities are allowed on premises without any fee. In certain situations, a support person may be required for health or safety reasons after consulting with the individual.

StarFish Medical has a policy for notifying the public and employees about planned or unexpected disruptions to services or facilities, with notices including the reason for the disruption, expected duration, available alternatives, and contact information.

StarFish Medical will provide information in accessible formats and offer communication support, upon request at no additional cost, consulting with individuals to determine the most suitable formats and ensuring timely provision. Request for accessible formats (may include but are not limited to, large print, braille, audio formats, or accessible electronic formats) and communication supports (may include but are not limited to Sign Language Interpretation or Captioning Services) should be made 10 days in advance. If a requested format/support cannot be provided, an explanation will be given, and an acceptable alternative will be provided.

Feedback

We welcome feedback on how we provide services. We will ensure our feedback process is accessible to persons with disabilities by providing or arranging for accessible formats and communication supports upon request. To ensure that this process is accessible to everyone, we have made information about how to provide feedback readily available to the public. This includes multiple channels for submitting feedback, such as in person during the hours of 10am – 3pm ET, Monday to Friday (excluding statutory holidays), by phone, by mail, by email, or through the form available on our website. All feedback will be acknowledged within 3 business days of receipt. The acknowledgment will include a summary of the feedback received and an estimated time frame for a full response. For more information, please contact: