Accessibility

CUSTOMER SERVICE ACCESSIBILITY POLICY

Introduction

Fillmore Riley LLP is committed to identifying and removing the barriers that prevent access to the services it provides. Fillmore Riley LLP intends to comply with all applicable federal, provincial and municipal legislation with respect to accessibility and will implement the standards specified under The Accessibility for Manitobans Act (“AMA”).

The purpose of this Policy is to ensure that all employees, clients and visitors to Fillmore Riley LLP are provided with barrier-free access to the services it provides.

Meaning of Disability

For the purpose of this policy and related procedures, an individual with a disability is a person who experiences a mental, cognitive, physical or sensory impairment for which they may require accommodation.

General

Fillmore Riley LLP recognizes it is subject to The Human Rights Code (Manitoba) and the AMA, and as such has a duty to provide reasonable accommodation to employees, clients and visitors with documented disabilities in its efforts to provide an accessible environment.

Fillmore Riley LLP shall endeavor to maintain an accessible environment through the provision of accommodation supports and services to employees, clients and visitors. Specifically, Fillmore Riley LLP shall endeavor to:

1. identify barriers to accessible customer service that exist respecting the services it provides;
   
2. remove the existing barriers it is responsible for, so that all persons reasonably expected to seek to obtain, use or benefit from the services it provides can do so using the same means;
   
3. ensure that a fee or charge related to accommodating a person who is disabled by a barrier is imposed only if it cannot reasonably accommodate the person otherwise;
   
4. ensure that persons who are disabled by a barrier are provided access to the service by alternate means, whether on a temporary or permanent basis, if an existing barrier cannot reasonably be removed; and
   
5. prevent new barriers from being created.
   

Fillmore Riley LLP further shall endeavor to:

1. ensure that, when communicating with a person who self-identifies as being disabled by a barrier, the communication is done in a manner that takes into account the barrier;
   
2. recognize that a person who is disabled by a barrier may use assistive devices to remove or reduce the barrier, and will reasonably accommodate the use of those devices;
   
3. recognize that a person who is disabled by a barrier may be accompanied by a support person when seeking to obtain, use or benefit from its services, and will permit a person disabled by a barrier and his or her support person to enter the premises together, and to have access to the support person at all times while on the premises;
   
4. recognize that a person who is disabled by a barrier may be accompanied by a service animal when they seeks to obtain, use or benefit from its services; and
   
5. ensure that any aspect of its built environment intended to facilitate barrier free access to its services are available for use in the intended manner, and if such an aspect is unavailable for use, notice shall be given as to the reasons why it is unavailable, when it will be available, and details of alternate means available to access its services.
   

Feedback and Documentation

Fillmore Riley LLP encourages employees, clients and visitors to provide feedback about the accessibility of its services and endeavors to respond to such feedback and document its resulting actions.

Fillmore Riley LLP endeavors to document the measures, policies and practices it implements under the AMA and will provide a copy of such documentation on request.

Training

Fillmore Riley LLP commits to training its employees about accessible customer service, including instruction related to:

1. how to interact and communicate with persons disabled by barriers;
2. how to interact with persons disabled by barriers who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a support person or service animal;
3. how to use any equipment or assistive devices that may be available to assist persons disabled by barriers; and
4. what to do if a person disabled by a barrier is having difficulty accessing a service.

EFFECTIVE DATE: FEBRUARY 6, 2019