Accessibility

OES Inc. is committed to providing a barrier-free environment for our customers, employees, suppliers, vendors, job applicants and all other visitors who use our products or services, enter our facilities, or access our information. OES has an important responsibility for ensuring a safe, dignified, and welcoming environment for everyone. We are committed to OES’s compliance with accessibility legislation by incorporating policies, procedures, training for employees and best practices.  Training will be reviewed annually. 

OES has implemented an accessibility plan which outline’s the company’s strategy to prevent and remove barriers for persons with disabilities, and to meet its Legislative requirements under the AODA.  This Plan, which is posted on the OES website and describes how OES will implement and maintain procedures to remain compliant with the AODA and will be reviewed at least every 5 years. 

These policies cover the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (IASR). 

OES is committed to providing company information and communication accessible to persons with disabilities. OES will: 

• Obtain feedback from persons with disabilities through an “Accessibility Feedback Form” available through multiple communication channels including the OES, Inc. website. 
• Generally, where accessible formats and communication supports are requested: 
• Provide or arrange for the provision of such accessible formats and communication supports upon request and in a timely manner that considers the person’s accessibility needs due to disability, and at a cost no more that the regular cost charged to other persons. 
• Consult with the person making the request to determine the suitability of the accessible format or communication support. 
• Notify the public by posting this policy on our website. 

Accessible Website and Web Content:  

OES is fully compliant and will ensure that development of any new company websites or new web content conform to the standards of The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). 

OES is committed to fair and accessible employment practices that attract and retain employees with disabilities. This includes providing accessibility across all stages of the employment cycle. 

Recruitment 

OES will notify employees and the public of the availability of accommodation for applicants with disabilities in the recruitment process. This will include: 

• Specifying on any new career opportunities posted on the OES website or third parties, that accommodation is available for applications with disabilities. 
• Inform employees that OES is committed to making accommodations for job applicants with disabilities so that they can direct potential job applicants accordingly. 

OES will notify job applicants, when they are individually selected to participate in an assessment or selection process that accommodations are available upon request in relation to the materials or processes to be used in the assessment/selection process. This notification will include: 

• Inclusion of availability of accommodation notice as part of the script in scheduling of an interview. 
• If a selected applicant requests an accommodation, consultation with the applicant and arrangement for provision of suitable accommodations in a manner that considers the applicant’s accessibility needs due to disability.  

When making offers of employment, Human Resources will notify the successful applicant of its policies for accommodating employees with disabilities that will include an inclusion of notification of OES’s policies on accommodating employees with disabilities in Offer of Employment letters. 

Informing Employees of Supports  

OES Policies are readily available to all employees through the company intranet.  Human Resources provides all newly hired employees with information on policies to support employees with disabilities during the orientation process.  Current employees are advised of policy changes as they arise as well annually reviews and acknowledges all current policies. 

Where an employee with a disability so requests it, OES will consult with the employee in determining the suitability of an accessible format or communication support and provide or arrange for the provision of such supports that is needed in order to perform the employee’s job or general information that is available to employees in the workplace. 

Where OES is aware that an employee has a disability and that there is a need for accommodation, individualized workplace emergency response information will be provided to the employee as soon as practicable given the nature of the employee’s disability. 

• Individualized workplace emergency response information will be developed for employees with disabilities, as required. 
• OES will aid specific disabled employees, with the disabled employees’ prior consent, to help him/her evacuate the workplace in case of emergency. These plans will be set out in individualized emergency plans for the disabled employees. 
• These individualized emergency plans will be communicated to the employees’ respective managers and Safety personnel, on an “as needed” basis. 
• On an ongoing basis, OES will review and assess general workplace emergency response procedures and individualized emergency plans to ensure accessibility issues are addressed. 

Documented Individual Accommodation Plans/Return to Work Process  

OES will incorporate new accessibility requirements under the IAS Regulations to ensure that barriers in accommodation and return to work processes are eliminated and company policies surrounding accommodation and return to work are followed, where applicable. 

OES will review and assess its’ existing policies to accommodate an employee with a disability and to facilitate an employee’s return to work after absenteeism due to disability, to ensure that these policies include a process for the development of documented individual accommodation plans for employees with a disability, if such plans are required. 

As part of OES’ return to work policy, appropriate accommodation (i.e., short term, long term, or permanent) are to be discussed with Human Resources and their direct Supervisor/Manager. 

OES will ensure that the process for the development of documented individual accommodation plans includes the following elements, in accordance with the IAS Regulations: 

• Include the employee requesting accommodation in the development of the plan. 
• The employee is assessed on an individual basis. 
• OES may request an evaluation by an outside medical or other expert, at OES’s expense, to assist OES in determining if and how accommodation can be achieved. 
• Steps are in place to protect the privacy of the employee’s personal information. 
• Outline the frequency in which the individual accommodation plans will be reviewed and updated and the manner in which this will be done. 
• Provide the employee with the reasons for the denial if an individual accommodation plan is denied. 
• Include in the process the means of providing the individual accommodation plan in a format that considers the employee’s accessibility needs. 
• If individual accommodation plans are established, ensure that they include: 
• Individualized workplace emergency response information. 
• Any information regarding accessible formats and communication reports that have been provided for or arranged for, in order to provide the employee with: 
• Information that is needed in order to perform the employee’s job. 
• Information that is generally available to employees in the workplace. 
• Identify any other accommodation that is to be provided to the employee. 

Performance Management, Career Development and Redeployment  

OES will consider the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities, as well as individual accommodation plans as part of the performance management processes, and when providing career development and advancement opportunities. 

OES Inc. specializes in the design and manufacture of electronic control products and solutions.  We interact daily with our customers and vendors electronically, by telephone and in person. Occasionally customers, vendors and/or visitors come to our buildings for meetings or to see our facility and products.  The Company is committed to providing equal access to our products and services to all of our current and potential customers, including those with any type of disability.  

This policy applies to all OES staff who interact with customers.  Our goal is to ensure that the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service Policy and related practices and procedures are consistent with the following four core principles: 

• Dignity:  Persons with a disability must be treated as valued customers who are deserving of service as any other customer. 
•  Equal Opportunity: Persons with a disability should be given an opportunity equal to that given to others to obtain, use, and benefit from our products and services. 
•  Integration: Where possible, persons with a disability should benefit from our products and services in the same place and in the same or similar manner as any other customer. 
•  Independence: Products and services must be provided in a way that respects the independence of persons with a disability. To this end, we will always be willing to assist a person with a disability but will not do so without the express permission of the person. 

 Use of Service Animals or Support Persons: 

Any customer or visitor that requires a service animal or support persons will be permitted to enter the premises.  If OES becomes aware that the presence of any service animal adversely affects the health of any employee, every effort will be made to ensure that both the health and safety rights of the individual employee and the accessibility rights of the customer are met. If no solution can be reached to meet both goals, the health and safety of any individual will take priority and OES will find an alternate means to provide the service to the customer. 

Assistive Devices: 

Customers, or visitors, with a disability are permitted, where possible, to use their own assistive device when on OES premises. Examples of an assistive device include a walking cane or hearing aid.  If there is a physical, technological, or other type of barrier that prevents the use of an Assistive Device on our premises, we will first try to remove that barrier. If we are not able to remove the barrier, we will ask the person how he/she can be accommodated, and what alternative methods of service would be more accessible to him/her. We will make our best efforts to provide an alternative means of assistance to the person with the disability. 

Employee Training: 

All new hires will complete the training within their first week and all OES employees will complete annually.  The “Accessibility Standards for Customer Service Policy” training will teach them how to interact with actual or potential customers, or visitors to our facility. Records will be kept of all training completed.   

Notice of Temporary Disruptions: 

Procedures relating to service disruptions are in place and will be available to staff.  Notice of disruptions, whether temporary or of a longer duration, will be communicated through multiple channels; website, social media accounts, email, and internal memos). 

Continuous Improvement: 

OES recognizes that we cannot anticipate, and thus remove all barriers. Therefore, our Company has implemented a process by which individuals can provide feedback specific to any experience related to accessing our products or services. There is an “Accessibility Feedback Submission Form” available on the OES website and, for those who cannot access the document there; it is available through Human Resources by email at hr@oes-inc.com or by calling the company head office at (519) 652-5833. Arrangements can be made to have the Accessibility Feedback Submission Form converted into a suitable format upon request. 

All feedback and requests will be responded to within five working days with either (a) a resolution or (b) an update as to the steps that have been taken and/or will be taken, along with a timeframe in which further communication from OES can be expected. A copy of each “Accessibility Feedback Submission Form” will be retained by the Human Resources Department who will recommend continuous improvement initiatives on an ongoing basis. 

If you have further questions regarding our website accessibility or are incurring any issues while accessing our content, please contact HR:

Address: 4056 Blakie Road, London, Ontario, Canada, N6L 1P7
Phone: 519-652-5833
Fax: 519-652-3795
Email: hr@oes-inc.com

This Accessibility Plan will be reviewed and updated at least once every five (5) years. The current Accessibility Plan will be reviewed, and updated as appropriate, no later than December 31st, January 1, 2028. 

Enquiries:
For further information regarding the OES Accessibility Policies, please contact Human Resources:

Email:  hr@oes-inc.com
Telephone:  519-652-5833
Address:  4056 Blakie Road, London ON N6L 1P7 

A copy of OES Accessibility Policy will be posted on the Company website. The Policy is also available by contacting the OES AODA Compliance Office, by email at hr@oes-inc.com or by calling the company head office at (519)652-5833.