Integrated Accessibility Policy & Multi-Year Accessibility Plan
Message from the Chief Operating Officer Services for Physically Challenged
At Surgenor National Leasing and Hertz Ottawa, we want to make your rental experience as easy and convenient as possible. A full range of special services for physically challenged renters are available to both the customer and any member of the traveling party. The basic services we offer are detailed here. If you need additional information or assistance, please ask a Hertz representative. Below are just a few of the services we offer.
Wheelchair Accessible Minivans
We have offered wheelchair accessible minivans to rental and lease customers in Ottawa for over 25 years.
Hand controls
At most locations, cars equipped with hand controls are available at no extra charge. Reservations for cars equipped with hand controls can be automatically confirmed with as little as 8 hours notice at major airport locations, and as little as 24 hours notice at other locations.
Accessible Parking
All Surgenor National Leasing locations have designated accessible parking at car return areas. When returning your rental car to a Hertz location, you should inform the Hertz representative of any special needs, and they will direct you to the accessible parking area.
Telephone Service for the Hearing Impaired
In 2005, the government of Ontario passed the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) with the goal of “to make Ontario accessible to people with disabilities by 2025”. To help public, private, and non-profit organizations identify, prevent, and remove barriers to accessibility, the AODA contains accessibility standards including Customer service, Information and communications, Employment, Transportation, and the design of public spaces.
The accessibility standard for customer service came into force in 2008. The Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (Ontario Regulation 191/11) became law in 2011. This regulation includes accessibility standards for information and communications, employment, transportation, and the design of public spaces.
Surgenor National Leasing/Hertz strives to meet the needs of its employees and customers with disabilities and is working hard to remove and prevent barriers to accessibility.
This accessibility plan outlines the steps Surgenor National Leasing/Hertz is taking to meet those requirements and to improve opportunities for people with disabilities.
2. Our commitment
Surgenor National Leasing/Hertz is committed to ensuring equal access and participation for people with disabilities. We are committed to treating people with disabilities in a way that allows them to maintain their dignity and independence. We are committed to meeting the needs of people with disabilities in a timely manner. We will do so 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.
We are committed to giving customers with disabilities the same opportunities to access our goods and services in the same place and in a manner consistent with other customers.
3. Customer Service
It is Surgenor National Leasing/Hertz’s policy to provide services in a way that respects the dignity and independence of customers with disabilities.
We will review our current Customer Service Policy to ensure that in compliance with the requirement under the AODA. Please refer to our CUSTOMER SERVICE POLICY for more information. We will continue to provide Ontario employees with updated training on providing accessible customer service to people with disabilities.
4. Training
Surgenor National Leasing/Hertz is committed to providing training in the requirements of Ontario’s accessibility laws and the Ontario Human Rights Code as it applies to people with disabilities.
The AODA & OHRC online training consists of the following:
- Customer Service Standards
- Information and communication standards
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General Requirements of the Integrated Accessibility Standards
The Manager has responsibility for coordinating the training for all new hire employees and contractors who deal with customers.
Timeframe: Ongoing
5. Information and Communications
Surgenor National Leasing / Hertz will communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability. When asked, we will provide information about our organization and its services, including public safety information, in accessible formats or with communication supports.
We will also meet internationally recognized Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Level AA website requirements in accordance with Ontario’s accessibility laws
We will train staff on how to interact and communicate with customers with various types of disabilities.
We will make our policy available on our websites by 1st April, 2022.
6. Self-service kiosks
Surgenor National Leasing / Hertz will consider accessibility for people with disabilities when designing, procuring, or acquiring self-service kiosks.
7. Employment
(a) Recruitment
Surgenor National Leasing/Hertz is committed to fair and accessible employment practices.
- Employment and recruitment standards
- The Ontario Human Rights Code
- During the recruitment process, we will notify job applicants, when they are selected to participate in the assessment that accommodation for disabilities is made available upon request in relation to the materials or processes to be used. We will provide for appropriate accommodations.
- During the recruitment process, if a prospective applicant requests an accommodation, we will provide a suitable accommodation.
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We will notify the successful applicant of our policies for accommodating employees with disabilities.
(b) Informing Employees of Supports
We will ensure that employees are informed of all accessibility policies (and any updates to those policies) used to support employees with disabilities, including policies on the provision of job accommodations that take into account an employee’s accessibility needs due to disability. This information will be provided to new employees as soon as practicable after commencing employment.
(c) Accessible Formats and Communication Supports for Employees
In order to determine the suitability of an accessible format or communication support, Surgenor National Leasing / Hertz will consult with the employee making the request. Accessible formats and communications support regarding general workplace information will also be provided to employees with disabilities.
(d) Workplace Emergency Response Information
We will provide employees with disabilities individualized workplace emergency response information as soon as we aware of the need for accommodation due to the employee’s disability and will provide an assistance to the employee who requires assistance.
If an employee who receives individualized workplace emergency response information requires assistance and with the employee’s consent, we will provide the workplace emergency response information to the designated person to provide an assistance to the employee. We will review the individualized workplace emergency response information when necessary.
(e) Return to Work Process
We will contact and provide “Return to Work Plan” for employees who have been absent from work due to a disability-related issue and who require an accommodations and support in order to return to work.
- How the employee can participate;
- How the employee will be assessed;
- How we can request an evaluation by an outside expert, at our expense, to assist in determining if/how the accommodation can be achieved;
- How often the plan will be reviewed;
- How the reason for denied requests will be communicated; and
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How the plan will be provided to the employee
8. Design of Public Spaces – Not applicable
9. Performance management, Career development, and/or Redeployment – Not applicable
For More Information
For more information on this accessibility plan, please email to info@snlease.com Standard and accessible formats of this document are free on request.
Our Accessibility Customer Service Policy can be viewed below