Accessibility

Accessibility
Accessible customer service plan providing goods and services to people with disabilities

Purpose: Warner Music Canada Co. (WMC) recognizes the worth and dignity of every person and is committed to excellence in serving all our customers and clients, including people with disabilities. The purpose of this Policy is to reaffirm our continuing support of various legislation, including but not limited to, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA).

Scope: This policy applies to all directors, officers and employees of Warner Music Canada Co., regardless of title or tenure. Moreover, we will encourage all those who conduct business with WMC (e.g. vendors, consultants, business partners, visitors, etc) and anyone on the WMC payroll, to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with this Policy and its related policies.

Definition of Disability:

As defined by the AODA, the term “disability” includes:

a. any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, a brain injury, any degree of paralysis, amputation, lack of physical coordination, blindness or visual impediment, deafness or hearing impediment, muteness or speech impediment, or physical reliance on a guide dog or other animal, or on a wheelchair or other remedial appliance or device,

b. a condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability,

c. a learning disability, or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language,

d. a mental disorder, or

e. an injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997.

Policy Statement

(i) Assistive Devices: Persons with disabilities who use an assistive device will be able to access our goods or services. An assistive device is any piece of equipment a person with a disability uses to help them with daily living. Some examples include a: wheelchair, walker, oxygen tank, screen reader, listening device or cane.

(ii) Communication: We will communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their particular needs and circumstances.

(iii) Service Animals: We welcome people with disabilities and their service animals, including dogs and other animals that may be trained to help people with disabilities. Service animals are allowed on the parts of our premises that are open to the public, and in our offices. If a service animal is excluded by law, where possible we will provide other appropriate alternatives to access our goods or services.

(iv) Support Persons: We welcome people with disabilities who are accompanied by a Support Person. A person with a disability who is accompanied by a Support Person will be allowed to have that person accompany them on our premises and will be able to access our goods or services.

(v) Notice of Temporary Disruptions: In the event of a planned or unexpected disruption to services or facilities that may be accessed by persons with disabilities, WMC will provide notice. This notice will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated length of time, and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available. Method of notice will depend on the circumstances, but may include postings on our entrance doors, in our lobby area, on our Company website, or an automated message on the applicable telephone lines.

(vi) Training: WMC will provide training to employees, interns, volunteers and others who deal with the public or other third parties on our behalf. Training will be provided on an ongoing basis to ensure continued compliance with the AODA.

(iv) Support Persons: We welcome people with disabilities who are accompanied by a Support Person. A person with a disability who is accompanied by a Support Person will be allowed to have that person accompany them on our premises and will be able to access our goods or services.

Training will include the following:

a. An overview of the AODA, and the requirements of the customer service standard.
b. How to interact with people with various types of disabilities.
c. How to interact with people with disabilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a service animal or support person.
d. How to use equipment or assistive devices that may be available on our premises to assist people with disabilities.
e. What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty accessing our goods or services.

(vii) Feedback: Customers who have questions or wish to provide feedback on the way WMC provides goods and services to people with disabilities can contact our Human Resources department at sharon.awon@warnermusic.com or 416.758.1118.

Multi-year Accessibility Plan

Introduction: Warner Music Canada Co. (WMC) is committed to excellence in serving all our customers and clients, including people with disabilities.  This accessibility plan outlines the policies and actions that WMC will put in place to improve opportunities for people with disabilities.

Statement of Commitment: WMC is committed to treating all people in a way that allows them to maintain their dignity and independence. We believe in integration and equal opportunity. We are committed to meeting the needs of people with disabilities in a timely manner, and will do so by preventing and removing barriers to accessibility and meeting accessibility requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA).

Training: WMC will take the necessary steps to ensure that training required to meet Ontario’s accessibility laws is provided.  We will provide training to employees, interns, volunteers and other staff members on Ontario’s accessibility laws (including the Customer Service Standard) and on the Human Rights Code as it relates to people with disabilities. Training will be provided in a way that best suits the duties of employees, interns, volunteers and other staff members.

Information and Communications:
WMC is committed to meeting the communication needs of people with disabilities.

Upon request, and as soon as practicable, WMC will arrange for the provision of accessible formats or communication supports for people with disabilities.  We will consult with the person making the request to determine their information and communication needs.

WMC will take the steps necessary to make all websites and web content conform with WCAG 2.0, Level AA.

AODA Compliance Date: January 1, 2021
Status: In progress.  WMC is evaluating current websites accessible to the public for compliance with WCAG 2.0, Level AA.

Employment:
WMC is committed to fair and accessible employment practices.

WMC will take the following steps to notify the public and staff that, when requested, we will accommodate people with disabilities during the recruitment and assessment processes, and when people are hired:

Job postings and offers of employment will include accommodation policies.

New and existing Company policies will include accommodation plans and will be communicated to all employees.  New employees will be provided with this information as soon as practicable after they’re hired.

When requested by an employee with a disability, WMC will consult with that employee to arrange for a suitable accessible format or communication support for information that is needed to perform their job, and information that is generally available to employees in the workplace.

If necessary, individualized workplace emergency response information will be provided to employees who have a disability.

WMC will take the following steps to put in place a process for developing individual accommodation plans and return-to-work policies for employees that have been absent due to a disability:

Work with employees with disabilities and seek outside expert evaluation if necessary, in order to develop appropriate individual accommodation plans.

Conduct a disability management review to develop Company-wide return-to-work processes.

WMC will take into account the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities if using performance management, career development and redeployment processes.

Design of Public Spaces:
WMC is committed to meeting the design of public spaces needs of people with disabilities and will meet all accessibility laws when building or making major changes to public spaces.

WMC has installed automatic door openers for the main entrance into the waiting/reception area.

In the event the automatic assisted door openers are in a non-functional status. WMC will notify the public with a notice stating on our building stating, the reason for the non-functioning status, the estimated down time, and instructions on how to notify the front desk receptionist to provide support to those that require the use of the assisted door openers while they undergo repairs.

WMC has installed service counters in the waiting/reception area. Including a service counter that has been lowered to provide accessibility to any people who require the use of mobility aids.

For more information: For more information on this accessibility plan or to request accessible formats of this document, please contact Sharon Awon at 416.758.1118 or sharon.awon@warnermusic.com