Accessibility Plan and Policy

Our Commitment to Accessibility

CNA is committed to providing a barrier free environment for all clients, suppliers, partners, employees and any other individuals who may enter our premises and making every reasonable effort to meeting and accommodating the accessibility needs of persons with disabilities in a timely manner, and that individuals are treated with dignity and respect in a manner that upholds their independence. CNA is committed to its policies and procedures set out for accessibility and will do all that it can up to the point of undue hardship to CNA.  This is reflected in policies which are publicly available on our website and, upon request, will be provided in an accessible format.

Accessibility Plan and Policy

CNA has developed, and will maintain, and document a multi-year accessibility plan which follows the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disability Act, 2005 (“AODA”): outlining its strategy to prevent and remove barriers from its workplace, to improve opportunities for persons with disabilities and meet its requirements under the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (IASR). The accessibility plan is available in an accessible format upon request, and posted on our external website here.

CNA will review and update its accessibility plan at least once every five years and the updated plan will be posted on our website. CNA is committed to servicing all customers, suppliers, and employees, including persons with disabilities, as follows:

Information and Communication

Accessible Formats and Communication Supports

CNA will, upon request, provide or arrange for the provision of alternative format and communication for people with disabilities within a reasonable time and considering the person’s accessibility due to disability, at a cost that is no more than the regular cost charged to other persons.

Accessible Website and Web Content

Websites and web content will maintain a Level AA standard of the Worldwide Web Consortium’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0) to the extent possible. 

Feedback

CNA will ensure that our process for receiving and responding to feedback is accessible by people with disabilities by providing accessible formats and communication supports upon request.  We will also notify the public of the availability of accessible formats.

Employment Standards

Employment

CNA is committed to fair and accessible employment practices. We have processes for developing individual accommodation plans and return-to-work options for employees that have been absent due to a disability. We also have processes for ensuring the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities are taken into account during performance management, career development, and redeployment processes.

Recruitment, Assessment or Selection Process

CNA will notify all internal and external job applicants if/when selected for an interview about the availability of accommodation for job applicants who have disabilities.  Applicants will be informed that these accommodations are available upon request for the interview process and for other candidate selection methods. Where an accommodation is requested, the company will consult with the applicant and provide or arrange for suitable accommodations in a manner that takes into account the applicant’s accessibility needs due to disability.

Successful applicants will be made aware of the company’s policies and supports for accommodating people with disabilities.

Training

CNA provides training for its employees and volunteers regarding the IASR and the Ontario Human Rights Code as they pertain to individuals with disabilities. Training is also be provided to individuals who are responsible for developing the company’s policies, and all other persons who provide goods, services, or facilities on behalf of the company.

Training Provisions

Regardless of the format, training will cover the following:

• A review of the purpose of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005; along with relevant sections of the Ontario Human Rights Code as it relates to persons with disabilities;
• A review of the requirements of the Customer Service Standards;
• Instructions on how to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities;
• Instructions on how to interact with people with disabilities who:
  • Use assistive devices;
  • Require the assistance of a guide dog or other service animal; or
  • Require the use of a support person.
• Instructions on what to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty accessing our services; and
• Policies, procedures, and practices of the company pertaining to providing accessible customer service to customers with disabilities.

Customer Service Standards

The Provision of Goods and Services to Persons with Disabilities

CNA will make every reasonable effort to ensure that its policies, practices, and procedures are consistent with the principles of dignity, independence, integration, and equal opportunity by:

• Ensuring that all customers receive the same value and quality of goods, services, or facilities;
• Allowing customers with disabilities to do things in their own ways, at their own pace when accessing goods and services, as long as this does not present a health and safety risk;
• Using alternative methods when possible to ensure that customers with disabilities have access to the same services, in the same place and in a similar manner;
• Taking into account individual accommodation needs when brought to our attention when providing goods and services; and
• Communicating in a manner that takes into account the customer’s disability.

Guide Dogs and Service Animals

A customer with a disability who is accompanied by a guide dog or service animal will be allowed access to premises that are open to customers unless otherwise excluded by law. “No pet” policies do not apply to guide dogs or service animals.

Staff may respectfully ask if an animal is a service animal but will not ask the nature of the person’s disability or purpose of the animal.

The Use of Support Persons

If a customer with a disability is accompanied by a support person on the premises, CNA will ensure that both persons may enter the premises together and that the customer is not prevented from having access to the support person.

There may be times where seating and availability prevent the customer and support person from sitting beside each other. In these situations, the company will make every reasonable attempt to resolve the issue.

In situations where confidential information might be discussed in the presence of the support person, consent will be obtained from the customer before any potentially confidential information is mentioned.

Notice of Disruptions in Service

Service disruptions may occur for reasons that may or may not be within the control or knowledge of CNA. In the event of any temporary disruptions to facilities that impact persons’ with disabilities’ usual access to goods, services, or facilities, reasonable efforts will be made to provide advance notice. In some circumstances, such as in the situation of unplanned temporary disruptions, advance notice may not be possible.

If a notification needs to be posted, the following information will be included unless it is not readily available or known:

• Reason for the disruption;
• Anticipated duration; and
• A description of alternative services or options.

Customer Feedback

CNA shall provide customers with the opportunity to provide feedback on the service provided to customers with disabilities. Information about the feedback process will be readily available to all customers and notice of the process will be made available on our external internet site: www.cnacanada.ca. Feedback forms, along with alternate methods of providing feedback verbally (in person or by telephone) or written (handwritten, delivered, website, or e-mail), will be available upon request.

Submitting Feedback

Customers can submit feedback to:

Complaints Office
CNA
66 Wellington Street West, Suite 3700
Toronto, Ontario M5K 1J5
Phone: 1-416-542-7300 or 1-800-268-9399
Fax: 1-416-542-7310
Email: canadacompliance@cna.com

Customers who wish to provide feedback by completing an onsite customer feedback form or verbally can do so to any CNA HR employee.

Customers who provide formal feedback will receive acknowledgement of their feedback, along with any resulting actions based on concerns or complaints that were submitted.

Availability of Documents

All documents required by the Customer Service Standards, including CNA Accessibility Policy, notice of planned temporary disruptions, training records, and the written feedback process are available upon request, subject to all applicable laws.