MD Financial Management’s Accessibility Policy

MD Accessibility Multi-Year Plan

Statement of Commitment

MD Financial Management Inc. and its subsidiaries collectively known as MD Financial Management is committed to meeting the objectives and requirements outlined in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, and to meeting the accessibility needs of persons with disabilities in a timely manner, through the implementation of the requirements of the Act and its applicable regulations. MD Financial Management will identify, prevent, and remove barriers for people with disabilities.

MD Financial Management is committed to providing an inclusive workplace for our employees, and the best possible service to all of our clients, including people with disabilities. To us that means ensuring that clients and employees with disabilities are respected for who they are, that employees can reach their full potential, and that clients can access MD Financial Management’s services in a manner that respects dignity and independence.

This Accessibility Policy sets out the policies and procedures MD Financial Management has put in place to become more accessible in a way that respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. Our policies are consistent with the principles of independence, dignity, integration and equality of opportunity for people with disabilities.

Employee Experience

Recruiting and Hiring

During recruitment, MD Financial Management advises our employees and the public about the availability of accommodation for applicants with disabilities. We notify job applicants, when they are individually selected to participate further in an assessment or selection process, that accommodations are available upon request in relation to the materials or process to be used. If a selected applicant requests an accommodation, we consult with the applicant and provide suitable accommodation up to the point of undue hardship.When making offers of employment, we notify the successful applicant of our policies for accommodating employees with disabilities.

Informing Employees of Supports

We notify our employees of MD Financial Management’s policies (and any updates to those policies) for supporting employees with disabilities. This includes our policies regarding the provision of job accommodations that take into account an employee’s accessibilities needs due to a disability. We will provide this information to new hires after they commence employment.

Accessible Formats and Communication Supports for Employees

Where an employee with a disability requests it, we facilitate employees in acquiring accessible formats or communication supports for information that is needed in order to perform the employee’s job, and information that is generally available in the workplace.We consult with the employee in determining the suitability of an accessible format or communication support.

Individual Accommodation Plans

MD Financial Management maintains a written process to document specific accommodation plans for employees with disabilities. If requested, information regarding accessible formats and communications supports is included and reflect this in the accommodation plans. The accommodation plans include individualized workplace emergency response information (where required). It also identifies any other accommodations that we will provide.

Individualized Emergency Response Plans

As soon as practicable after we become aware of the need, MD Financial Management provides individualized workplace emergency response information to employees with disabilities where the disability is such that individualized information is necessary and MD Financial Management is aware of the need for accommodation.For those employees that require assistance, we designate a person to assist.  In addition, with the employee’s consent, MD Financial Management provides the workplace emergency response information to this person.

MD Financial Management reviews an employee’s individualized workplace emergency response information, at minimum, whenever:

• the employee moves to a different location within the organization
• the employee’s overall accommodation needs or plans are reviewed; or
• when we review our general emergency response policies.

Performance and Career Development

MD Financial Management takes into account the accessibility needs of employees and individual accommodation plans in our performance management and development processes, and career development/advancement processes. If requested, we will provide performance management and development information in an accessible format. Our Global Performance Development¹ Policy outlines our rigorous approach to performance management and development and recognizes individual accommodation plans. We view performance management and development as an ongoing engagement between employees and their supervisors to plan, develop and assess work in support of business goals and employee development.

¹ Performance Management

Return to Work

MD Financial Management maintains a documented return to work process for its employees who have been absent from work due to a disability and require disability-related accommodations in order to return to work. The return to work process outlines the steps that we will take to facilitate the return to work and includes documented individual accommodation plans. We note that this return to work process does not replace or override any other return to work process created by or under any other statute (for example, workers’ compensation legislation.)

Training

MD Financial Management ensures that training is provided on accessibility and human rights laws that relate to people with disabilities to all employees, including those who provide services to the public or other third parties who are involved in the development of customer service policies, practices and procedures.

Training is provided as part of the new hire orientation process and in a way that best suits the duties of the employees. The training is refreshed when there are changes to the policies. Training takes place as soon as is practicable and records are maintained and include the dates when the training was provided, and the number of individuals to whom it was provided.

Our training includes:

• The purpose of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, and the requirements of the Customer Service Standards
• Our policies related to the Customer Service Standards
• How to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities
• How to interact with people with disabilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a service animal or a support person
• How to use the equipment or devices available on-site or otherwise that may help with providing goods, services or facilities to people with disabilities
• What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty accessing our goods, services, or facilities.

We will provide training information in an accessible format. The information will outline the training content and specify when training is provided.

Client Experience

Service Animals and Support Persons

We welcome people with disabilities and their support persons or service animals. Any person with a disability accompanied by a support person or a service animal will be allowed to access MD Financial Management premises. 

If there is a health and safety concern where service or guide animals are not permitted, we will consult with the person to understand their needs and we will work to determine other reasonable ways to protect their health and/or safety while on premises.

When health and safety are a factor, we may require a support person to accompany a person with a disability. This will occur after we have consulted with the individual and determined that this is the most suitable accommodation to ensure that we uphold health and safety standards.

Fees are not normally charged to a client, and therefore no fees will be charged for accompanying support persons.

Assistive Devices

Clients with disabilities may use their personal assistive devices when accessing our services or facilities.

Service Disruptions

In the event of a planned or unexpected disruption in facilities or services, we will provide information about:

• the reason for the disruption,
• how long it is expected to last,
• and any other available facilities or services (where applicable).

Accessible Digital Experiences

MD Financial Management is committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience. We are working towards achieving accessible websites that conform to the World Wide Web Consortium Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 and are usable with assistive technology.

Accessible Spaces

MD Financial Management is committed to providing accessible spaces for clients and employees. This is achieved by designing our spaces with accessibility in mind and complying with applicable legislation and building codes across Canada.

Accessible Formats & Communication Supports

MD Financial Management is committed to providing accessible information and communication to its clients. We recognize that persons with disabilities may use methods other than standard print to access information. We will communicate with individuals with disabilities in ways that account for their disability while remaining accommodating and respectful.

We will provide these documents in an accessible format or with communication support, on request. We will consult with the person making the request to determine the suitability of the format or communication support. We will provide the accessible format in a timely manner and, at no additional cost.

Feedback – Ways to Connect

When it comes to meeting accessibility standards for our products and services, we’re always looking to improve. Whether we’re doing something you like, or if there’s something you think we can do better, we’d love to hear from you.

MD Financial Management allows for people to submit feedback by mail, telephone, email, web form, our complaints process, or through your MD representative. Information on how to provide feedback is maintained on our website.

Your feedback will be reviewed, where we will consider possible action and reasonable accommodations that can be taken to improve our services. If requested, we will provide accessible formats and communication supports in the feedback process.

Changes to Existing Policies

MD Financial Management will modify or remove any existing policies that do not respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities.

Notice of Availability of Documents

MD Financial Management notifies the public that this Policy and any other documents related to accessible client service, are available upon request. These documents will be provided in an accessible format or with a communication support and will consult the individual making the request to determine the suitability of the format or communication support.