Our commitment
Smile is committed to providing equal access and opportunity for people with disabilities. We provide our goods, services and facilities in a way that respects the dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity of every person.
Definitions
- Disability: has the meaning given in the Ontario Human Rights Code. It includes physical, mental, intellectual, learning, sensory and communication disabilities, whether visible or not, and whether permanent, temporary or episodic.
- Assistive device: a tool or technology that helps a person with a disability access our services, such as a screen reader, screen magnifier, captioning or voice recognition software.
- Support person: someone who accompanies a person with a disability to help with communication, mobility, personal care, medical needs or access to services.
- Service animal: an animal that is easily identified as being used by a person for reasons relating to their disability, or for which the person provides documentation from a regulated health professional.
How we provide accessible service
We are committed to excellence in serving all customers, including persons with disabilities, and will carry out our functions and responsibilities by:
- 1.Providing our goods and services in a way that respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities.
- 2.Making sure people with disabilities receive the same value and quality of service as everyone else.
- 3.Providing accommodations on request, in a timely manner.
- 4.Using alternative methods where needed so that everyone can access our services in the same place and in a similar way.
- 5.Keeping our policies, procedures and practices consistent with the principles of the AODA.
Assistive devices. People may use their own assistive devices to access our website, product, support and events. If a barrier stops an assistive device from working with our services, contact us and we will offer another way to get the same service.
Support persons. Support persons are welcome at no cost, including on video calls, product demos, interviews and events. We will only require a support person when one is needed to protect the health or safety of the person or others, after consulting with the person and finding no other reasonable option.
Service animals. Service animals are welcome at any in-person event or venue Smile hosts that is open to the public or to guests. If we cannot easily identify an animal as a service animal, we may ask for documentation from a regulated health professional.
Accessible employment
Smile provides accommodations for people with disabilities throughout recruitment, hiring and employment.
If you are applying for a role at Smile and need an accommodation, email accessibility@smile.io or let your recruiting contact know. We will work with you to find an accommodation that meets your needs. Information you share about an accommodation is kept confidential and used only to provide it.
Accessible formats and communication supports
This policy, and any information we make available to the public, is available in an accessible format or with communication supports on request, at no extra cost. Examples include large print, plain text, a screen-reader friendly document, or a call or video meeting with captioning.
We will work with you to choose a suitable format and provide it in a timely manner.
Training
Smile trains all employees, contractors and anyone who provides goods, services or facilities on our behalf on Ontario’s accessibility laws and on the Human Rights Code as it relates to people with disabilities. Training covers how to provide accessible customer service and how to interact and communicate with people with disabilities.
New team members complete this training during onboarding, and we provide refresher training when this policy changes.
Notice of temporary disruption
If a service or feature that people with disabilities rely on is disrupted, planned or unexpected, Smile will post a notice on our website or communicate by such method as is reasonable in the circumstances. The notice will explain the reason for the disruption, how long we expect it to last, and any alternative services available.
Feedback
We welcome feedback on how we provide goods and services to people with disabilities and our policies. You can reach us by email at accessibility@smile.io.
Responses shall be provided within a reasonable amount of time and will depend on the complexity of the issues raised. Our feedback process is available in accessible formats and with communication supports on request.
Modifications of this policy
Smile reviews this policy every year and updates it as needed to stay consistent with the AODA and the Human Rights Code. Any policy that does not respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities will be changed or removed.