Accessibility Policy
Carelancer Accessibility Service Policy
Last updated: 2025
Carelancer (“we“, “us“, “our“, “Carelancer“) is committed to providing all Care Providers, Care Seekers and Decision-Makers, including those with disabilities (collectively referred to as the “Participants” and individually as a “Participant“), with technical support services to ensure their access and use of our Sites (the “Support Services“) in a way that is consistent with the principles of independence, dignity, integration and equal opportunity. Our goal is to ensure that all Participants have equal access to Carelancer’s Sites for requesting or delivering Assistance Services.
This Accessible Service Policy governs the delivery of Support Services by Carelancer’s employees to all Participants and does not apply to interactions between Care Providers, Care Seekers and/or Decision-Makers outside of the Sites, including the provision and receipt of Assistance Services. Carelancer’s role is limited to providing an online platform that enables Participants to search for, offer, and book these Assistance Services.
All capitalized terms used in this policy that are not defined herein are defined in Carelancer’s Website Terms and Conditions of Use available here for Care Seekers and here for Care Providers.
Communication
Carelancer will communicate with Participants with disabilities in ways that take their disability into account. Reasonable efforts will be made to ensure that communications, in any format (e.g., verbal, written or electronic), are presented in an accessible manner. Special requests regarding communication format will not be unreasonably denied, and alternative methods will be explored to accommodate Participants’ needs whenever possible.
Assistive Devices
Carelancer will ensure that its employees are trained and familiar with various assistive devices that Participants with disabilities may use when requesting or obtaining Support Services, subject to applicable terms and conditions.
Service Animals
Carelancer encourages the inclusion of service animals for Participants with disabilities when receiving or providing Assistance Services, provided that this does not conflict with applicable laws, health or safety regulations.
Each Participant is solely responsible for disclosing the presence of service animals when providing or receiving Assistance Services. Carelancer disclaims any liability for issues that may arise from the presence of a service animal during the provision of such services.
Carelancer will ensure that its employees are trained to assist in facilitating communication between Participants concerning any expectations or limitations regarding the presence of service animals in connection with Support Services and ancillary services provided by Carelancer. Furthermore, while Carelancer is not responsible for ensuring Participants acceptability of other Participants’ service animals, Carelancer is committed to fostering an inclusive and accepting environment for all Participants, including when providing or receiving Assistance Services, and encourages all Participants to do the same.
Support Persons
Participants with disabilities who are accompanied by a support person will be able to receive Support Services from Carelancer, subject to any additional verification requirements.
Each Participant is solely responsible for ensuring that they are permitted to be accompanied by a support person when providing or receiving Assistance Services. Carelancer disclaims any liability for issues that may arise from the presence of a support person during these services. Notwithstanding, Participants must respect other Participants rights to privacy and their own legal obligations, including any professional requirements they may be subject to regarding confidentiality, when receiving or providing Assistance Services.
For the purpose of this policy, a support person is not automatically considered a Decision-Maker.
Notice of Temporary Service Disruption
Service disruptions may occur due to reasons that may not be within the control or knowledge of Carelancer. If any services to accommodate Participants with disabilities are interrupted in a way that would limit them from gaining access to Carelancer’s Support Services, notice of the temporary interruption will be published on Carelancer’s Website. Such notice will include information about the reason of the disruption, its anticipated duration and a description of alternative services, if available.
Training
To create awareness and ensure compliance, Carelancer will provide customer accessibility training to all of its employees who provide the Support Services and who are involved in the development and approval of customer service policies, practices and procedures.
Training will include the following:
- The purposes of the Accessibility for Ontarians With Disabilities Act, 2005.
- 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 support person.
- How to use personal assistive devices to help with the provision of Support Services to Participants with disabilities.
- What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty accessing Carelancer’s Support Services.
- Carelancer’s policies, practices and procedures relating to accessible customer service.
Training will be provided during orientation and on an ongoing basis when changes are made to these policies, practices and procedures.
Feedback
All documents relating to accessible customer service will be made available, upon request, in a format that takes into account the Participant’s disability needs.
The Participant may provide feedback about the accessibility of our services and by contacting Carelancer using one of the following methods:
- Email: [email protected]
- Mail: 10 Four Seasons Place, Suite 1000, Toronto, ON M9B 6H7
If a Participant with a disability prefers to provide feedback and receive a response to it using a method other than the ones offered, they may request an alternative.
Carelancer will do its best to respond to feedback requests within 30 business days.
Administration
If Participants have any questions regarding this policy, they may contact Carelancer.