Accessibility Policy

1. Introduction

Total Wrapture Medi Spa is dedicated to fostering an inclusive environment that embraces diversity and promotes equal access to esthetic services for all individuals, including those with disabilities. Whether a person’s disability is apparent or not, all individuals shall be treated with courtesy and have their need for accommodation respected.

2. Policy Statement

Total Wrapture Medi Spa acknowledges its responsibility to comply with and meet all legal obligations of the Accessibility for Manitobans Act (AMA) and its associated regulations. The purpose of this policy is to establish our commitment to:

• Providing equitable access to services, information, and facilities for individuals with disabilities.
• Removing barriers, whether physical, architectural, informational/communicative, technological, or attitudinal, that may hinder full participation and inclusion.
• Promoting awareness, understanding, and acceptance of accessibility principles among visitors, clients, staff, and stakeholders.
• Cultivating an accessible, non-discriminatory, and supportive environment.
• Continuously improving our accessibility initiatives through consultation, evaluation, and collaboration with the disability community.

Our accessibility efforts are guided by the following principles:

• Dignity: Respecting the dignity and independence of individuals with disabilities by providing them with the same services, opportunities, and choices as others.
• Equity: Ensuring equitable access to education and services for individuals with disabilities, without discrimination or barriers.
• Inclusion: Fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is celebrated, and all members of the community feel valued and respected.
• Accessibility by Design: Integrating accessibility considerations into the design, development, and implementation of all policies, programs, and initiatives.
• Continuous Improvement: Engaging in ongoing assessment, feedback, and review processes to identify and address accessibility barriers and enhance our practices.

Total Wrapture Medi Spa shall provide reasonable accommodation to fulfill its Duty to Accommodate and meet the needs of its visitors, clients, and staff with disabilities in a timely and proactive manner providing that the accommodation does not:

• Create undue hardship.
• Alter the essential requirements of a service.
• Threaten the integrity of contract of employment by significantly altering essential job requirements or responsibilities.
• Position Total Wrapture Medi Spa in violation of any legislative requirement.

If it is found that any policies of Total Wrapture Medi Spa do not respect and promote the principles of dignity, independence, inclusion, and equal opportunity for persons disabled by barriers, that policy will be modified or removed.

3. Scope

This policy applies to:

• All Total Wrapture Medi Spa employees including full-time, part-time, casual and contract
• All Total Wrapture Medi Spa clients
• Volunteers and visitors to Total Wrapture Medi Spa
• All persons who otherwise provide goods or services on behalf of Total Wrapture Medi Spa

In addition, this policy applies to the execution of all aspects of Total Wrapture Medi Spa operations including but not limited to:

• Delivery of services and events
• Maintenance of facilities and buildings
• Design and utilization of digital platforms and technology
• Implementation and maintenance of support services and accommodations
• Employment practices and recruitment

4. Policy Content

A. Maintain Alignment with Key Principles

Total Wrapture Medi Spa will make every reasonable effort to ensure that its policies and practices are consistent with the principles of mutual respect, dignity, independence, inclusion, and equal opportunity by:

i. Ensuring that all visitors and clients receive the same value and quality of service.

ii. Using alternative methods, when possible, to ensure that visitors and clients with disabilities have access to the same goods or services, in the same place, and in a similar manner.

iii. Communicating in a manner that considers the visitor or client’s disability.

B. Maintain Barrier-Free Access

i. Total Wrapture Medi Spa is committed to reviewing and identifying barriers to provide an environment that is as accessible as possible.

C. Notice of Temporary Disruption of Services

i. In the event of a planned or unexpected disruption of services, Total Wrapture Medi Spa will provide notice about the disruption, the reason for the disruption, its anticipated length and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available. Notices may be displayed on Total Wrapture Medi Spa premises or the website or by other means that are reasonable in the circumstances. Total Wrapture Medi Spa may not be able to provide advance notice during an emergency disruption.

D. Communications

i. Total Wrapture Medi Spa is committed to accessible communication in a timely manner that considers the person’s disability and makes reasonable efforts to have the content and intent of its communications understood by all parties. All Total Wrapture Medi Spa employees, visitors and clients are expected to be mindful of the way in which they communicate and use respectful terms.

ii. Total Wrapture Medi Spa will make publicly known the availability of accessible formats and communication supports. Total Wrapture will consider the person’s accessibility needs when customizing individual requests.

iii. Total Wrapture Medi Spa will provide or arrange for the provision of accessible format and communication support upon request unless the product is deemed unconvertible. In this case, the person who made the request shall be provided with an explanation as to why the information or communication was unconvertible, as well as a summary of the unconvertible information or communications.

iv. Total Wrapture Medi Spa is proactively identifying and removing barriers to ensure information and communication at the Spa is accessible to persons disabled by barriers.

E. Assistive Devices

i. Total Wrapture Medi Spa is committed to serving persons disabled by barriers who use assistive devices. Persons disabled by barriers may use their own assistive devices as required when accessing goods or services provided at Total Wrapture Medi Spa.

ii. In cases where the assistive device presents a safety concern or where accessibility might be an issue, other reasonable measures will be used to ensure access to the service at Total Wrapture Medi Spa. For example, an oxygen tank cannot be near an open flame. In such a case, accommodations may involve ensuring the visitor or client is in a location that would be considered safe for both the visitor or client and Total Wrapture Medi Spa.

F. Support Persons

i. Total Wrapture Medi Spa welcomes persons disabled by barriers and their accompanying support person. Total Wrapture Medi Spa may require a person disabled by barriers to be accompanied by a support person when on Total Wrapture Medi Spa premises, but only if a support person is necessary to protect the security, health or safety of the visitor or client. Given the nature of the information that may be discussed in the presence of a support person, Total Wrapture Medi Spa may require that the person disabled by barriers give his or her consent to Total Wrapture Medi Spa to discuss confidential information in the presence of the support person. If the person disabled by barriers has concerns about discussing confidential information in the presence of the support person, they may ask the support person to leave during any discussion.

G. Service Animals

i. Persons disabled by barriers may bring their service animal on Total Wrapture Medi Spa premises and into its facilities.

ii. If it is not clear that the animal is a service animal, Total Wrapture Medi Spa staff may ask the following questions in a respectful and understanding manner to clarify the service animal’s purpose:

• Is the dog or other animal assisting the person with a disability?
• What assistance has the dog or other animal been trained to provide related to the disability?

iii. The person disabled by barriers is responsible for the care and control of the service animal at all times.

iv. A service animal may be excluded when any one of the following conditions exists:

• The service animal is disruptive, and the animal’s owner is not able to effectively control it.
• The service animal’s presence, behaviour, or actions pose an unreasonable or direct threat to property or the health or safety of others.
• When another law specifically states that the animal must be excluded.

v. If a service animal’s access is not permitted, Total Wrapture Medi Spa will make all reasonable efforts to accommodate the individual and will suggest other alternatives and aid.

5. Review and Monitoring

This Accessibility Policy will be reviewed in 2029 (every 4 years) to ensure its effectiveness and relevance. Feedback from stakeholders, visitors and clients, staff, and the disability community, will be solicited and considered in the review process. Any necessary updates or revisions to the policy will be made to reflect changes in legislation, best practices, or institutional priorities.

6. Definitions

Accessible Communication – This means communicating information free from barriers that prevents or limits people’s abilities to receive, use, or benefit from that information.

Accessibility – Related to The Accessibility for Manitobans Act, this means giving people of all abilities opportunities to participate fully in everyday life. Accessibility refers to the ability to access and benefit from a system, service, product or environment.

The Accessibility for Manitobans Act (AMA) – This is provincial legislation that was introduced in December 2013 to identify, remove and prevent barriers to accessibility. The AMA calls for accessibility standards that act as regulations. The law will result in improved accessibility for all Manitobans, regardless of their abilities. The purpose of the standards is to implement measures, policies and practices to identify, prevent and remove barriers within the time period specified.

Accessible Formats – These are formats of information that facilitate effective communication by or with people disabled by barriers. Examples of accessible or alternate formats include:

• Large print
• Recorded audio
• Electronic formats
• Braille

Accommodations (reasonable accommodations) – These are arrangements that allow people with disabilities to participate or benefit equally. The Manitoba Human Rights Code requires that reasonable accommodations be made for people with disabilities up to the point of undue hardship. There is no set formula for what kind of modifications are necessary. Usually, this means a simple and inexpensive adjustment to how things are typically done. Examples include healthy snacks to accommodate dietary needs, or a flexible work schedule to accommodate disability needs, homecare or medication.

Barriers – These are obstacles that limit access and prevent people with disabilities from fully participating in everyday life. Most barriers are not intentional. Barriers usually arise because spaces, goods or services do not take into account users’ diverse abilities. For instance, this might be related to height, strength, memory or understanding. Different types of barriers include: physical, architectural, information/communications, attitudinal, technological or a barrier that is established or perpetuated by an enactment, policy or practice.

Communication – This is the exchange of information between two or more people, organizations or a combination of the two.

Communication Supports – These include captioning, alternative and augmentative communications, plain language, sign language, texting and other methods that facilitate effective communication between people and organizations.

Disability – This is a condition that limits a person’s daily activities. People with disabilities may have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments, which, by interacting with various barriers may hinder their participation on an equal basis with others. A disability, aging, an injury and other life events may temporarily or permanently affect:

• Mobility
• Dexterity (use of hands)
• Vision
• Hearing
• Communication
• Understanding
• Mental health

Duty to Accommodate – This is the requirement established by The Manitoba Human Rights Code to remove barriers up to the point of undue hardship.

Information – data, facts or knowledge that is written, photographed, recorded or stored in any manner.

Service Animals – Defined by The Manitoba Human Rights Code – These are animals trained to assist people with disabilities. The work or tasks that service animals perform must be directly related to a person’s disability. Animals that provide emotional support, comfort and companionship, but are not trained to assist with a person’s disability, are not service animals.

For more information on service animals, please see The Manitoba Human Rights Code or the Accessibility Standard for Customer Service under The Accessibility for Manitobans Act.

Support Persons – in relation to people disabled by barriers – These are people who accompany individuals to support them in obtaining, using or benefiting from goods, services, or communications provided by organizations or individuals.

Undue Hardship – Sometimes, an accommodation is so difficult it becomes unreasonable, or an undue hardship. However, it is more than minimal hardship and it must be based on actual evidence of hardship and not merely assumptions about how hard it would be to accommodate a person’s special needs. For more information on undue hardship, please visit the Manitoba Human Rights Commission.

WCAG 2.1 Level AA – Refers to the World Wide Web Consortium Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 Level AA.

Web Application – a software application that is run on a web server and accessed by a user through a web browser.

Web Content – Information published on Internet or intranet websites.