Accessibility for Guests and Partners

Accessibility Plan and Policies

This accessibility plan outlines the policies and actions that Earl’s Holdings Ltd. will put in place to improve opportunities for people with disabilities.

Commitment

Earl’s is committed to treating all people in a way that allows them to maintain their dignity and independence.  Earls believes in integration and equal opportunity.  We are committed to meeting the needs of people with disabilities in a timely manner, and will do so by preventing and removing barriers to accessibility and meeting accessibility requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, the Manitoba Accessibility Act and all other applicable accessibility legislation.

Accessible Emergency Information

Earl’s is committed to providing our guests with publicly available emergency information in an accessible way upon request.  We will also provide our partners with disabilities with individualized emergency response information when necessary.

Training

Earl’s will provide training to managers and partners on accessibility laws and on the Human Rights Code as it relates to people with disabilities. Training will also be provided to people involved in the development of policies, plans, practices and procedures related to the provision of our goods and services.

• All partners and leaders in Manitoba are required to complete a mandatory online training on accessibility in Manitoba. This training is compliant with The Accessibility for Manitobans Act. 
• All partners and leaders in Ontario are required to complete a mandatory online training on accessibility in Ontario. This training is compliant with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

Information and communications

Earl’s is committed to meeting the communication needs of partners and guests with disabilities.  We will consult with partners and guests with disabilities to determine their information and communication needs.

• Earl’s website has taken the necessary steps to make all websites and content on those sites conform with WCAG 2.0, Level AA.  
• Earl’s has braille menus available upon request.

Earl’s guests who wish to provide feedback on the way Earl’s provides goods and services to people with disabilities can email comments to [email protected], phone 604-646-4880,or mail – Earls Restaurants Attn: Customer Comments at Level 4 – 234 West 3rd Avenue, V5Y 1G1  Vancouver, BC.

Earl’s partners who wish to provide feedback on the partner experience for partners with disabilities can email comments to [email protected], Phone 604-646-4880, mail – Earls Restaurants Attn: People Team at Level 4 – 234 West 3rd Avenue, V5Y 1G1  Vancouver, BC. 

All feedback will be directed to our Customer Services coordinator and guests can expect to receive a response in two business days.

Employment

Earls is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace, free from discrimination. We believe bringing together people of all backgrounds, experiences and abilities is essential to our success, and brings us closer to living our purpose to Make Life Awesome.

All employment decisions inclusive of recruiting, hiring, compensation, promotions and terminations are based on qualifications, competencies and merit, without the consideration of any legally protected ground. Reasonable accommodations are available upon request.

In line with our commitment to inclusivity, Earls is dedicated to providing personalized workplace emergency response details to Partners with disabilities. This information is tailored to the specific nature of the disability and is promptly provided once Earls becomes aware of the need for accommodation. To ensure transparency and consistency, we maintain a documented process for creating individual accommodation plans. These plans, available upon request, include information about accessible formats and communication support options. Moreover, they encompass personalized workplace emergency response information when required, along with the identification of any additional accommodations to be offered.

Universal Design and Barrier-Free Access

At Earls we are dedicated to ensuring that our guests, including those with disabilities, have exceptional dining experiences. We strive to create an inclusive environment by embracing the principles of Universal Design,making our spaces welcoming and accessible to everyone. We are committed to being an equal opportunity employer, fostering an inclusive workplace.

Universal Design Commitment

Earls is committed to implementing Universal Design principles across our restaurants to create environments that accommodate the needs of all people, regardless of age, ability, or status. This commitment extends to ensuring that our facilities, services, and amenities are accessible and usable by all guests.

Current and Future Accessibility

We are actively working to ensure that all our restaurants meet or exceed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements and other local accessibility standards. While not all of our existing locations have been fully updated, we are committed to making these upgrades during scheduled renovations. All new locations are designed and constructed to fully comply with or exceed the ADA requirements of the respective jurisdictions.

For more information on this accessibility plan, please contact the People Team by phone at 604-646-4880, by email at [email protected], or by mail at Level 4 – 234 West 3rd Avenue, V5Y 1G1, Vancouver, BC.

Web Accessibility Statement

At Earls, we are committed to ensuring web accessibility for everyone, including people with disabilities. We are actively working to improve the user experience on our website and adhere to relevant accessibility standards.

We have implemented EqualWeb’s automatic accessibility tool to align as closely as possible with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 Level AA. EqualWeb’s accessibility tool provides a range of features to enhance accessibility, including:

• Keyboard Navigation: Enabling users to navigate the site using only a keyboard.
• Font Adjustments: Allowing users to increase or decrease font size, adjust alignment, and choose readable fonts.
• Color Contrast Options: Providing options for dark and light backgrounds, adjustable site colors, and monochrome settings for individuals with color blindness.
• Cursor Enhancements: Enabling users to increase cursor size and change its color.
• Display Zoom: Allowing users to increase the display up to 200%.
• Link and Header Highlighting: Making links and headers visually distinct.
• Alternative Text for Images: Providing descriptive text for images.
• Tooltip Descriptions: Displaying enlarged content in a tooltip upon cursor selection.
• Word Descriptions: Offering word descriptions upon mouse selection.
• Clear Content Display: Presenting site content in a new, readable window.
• Mouse-Based Typing: Enabling users to input text using a mouse.
• Animation Control: Allowing users to stop blinking and flashing elements.

Browser and Assistive Technology Compatibility

We strive to support a wide range of browsers and assistive technologies, including:

• Browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera, and Safari.
• Assistive Technologies: VoiceOver (macOS), JAWS (Windows and macOS), and NVDA (Windows and macOS).

Technical Specifications

This website relies on the following technologies for accessibility:

• HTML
• WAI-ARIA
• CSS
• JavaScript

These technologies are essential for meeting accessibility standards.

Third-Party Sites and Components

Earls.ca includes third-party components or links to external websites (such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and LinkedIn) that are not under our direct control. These external sites may have their own accessibility policies, and we cannot guarantee their level of accessibility. We encourage you to review the accessibility statements of these third-party sites where applicable. Here are links to some of their policies:

• Facebook accessibility policy
• YouTube accessibility policy
• Instagram accessibility
• Twitter Accessibility
• LinkedIn Accessibility

Feedback

We are continually working to improve the accessibility of our website. If you encounter any accessibility barriers, please let us know by contacting us via email at [email protected] or by phone at 604-646-4880. Your feedback is valuable in helping us make our site more accessible for everyone.

Contact Us

We are committed to addressing any accessibility concerns. If you have any questions about this statement, please contact us via email at [email protected] or by phone at 604-646-4880.