The purpose of this Customer Service Standards Policy is to fulfill the requirements set out in regulation 429/07 to establish a policy for March of Dimes Canada that governs the provision of its goods or services to persons with disabilities.
This policy shall apply to every person who deals with members of the public or other third parties on behalf of March of Dimes Canada, whether the person does so as an employee, agent, volunteer or otherwise.
1. Introduction/Objective:
March of Dimes Canada’s (MODC) Mission - to be Canada’s leading service provider, resource and advocate, empowering people living with disabilities to live and thrive in communities nationwide, is detailed in our
Strategic Plan.
2. Policy Statement:
March of Dimes Canada’s Customer Service Policy goes beyond the requirements set out in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), and Accessibility for Manitobans Act (AMA), and other forthcoming provincial standards to advance our national Vision: An inclusive, barrier-free society for people with disabilities across Canada.
2.1 Application:
This policy applies to our people who include, employees, volunteers, students, contractors and other third parties acting on behalf of March of Dimes Canada, who interact with our service users.
2.2 Non-Compliance:
Failure to comply with this policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment and/or a contract.
3. Customer Service Commitments:
3.1 Communication with Persons with Disabilities:
MODC will communicate in ways that enables persons with a broad range of disabilities to engage with dignity for the purpose of using, receiving and requesting our programs, services and accessing our facilities.
Learn about our accessible web site and content here.
3.2 Service Disruptions – Notice:
A service disruption may include planned or unplanned events or actions related to any of MODC’s services, programs, facilities that may prevent/limit access. Such service disruptions will be communicated promptly via our website, over the phone, and/or in writing where applicable. The notice will include:
- The reason for the disruption;
- Its anticipated length of time;
- A description of alternative services or facilities if available; and
- Contact information.
3.3 Service Animals, Support Person(s), Assistive Devices:
We welcome, educate our people and offer information to the public about the appropriate use of service animals, support persons and assistive devices.
People with disabilities are welcome to bring their own assistive devices, service animals and support persons when accessing our programs, services, and/or facilities. Additional fees will not be charged for a support person who is aiding a person with a disability to participate in our programs, services, facilities.
MODC’s people are trained, relevant to their role regarding a broad range of assistive devices that may be used by individuals accessing our programs, services and/or facilities. See our
Accessibility Awareness Toolkit and guides for detailed information about:
- Service Animals
- Support Persons
- Assistive Devices
3.4 Service User fees – Advance Notice:
Where fees are required to access a March of Dimes Canada service or activity, advance notice of our process will be provided. Information will be clear and may include signage, documentation, posters, web site and/or other forms of accessible communication.
3.5 Training for our people:
All our people, including employees, students and volunteers complete a range of accessibility training related to accessibility legislation and human rights code obligations via our Onboarding Program and throughout the employee life cycle, as accessibility policy, programs and services are introduced and/or amended.
Training may include, as appropriate:
- An overview of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, the Accessibility for Manitobans Act and any forthcoming accessibility legislation
- Requirements of the accessibility standards across Canadian provinces
- Detailed information about accessibility related human rights code provisions
- Fostering inclusion when interacting/communicating with people who use assistive devices, need alternative communication supports and/or need the assistance of a service animal or support person
- How to utilize assistive devices that are available at our premises
- What to do if a person with a disability expresses barriers or faces challenges accessing MODC programs, services or facilities
3.6 Feedback Process:
Our service users who wish to provide feedback can do so verbally and/or in writing.
See our process here. All feedback will be directed to the appropriate person for that business unit and will be responded to as soon as is practicable, when the feedback requires a response.
Documents:
March of Dimes Canada will upon request, work with a requestor to provide our publicly available documents in an alternative format and/or with communication supports, to meet your needs, in a timely manner, where reasonably possible. Please contact
policy@marchofdimes.ca to let us know your needs. We will work with you to provide the information in a way that is accessible for you in a timely manner.
Where information or a communication is determined to be unconvertible, MODC will provide the person requesting the information or communication with:
- An explanation as to why the information or communications are unconvertible; and
- A summary of the unconvertible information or communications.
3.7 Review and Amendments
This policy is reviewed and amended as necessary in alignment with the AODA Compliance Report Schedule for large, non-profit organizations.
3.8 Accessible Customer Service Policy Community Consultation
MODC’s Empowering Community Voices (ECV) Committee is made up of service users living with or caring for a person with a disability. Among other mandates, the ECV Committee provides input on MODC activities that advance our Vision: An inclusive, barrier-free society for people with disabilities. ECV input has been included in our Customer Service Policy.
3.9 Exceptions:
Exceptions to the commitments in this policy, will only be made in consultation with Executive Leadership and/or the Board of Directors of March of Dimes Canada, where undue hardship, as described in provincial human rights codes, arises.
4. Contacts and Other Resources:
For more information/further guidance about this policy, employees may speak with their manager or director, or contact the People and Culture Department at
humanresources@marchofdimes.ca .
