CUSTOMER SERVICE POLICY FOR ACCESSIBILITY FOR ONTARIANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (AODA)
Providing Goods and Services to People with Disabilities
1. Our mission
The mission of the Police Credit Union Limited is to provide a full range of financial products and services at our best possible price ensuring service excellence to all police personnel in the policing communities we serve.
2. Our commitment
In fulfilling our mission, the Police Credit Union Limited is committed to providing its goods and services in a way that respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. We are also committed to giving people with disabilities the same opportunity to access our goods and services and allowing them to benefit from the same services, in the same place and in a similar way as other customers.
3. Providing goods and services to people with disabilities
The Police Credit Union Limited is committed to excellence in serving all members including people with disabilities and we will carry out our functions and responsibilities in the following areas:
a) Communication
We will communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability.
We will train staff who communicate with members on how to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities.
Documents will, when possible, be provided in the accessibility format requested by the member.
Communication Procedures:
- Members request for documents in accessibility format will be directed to management.
- When possible, the accessibility document may be provided immediately; however, some documents may require more effort and will be provided within a reasonable time frame.
b) Telephone services
We are committed to providing fully accessible telephone service to our members. We will train staff to communicate with members over the telephone in clear and plain language and to speak clearly and slowly.
We will offer to communicate with members by e-mail or written letter if telephone communication is not suitable to their communication needs or is not available.
c) Assistive devices
We are committed to serving people with disabilities who use assistive devices to obtain, use, or benefit from our goods and services. We will ensure that our employees, volunteers and third parties are trained and familiar with various assistive devices that may be used by members with disabilities while accessing our goods or services.
d) Statements
We are committed to providing accessible statements to all of our members. For this reason, statements will be provided in the following formats upon request: hard copy and/or large print.
We will answer any questions members may have about the content of the statement in person, by telephone or e-mail.
e) Literature
We are committed to providing accessible literature to all our members. For this reason, when possible, literature will be provided in the following formats upon request: large print.
We will answer any questions members may have about the content of the literature in person, by telephone or e-mail.
4. Use of service animals and support persons
We are committed to welcoming people with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal on the parts of our premises that are open to the public and other third parties. We will also ensure that all staff, volunteers, and others dealing with the public are properly trained in how to interact with people with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal.
Service Animal Procedures:
- Always speak to the person the animal is assisting and acknowledge their presence
- Never touch a service animal without the permission of the person it is assisting
We are committed to welcoming people with disabilities who are accompanied by a support person. Any person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed to enter the Police Credit Union Limited’s premises with his or her support person. At no time will a person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person be prevented from having access to his or her support person while on our premises.
Support Person Procedures:
- Ask the member for permission for the support person to be present when discussing the member’s personal financial information
- Employees may request the member to sign a Support Persons Authorization Agreement prior to discussing the member’s personal financial information. See Support Person(s) Authorization below
5. Notice of temporary disruption
The Police Credit Union Limited will provide members with notice in the event of a planned or unexpected disruption in the facilities or services usually used by people with disabilities. This notice will include information about the reason for the disruption, the anticipated duration, and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available. The notice will be placed at all public entrances and service counters on our premises. Notice will also be posted on our website.
Notice Procedures:
- Management or designate will ensure the notice of temporary disruption is posted
- Employees are responsible for communicating a temporary disruption to members with whom they have a set appointment prior to or during the appointment
6. Training for staff
The Police Credit Union Limited will provide training to all employees, volunteers and others who deal with the public or other third parties on their behalf, and all those who are involved in the development and approval of customer service policies, practices and procedures.
This training will be provided within 14 days after an employee commences their duties.
Training will include the following:
- The purposes of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the requirements of the customer service standard
- 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 a support person
- What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty in accessing the Police Credit Union Limited’s goods and services
- The Police Credit Union Limited’s policies, practices, and procedures relating to the customer service standard.
Applicable staff will be trained on policies, practices and procedures that affect the way goods and services are provided to people with disabilities. Staff will also be trained on an ongoing basis when changes are made to these policies, practices, and procedures.
Various Forms of Training:
- Employees, volunteers and third parties will complete the AODA on-line training course and final test offered through CuSource
- Annual review and acknowledgement of the Customer Service Policy (AODA) will be completed by each employee
- All updates to policy and/or procedures will be communicated to all employees, volunteers and third parties
7. Feedback process
The ultimate goal of the Police Credit Union Limited is to meet and surpass member expectations while serving members with disabilities. Comments on our services regarding how well those expectations are being met are welcome and appreciated.
Feedback forms are available below.
Feedback regarding the way the Police Credit Union Limited provides goods and services to people with disabilities can be made by e-mail, verbally or written letter. All feedback will be directed to the Human Resources & Training Manager. Customers can expect to hear back within 14 days.
A record of the Customer Feedback Form will be kept on file by the Human Resources & Training Manager.
Complaints will be addressed according to complaint categories already established in our company’s complaint management procedures.
8. Modifications to this or other policies
We are committed to developing customer service policies that respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. Therefore, no changes will be made to this policy before considering the impact on people with disabilities.
Any policy of the Police Credit Union Limited that does not respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities will be modified or removed.
9. Questions about this policy
This policy exists to achieve service excellence to members with disabilities. If anyone has a question about the policy, or if the purpose of a policy is not understood, an explanation will be provided by the Human Resources & Training Manager of the Police Credit Union Limited.
