Accessibility for Ontarians with disabilities customer service policy
Our commitment
BCU Insurance is committed to providing its services in a way that respects the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities. This commitment will be integrated wherever possible and will ensure that persons with disabilities will benefit from the same access to services.
We believe in integration, and we are committed to meeting the needs of people with disabilities in a timely manner. We will do so by removing and preventing barriers to accessibility and by meeting our accessibility requirements under Ontario’s accessibility laws.
Our policy
BCU Insurance is committed to excellence in serving all of our Members and non-Members, including people with disabilities. BCU Insurance is governed by this policy as well as the Accessibility Standards for Customer Services Policy and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 in meeting the accessibility needs of persons with disabilities.
Effective January 1, 2012 BCU Insurance (along with other businesses in Ontario) is required to comply with the Accessible Customer Service Standard under Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).
For more information on the standard, visit ontario.ca/AccessON.
We are committed to developing customer service policies that will 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 Members with disabilities.
Any policy of BCU Insurance that does not respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities will be modified or removed.
If anyone has a question about the policy or if the purpose of a policy is not understood, an explanation will be provided.
Accessibility plan
BCU Insurance, as part of the BCU Financial Group, will develop, maintain and document an Accessibility Plan outlining the company’s strategy to prevent and remove barriers from its workplace and to provide equal opportunities for persons with disabilities. The Accessibility Plan will be reviewed and updated at least once every five years. Upon request, BCU Insurance will provide a copy of the Accessibility Plan in an accessible format.
You can find the current multi-year accessibility plan for BCU Financial Group HERE.
To request either or both of these documents, documentation in alternate formats, or for any accommodation requests, please contact BCU Insurance or email us at [email protected]
At BCU Insurance, we’re always trying to improve our services, and we welcome any comments you may have that would help us. Please contact BCU Insurance or email us at [email protected]
Training
BCU Insurance will provide training to all employees, volunteers, and others who deal with the public and other third parties on their behalf, and all those who are involved in the development and approvals of customer service policies practices and procedures. BCU Insurance will ensure that training addresses the requirements of the accessibility standards referred to in the Regulation and continue to provide training on the Human Rights Code as it pertains to persons with disabilities, for:
- 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
- How to use the equipment or devices, e.g. TTY, wheelchair lifts, etc., available on the premises or otherwise that may help with the provision of goods or services to people with disabilities
- What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty in accessing BCU Insurance’s goods and services
- BCU Insurance’s policies, practices and procedures relating to the customer service standard.
Employees will be trained on policies, practices and procedures that affect the way goods and services are provided to people with disabilities.
Staff members will be trained when changes are made to the accessibility policy.
New staff members will be trained as part of their HR onboarding.
BCU Insurance will keep a record of the training it provides.
Information and communications standards
Feedback
BCU Insurance will ensure that its feedback processes are accessible to persons with disabilities by providing or arranging for the provisions of accessible formats and communications support, upon request. All feedback is taken seriously, and each communication is directed to the responsible department for review and necessary action.
BCU Insurance will continue to ensure that its process for receiving and responding to feedback is accessible to persons with disabilities.
Accessible formats and communication supports
Upon request, BCU Insurance will provide or arrange for the provision of accessible formats and communication supports for persons with disabilities in a timely manner that takes into account the person’s accessibility needs due to disability.
BCU Insurance will consult with the person making the request in determining the suitability of an accessible format or communication support.
BCU Insurance will also notify the public about the availability of accessible formats and communication supports.
Accessible websites and web content
BCU Insurance will ensure that our website, including web content, conforms to the World Wide Web Consortium Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, at Level AA, except where this is impracticable.
Complaint resolution
At BCU Insurance, we take your complaints seriously and are committed to helping you resolve any problems you may have with our service. If you have a problem, issue or complaint of any sort, we encourage you to contact us and tell us the best way to resolve your complaint is to deal with it as soon as it happens. Our BCU Insurance staff will respond quickly to your concerns and offer professional and practical solutions. Most complaints are resolved at this level.