Accessibility & Customer Service Policy
Accessibility
Rubicon Publishing Inc. (referred to as “Rubicon” or the “Company”) is committed to the objectives of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (“AODA”) and the Ontario Human Rights Code.
Rubicon has made a commitment to be accessible for everyone who uses our services and accepts the responsibility for ensuring a safe, dignified, and welcoming environment for everyone. Providing an accessible and barrier-free environment is a shared effort, and as an organization, Rubicon is committed to working to make accessibility for all a reality.
Rubicon will continue to provide its goods and services to persons with disabilities consistent with the core principles of independence, dignity, integration and equality of opportunity.
Rubicon has formulated this Accessibility & Customer Service Policy to comply with the requirements under the AODA and Integrated Accessibility Standards (“IAS”). This Policy describes the various policies and procedures developed by the Company to achieve or continue to achieve accessibility through meeting its requirements referred to under the IAS.
Multi-Year Accessibility Plan
A Multi-Year Accessibility Plan (“Accessibility Plan”) that sets out Rubicon’s strategy for preventing and removing accessibility barriers from its workplace has been developed in accordance with the IAS. The Accessibility Plan will be reviewed and updated at least once every five years.
As part of its Accessibility Plan, the Company has addressed the following:
Information and Communication Standard:
- Accessible Emergency Information
- Feedback from Customers and Employees
- Accessible Information and Communications
- Workplace Emergency Response Information
- Accessible Websites & Web Content
Upon request, the Company will provide a copy of its Accessibility Plan in an accessible format. Please contact the Legal Department at k12legal@savvas.com.
Customer Service
- Communication
We will communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability. We will train employees who communicate with customers on how to interact and communicate with people with various disabilities.
- Telephone services
We are committed to providing fully accessible telephone service to our customers. We will train employees to communicate with customers over the telephone in clear and plain language and to speak clearly and slowly. We will offer to communicate with customers by email or with the assistance of a support person if telephone communication is not suitable to their communication needs or is not available.
- 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 allow all customers to use their assistive devices while receiving service from Rubicon. In cases where the assistive device presents a significant and unavoidable health or safety concern or may not be permitted for other reasons, other measures will be used whenever feasible to ensure the person with a disability can access our goods, services.
- Training
Rubicon will provide training to all employees as per below.
Training topics include:
- An overview of the AODA
- An overview of the Ontario Human Rights Code
Training on laws and standards includes:
- How to interact with people with various types of disabilities
- How to interact with people with disabilities who use an assistive device
- How to interact with people who use the assistance of a service animal
- The requirements under the Customer Service Standard
- How to interact with people who use a support person
- How to use any equipment or devices available at the workplace to assist with providing goods or services to persons with disabilities
- What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty accessing our Company’s goods or services
New employees will be trained within a timeframe dependent upon the position they are hired for, and retrained in the event that changes are made to the Policy.
- Feedback
Rubicon is committed to addressing requests for accessible formats or communication supports in a timely manner that takes into account the person’s accessibility needs due to disability whenever feasible.
Rubicon will work with members of the public, employees, customers and suppliers to communicate or receive feedback taking into account any restrictions they may have due to disability.
When the Company receives a request for accessible formats and/or communication support, the Company, in consultation with the person making the request, will provide appropriate and timely communication supports/accessible formats.
- Questions about this Policy
This policy exists to achieve service excellence to customers with disabilities. If anyone has a question about this policy or if the purpose of the policy is not understood, please contact us:
In person or by post at: 2040 Speers Road
Oakville, ON
L6L 2X8
By telephone at: 1-800-336-0980 (toll free)
By email at: k12legal@savvas.com
Alternative formats of this document are available free upon request.