Accessible Customer Service Policy HR-08

Rural Municipality of Portage la Prairie, Manitoba

This is the exact embedded text of the captured official document. Snapshot 5403c781a7cf · verified 2026-06-09 · original document · archived snapshot · unofficial consolidation, the official version is held by the municipal clerk.

RURAL MUNICIPALITY OF PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE REFERENCE: Human Resources POLICY NO. HR - 08 TITLE: Accessible Customer Service PAGES: 4 ADOPTED BY: Resolution No. 2017-808 DATE: November 14, 2017 PURPOSE: The purpose of this policy is to outline the policy and procedures for employees to provide goods, services or facilities to people with disabilities. 1. POLICY: The following constitutes the policy and procedures of the RM of Portage la Prairie for employees who provide goods, services or facilities to people with disabilities. The RM of Portage la Prairie is committed to meeting its current and ongoing obligations under the Accessibility for Manitobans Act and is committed to excellence in serving all customers including people with disabilities. The Accessible Customer Service policy is consistent with the principles of independence, dignity, integration and equality of opportunity for people with disabilities. 2. POLICY DEFINITIONS: a) Assistive Devices 'Devices' are anything used to assist persons with disabilities in carrying out activities or in accessing the services of persons or organizations covered by the customer service standard. Assistive devices include, but are not limited to, wheelchairs, reading machines, recording machines, hearing devices, devices for grasping, a white cane. b) Service Animal: Means a service animal as defined in The Human Rights Code. c) Support Person: Means, in relation to a person who is disabled by a barrier, a person who accompanies the person to: - support the person obtaining, using or benefiting from a good or service provided by an organization; or - assist the person in addressing his or her communication, mobility, personal care or medical needs Accessible Customer Service Page 2 3. ASSISTIVE DEVICES a) People with disabilities may use their personal assistive devices when accessing our goods, service or facilities. b) In cases where the assistive devise presents a significant and unavoidable health or safety concern or may not be permitted for other reasons, other measures will be used to ensure the person with a disability can access our goods, services or facilities. 4. COMMUNICATION a) We will communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability. This may include the following: - Telephone - Email - In Person b) We will work with the person with a disability to determine what method of communication works for them. 5. SERVICE ANIMALS a) We welcome people with disabilities and their service animals. Service animals are allowed on the parts of our premises that are open to the public. b) When we cannot easily identify that an animal is a service animal, our staff may ask a person to provide documentation (template, letter or form) from a regulated health professional that confirms the person needs the service animal for reasons relating to their disability. c) If service animals are prohibited by another law, we will do the following to ensure people with disabilities can access our goods, services or facilities: - explain why the animal is excluded - discuss with the customer another way of providing the goods, services or facilities. 6. SUPPORT PERSONS a) A person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed to have that person accompany them on our premises. 7. NOTICE OF TEMPORARY DISRUPTION a) Temporary disruptions in the municipalities services and facilities may occur due to reasons that may or may not be within the municipalities control or knowledge. The municipality will make reasonable efforts to provide prior notice of planned disruptions if possible, recognizing that in some circumstances such as in the situation of unplanned temporary disruptions, advance notice will not be possible. The notice will be made publicly available in the following ways: Accessible Customer Service Page 3 The municipality will make reasonable efforts to provide notice of the disruption to the public, including: i) information about the reason for the disruption; ii) its anticipated duration; and iii) a description of alternative facilities or services, if any, that may be available. When temporary disruptions occur to the municipalities services or facilities, the municipality will provide notice by: i) posting the information in visible places, and/or ii) on the municipalities website, or iii) by any other method that may be reasonable under the circumstances as soon as reasonably possible. 8. TRAINING a) The RM of Portage la Prairie will provide accessible customer service training to: - all employees and volunteers by the Department Head - anyone involved in developing our policies - anyone who provides goods, services or facilities to customers on our behalf. b) Staff will be trained on accessible customer service within one week after being hired by Department Head. c) Training will include: - purpose of The Accessibility for Manitobans Act and the requirements of the customer service standard - RM of Portage la Prairie's policies related to the customer service standard - how to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities - what to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty in accessing the RM of Portage la Prairie's goods, services or facilities. d) Staff will also be trained when changes are made to our accessible customer service policies. e) A record of training received will be kept on file. 9. FEEDBACK PROCESS a) The RM of Portage la Prairie welcomes feedback on how we provide accessible customer service. Customer feedback will help us identify barriers and respond to concerns. - posting the information in a visible place owned by the municipality - the municipal website - any other reasonable method Accessible Customer Service Page 4 b) Customers who wish to provide feedback on the way the RM of Portage la Prairie provides goods, services or facilities to people with disabilities can provide feedback in the following way(s): - Mail: Rural Municipality of Portage la Prairie 35 Tupper Street South Portage la Prairie, MB R1N 3A3 - In person at 35 Tupper Street South - Email: [email protected] - Telephone: 204-857-3821 c) All feedback, including complaints, will be handled in the following manner: i) All feedback will be received by the Accessibility Coordinator ii) A response to the feedback will be provided within 5 working days. iii) Response to feedback will be provided in the method requested by the customer where reasonably possible. d) The RM of Portage la Prairie will make sure our feedback process is accessible to people with disabilities by providing or arranging for accessible formats and communication supports, on request. 10. NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF DOCUMENTS a) The RM of Portage la Prairie will notify the public that documents related to accessible customer service, are available upon request by posting a notice in the following location(s)/way(s): - posting the information in a visible place owned by the municipality - the municipal website - any other reasonable method b) The RM of Portage la Prairie will provide this document in an accessible format or with communication support, on request. We will consult with the person making the request to determine the suitability of the format or communication support. We will provide the accessible format in a timely manner and, at no additional cost. 11. MODIFICATIONS TO THIS OR OTHER POLICIES a) Any policies of the RM of Portage la Prairie that do not respect and promote the principles of dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity for people with disabilities will be modified or removed.