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Our Policies

At Family and Children’s Services of Renfrew County, we are committed to transparency and responsible stewardship of resources. We are guided by Ministry Directives, laws, regulations, and our own policies and procedures. The following are some of the policies and procedures that may be of interest to you!

Please contact us at [email protected] if you would like more information.

Travel and Hospitality Policy

Section: Financial Management – Payments and Payables
Document No.: 3.6.50
Approval Date: 12/03/09
Next Review: Oct. 2, 2021
Revision No.: 18.01
Revision Date: Oct. 3, 2018 POLICY

Specific policy directives restrict expenditures to comply with Ministry directives, and require that agency policy comply with OPS (Ontario Public Service) standards. Agency policy therefore reflects and complies with these directives. Employees and Board Members are entitled to reimbursement for travel and miscellaneous expenses incurred in the course of their work on behalf of the Agency in accordance with the Broader Public Sector Travel and Hospitality Directive.

Section: Financial Management – Payments and Payables
Document No.: 3.6.30
Approval Date: 12/03/09

Next Review: Oct. 2, 2021
Revision No.: 18.01
Revision Date: Oct. 3, 2018 POLICY

Procurement Policy

Family and Children’s Services of Renfrew County operates in a manner which ensures value for money. The Agency complies with the Broader Public Sector Procurement Directive and its own policies and procedures governing purchasing, procurement, and approvals

Violence and Harassment Free Workplace Policy

Section: Human Resources – Employee Relations
Document No.: 6.8.2
Approval Date: July 5, 2017
Next Review: July 5, 2020
Revision No.: 17.01
Revision Date: July 5, 2017

Due to the nature of child protection work, the Agency recognizes there are risks inherent in the provision of services to children, youth and their families. Notwithstanding this, it does not accept that its employees be subjected to violence, threats or harassment from clients or members of the public.

Individuals are encouraged to report all incidents of violence as per the Accident/ Incident Reporting procedure.

All incidents shall be investigated promptly, fairly and effectively, and shall be done so in a manner that, if required, makes the necessary accommodations for either of the parties involved.

Definitions

Workplace: Includes any location in which employees and/or volunteers are engaged in Agency business activities necessary to perform their assignments. This includes, but is not limited to, Agency buildings, employee/volunteer parking lots, employee/volunteer organized social events, field locations, client’s homes, and during business related travel.

Workplace Violence:

a) the exercise of physical force by a persona against a worker, in a workplace, that causes or could cause physical injury to the worker.
b) an attempt to exercise physical force by a person against a worker, in a workplace that causes or could cause physical injury to the worker;
c) a statement or behavior that is reasonable for the worker to interpret as a threat to to exercise physical force by a person against a worker, in a workplace, that causes or could cause physical injury to the worker

Harassment: Harassment is any behavior that demeans, humiliates, or embarrasses a person, and that a reasonable person should have known would be unwelcome. It includes actions, comments, or displays. It may be a single incident or continue over time.

Workplace Harassment: means engaging is a course of vexatious comments or conduct against a worker in a workplace that is known or ought reasonably to be known to be unwelcome. The normal exercise of management is neither harassment nor bullying.

Workplace Bullying: is usually described as repeated incidents or a pattern of behavior that is intended to intimidate, offend, degrade or humiliate a particular person or group of people. It can take the form of verbal abuse, offensive conduct or work interference (sabotage).

Violence and Harassment Free Workplace Commitment

The Agency will promote a violence and harassment free workplace for all and is committed to working in collaboration with its employees to recognize, manage and prevent acts of workplace violence and harassment.

The Agency shall make available to all employees, and post in designated areas, its policies on workplace violence and harassment.

The Agency shall review annually its policy on Workplace Violence and Harassment.

The Agency accepts an obligation to promote a violence-free and harassment-free workplace through the following:

Violence and Harassment Free Workplace Procedures:
  • Assessing and reassessing the risk of workplace violence;
  • Supporting the identification, prevention and/or resolution of potentially violent or unsafe work-related situations;
  • Encouraging the reporting of both internal and external workplace violence complaints and incidents including, where applicable, early signs thereof;
  • Reviewing and dealing with reported incidents of workplace violence, and threats of same, individual and as potential, emerging patters of preventable occurrence including police involvement as may be appropriate
  • Providing all employees with education and training in appropriate approaches for managing violence and threats;
  • Installing and maintaining appropriate building security measures at agency offices;
  • Promoting and enforcing compliance with its code of conduct, including the prohibition to keep/maintain items of a toxic or dangerous nature at the workplace including firearms, knives or other weapons;
  • Taking all reasonable precautions in the circumstances for the protection of an employee if the agency becomes aware of a domestic violence situation that would likely expose an employee to physical injury in the workplace.
  • Supporting the identification, prevention and/or resolution of potentially harassing behaviors;
  • Encouraging the reporting of workplace harassment, complaints and incidents including, where applicable, early signs thereof;
  • Reviewing and dealing with reported incidents of workplace harassment, and threats of same, individual and as potential, emerging patters of preventable occurrences;
  • Providing all employees with education and training in appropriate approaches for managing harassment and bullying;
  • Taking all reasonable precautions in the circumstances for the protection of an employee if the agency becomes aware of a harassing and/or threatening situation.

Family and Children’s Services of Renfrew County Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities (AODA) Policy:

It is the policy of Family and Children’s Services of Renfrew County (FCSRC) to support the full inclusion of persons with disabilities as set out in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Ontario Human Rights Code, the Ontarians with Disabilities Act (ODA), 2001 and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), 2005.

Our Commitment: FCSRC strives to offer quality service to each member of the community and to always provide service in a way that respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. FCSRC is committed to open communication and to ensuring that persons with disabilities have an equal opportunity access.

The purpose of this policy is to provide a framework through which FCSRC can achieve service excellence for people with disabilities and the building of a fully inclusive community.

Definitions

Disability – is defined, per Section 2 of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, S.O. 2005, c. 11 and the Human Rights Code, R.S.O. 1990, c. H.19, as follows:

  • “any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, a brain injury, any degree of paralysis, amputation, lack of physical co-ordination, blindness or visual impediment, deafness or hearing impediment, muteness or speech impediment, or physical reliance on a guide dog or other animal or on a wheelchair or other remedial appliance or device,
  • a condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability,
  • a learning disability, or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language,
  • a mental disorder, or
  • an injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997.”

Service Animals – are defined, per Section 4(9) of the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service, O. Reg. 429/07, as follows: “an animal is a service animal for a person with a disability:

  • if it is readily apparent that the animal is used by the person for reasons relating to his or her disability; or
  • if the person provides a letter from a physician or nurse confirming that the person requires the animal for reasons relating to the disability.”

Support Person – is defined, per Section 4(8) Accessibility Standards for Customer Service, O. Reg. 429/07, as follows: “a support person means, in relation to a person with a disability, another person who accompanies him or her in order to help with communication, mobility, personal care or medical needs or with access to goods or services.”

AODA Procedures

Providing Goods and Services to People with Disabilities: FCSRC respects and celebrates the diversity of people who make up our community. We are committed to excellence in serving our diverse community, including persons with disabilities, and we will carry out our service goals in the following areas:

Communication

FCSRC will communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their individual requirements. We will train our employees how to effectively interact and communicate with people who have various disabilities.

Telephone Services

FCSRC is committed to providing fully accessible telephone services including access to appropriate assistive technologies. We will train employees to communicate over the telephone in clear and plain language and to speak clearly and slowly. We will make our employees familiar with telephone technologies intended for people with disabilities.

Assistive Devices

FCSRC welcomes persons with disabilities to use assistive devices to obtain, use or benefit from our services. We will ensure that our employees are trained in the use of the various assistive devices and alternate to print materials available on the premises.

Availability of Documents Required by the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service (Ontario Regulation 429/07)

Documents required by the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service are available upon request. When providing a document to a person with a disability, FCSRC will work with the individual to determine options in order to provide the document or the information contained in the document in a format that takes the person’s disability into account.

Billing

FCSRC is committed to providing accessible invoices and, upon request, our invoices will be provided in alternative formats.

Use of Service Animals and Support Persons

FCSRC welcomes persons who are accompanied by a service animal on the parts of our premises that are open to the public and other third parties.

FCSRC welcomes persons who are accompanied by a support person. Any person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed to enter FCSRC’s premises with his or her support person. At no time will a person who is accompanied by a support person be prevented from having access to his or her support person, provided that the interaction between the person and his/her support person does not compromise service integrity by undermining essential requirements of investigations or other programs.

Notice of Temporary Disruption

FCSRC will provide notice in the event of a planned or long term unexpected disruption in the facilities or services usually used by people with disabilities to access FCSRC’s goods or services. Although FCSRC cannot provide the same guarantee in emergency temporary disruption situations, every reasonable effort will be made to give adequate notice. A notice regarding the disruption will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated duration, and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available. The notice will be placed in relevant conspicuous locations on our premises.

Training for Staff

FCSRC will provide training about accessible services to staff members, volunteers and others who interact with members of the public who wish to obtain, use or benefit from services provided by FCS Renfrew. In addition, training will be provided to employees as part of the orientation training for new employees, and on an ongoing basis whenever changes are made to relevant policies, procedures and practices. The training will be provided as soon as practicable after the new employee is assigned his/her duties. Training will include a review of the purpose of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, the requirements of the Customer Service standard, and information about the following:

  • How to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities
  • FCSRC’s policies, practices and procedures relating to the provision of services to persons with disabilities
  • How to interact with persons with disabilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a service animal or a support person
  • How to use equipment or devices available at FCSRC that may help with the provision of services to a person with a disability
  • What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty accessing FCSRC’s services

FCSRC will keep records of the training provided, including the dates of the training and the number of people trained.

Feedback Process

FCSRC welcomes feedback regarding the way in which FCSRC provides services to persons with disabilities. Clients and service recipients are invited and encouraged to provide feedback and concerns, complaints, or suggestions in writing to the Agency. Should accessibility requirements entail an alternative means of feedback, FCSRC will work with the client or service recipient to facilitate the feedback. FCSRC will respond to such feedback within a reasonable time frame clarifying the concern, complaint or suggestion, and actions to be taken to address same.

Perquisite Policy:

A perquisite (perk) refers to a privilege that is provided to an individual or to a group of individuals, provides a personal benefit, and is not generally available to others.

This policy applies to any person including but not limited to appointees, board members, elected officials and employees.

This policy does not apply to provisions of collective agreements, insured benefits, items generally available on a non-discriminatory basis for all or most employees, health and safety requirements, employment accommodations made for human rights and/or accessibility considerations, or expenses covered under the policy and procedures on travel, meals, and hospitality.

A perk is not allowable if it is not a business related requirement. To be allowable, a perk must be a business related requirements for the effective performance of an individual’s job.

  • The following perks are not allowed under any circumstances:
  • Club memberships for personal recreation or socializing purposes, including but not limited to fitness clubs, golf clubs or social clubs
  • Seasons tickets to cultural or sporting events
  • Clothing allowances not related to health and safety or special job requirements
  • Access to private health clinics
  • Professional advisory services for personal matters, such as tax or estate planning

This policy will be reviewed on a periodic basis to ensure that there is appropriate governance and that everyone who has authority for approvals understands the organization’s policy regarding perks.

Good record keeping practices will be maintained for verification and audit purposes.

A perk is allowable only in limited and exceptional circumstances where it is demonstrated to be a business related requirement for the effective performance of an individual’s job and requires approval of the Executive Director or the Board Chair if the perk is in regard to the Executive Director.

Summary information about perks will be made publicly available annually.

Family & Children's Services of Renfrew County. Together, A Caring Community
Services à la famille et à l'enfance du Comté de Renfrew. Ensemble, Une Communaté Bienvillante.