Accessibility Policy

Providing Goods and Services to People with Disabilities
The Chronicle-Journal is committed to excellence in serving all customers including people with disabilities, and will use every reasonable effort to ensure that these policies are consistent with the principles of independence, dignity, integration and equality of opportunity.

Assistive Devices
We will investigate alternative measures that will enable people with disabilities to access our goods and services.

We will provide staff training covering any accessible devices we implement in the future that may be used by customers with disabilities while accessing our goods, services or premises.

Communication
We will communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability.

Service Animals
We welcome people with disabilities and their service animals. Service animals are allowed on the parts of our premise that are open to the public.

We will train on our staff on what guide dogs and service animals are and how to interact with a customer who uses a service animal.

Support Persons
A person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed to have that person accompany them on our premises.

Our staff will be trained on who are support persons and how to interact with a customer who has a support person with them.

Notice of Temporary Disruption
In the event of a planned or unexpected disruption to services or facilities for customers with disabilities, eg. front counter, main office reception, The Chronicle-Journal will notify customers promptly. This clearly posted notice will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated length of time, and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available.

The notice will be placed at all public access doors, front service counters, and as appropriate our web pages and in-paper advertisements.

Training
The Chronicle-Journal will provide training to employees and others who deal with the public or other third parties on our behalf.
Individuals in the following customer service positions will receive training:

• customer service staff, front desk reception, managers and supervisors
• other company positions will also receive training based on their individual customer interaction scenarios

Staff will also be trained when changes are made to our plan.

Feedback Process
Customers who wish to provide feedback on the way The Chronicle-Journal provides goods and services to people with disabilities can offer feedback via mail, email or telephone or in person.

All feedback, including complaints, will be directed to the Publisher. Customers can expect a response within three business days.

Modifications to this or other policies
All of our company policies and procedures respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities, and would be modified or removed if they were found not to be.

Colin Bruce,
Publisher and General Manager