Charter Full Contents
INTRODUCTION
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
AGENCY NUMBERS
HOURS OF OPERATION
CHARTER
The London Employment Help Centre welcomes all its clients and is committed to providing the highest possible quality of programs and services. It is hoped that client's experiences at the centre will be rewarding and that their individual needs will be fully met. The following information is an introduction to the Centre's expectations of the exchanges and sharing of experience between clients and the Agency.
The charter is meant to help an organization achieve its goals and to assist and direct its members in their daily undertaking for the organization. They are an organization's "common sense guidebook". Therefore, it is important to remember that the contents of this manual are meant to guide and to serve clients in their endeavours and to assist them in achieving their goals within the context of the agency's mandate.
It is conceivable that a situation will arise where "serving the manual" by blindly applying a policy or procedure will work against a client's efforts and against the attainment of the Centre's own goals. Should a client ever feel such a situation exists, they should not hesitate to seek staff supervisor's opinion. With his/her permission, an "exception to the rule" may be made.
Clients are also encouraged to provide feedback (compliments or complaints) to the Executive Director. All feedback will be followed up on within five working days. In conclusion, the Customer Service Charter also creates needed accountability within an organization. Read it carefully. When in doubt, ask staff or management at the London Employment Help Centre for clarification.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Catharine Cambell / Chair
Main Office
Phone:
519-439-0501
519-439-0502
519-439-0503
519-439-0504
Fax:
519-673-4100
Outreach Action Centre
Phone:
(519) 659-1400
September - May: 8:30 - 4:30
June - August: 8:00 - 4:00
1.0 Staffing
The Centre seeks to recruit qualified staff without regard to race, creed, sex, residence or political affiliations; to establish a clear understanding of the conditions under which each staff is engaged; and to provide working conditions and an atmosphere conducive to enabling each employee to contribute according to his/her experience, skills, and competence. Due to age parameters for some client programmes, certain staff roles also reflect these age parameters.
The Centre recruits staff from all segments of the community, including, and in particular, those who are unemployed.
2.0 Confidentiality
Employees are required to maintain the confidentiality of all matters relating to clients, the Centre, and the staff, which come to their attention as a result of working at the Centre.
3.0 Conflict of Interest
The members of the Board of Directors, the staff, and the volunteers of the Centre, mutually recognize the importance of protecting the Centre's integrity on the one hand, and the rights of the individual employees to participate as private citizens in the life of the community, on the other. This can be achieved by ensuring that conflicts of interest are avoided.
Conflicts of interest arise when the employee's outside activities conflict, or raise a question of conflict, with his/her duties and responsibilities to the Centre. Where doubt exists, consultation with the Executive Director should be arranged.
4.0 Quality of Service
The London Employment Help Centre is a client driven organization that makes every effort to offer up to date programs and services in a professional and effective manner, constantly evaluating and upgrading them to meet client's changing needs.
The Agency encourages client feedback through the use of program & services evaluation forms, comment boxes, and/or letters to the Executive Director.
5.0 Grievance Procedure
If a problem arises during the delivery of service to a client, and it cannot be resolved in a mutually satisfactory manner, the client may seek redress by following these procedures:
- Record in writing the problem, the efforts made to resolve it, and the results obtained.
- If the grievance does not involve a supervisor, the client should attempt to resolve the issue with the conflicting party's immediate supervisor. If the client is not satisfied with the supervisor's solution, or if the problem originates between the client and a supervisor, the grievance can be directed to the Executive Director of the Centre for resolution.
- The Executive Director, after receiving the client's updated written account of his/her redress efforts, will resolve the problem within five working days.
- Under all but the most unusual circumstances, this response will be the final decision.
- Very unusual grievance circumstances may warrant higher levels of appeal such as the Agency's Board of Directors.
6.0 Dress Code
A formal dress code does not exist. However, clients will be expected to attend the agency in a manner consistent with generally accepted attire.
7.0 Code of Conduct
The London Employment Help Centre expects all its employees to conduct business in a professional manner, and to make every effort at all times to accommodate individual client needs.
The Agency will not tolerate at any time any inappropriate behaviour on its premises; profanities, disruption to other clients using our facilities, abusive language or any other unbecoming behaviour. Such behaviour will result in clients being asked to leave the Agency and may result in the dismissal of an employee, should he/she engage in such conduct.
8.0 Personal Records
Each client will have a personal file maintained by the Agency. This confidential file is accessible to a client, pursuant to the Freedom of Access to Information Act. It remains part of the Centre's records after the client's departure.
9.0 Harassment
The Board of Directors of the London Employment Help Centre, endeavouring to provide and maintain an environment which is supportive of both productivity and personal goals, dignity and self-esteem of every individual in the system has established a policy in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code. Clients, employees and members of the Board shall have the right to work in an environment free of harassment on the grounds of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed/religion, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family status, the receipt of public assistance or record of offenses. The Board of Directors will not condone any form of harassment on these grounds by staff, volunteers, board members, clients or any other participant of the Help Centre.