Policies

1. Information Collected

A. Information You Give Us

The privacy of our users is important to us. Arthritis Research Canada does not collect any personal information about users, except that which is knowingly and specifically supplied to us by the user. At times we may request that you voluntarily supply us with personal information, such as your e-mail address and postal address, for purposes such as corresponding with us or making a donation. However, when at all possible, an option to remain anonymous will be provided to those who wish to preserve their right to anonymity. We will not disclose any personal information about users to any outside parties. You may access your personal information at any time to ensure that it is correct and current.

Arthritis Research Canada receives and stores any information you choose to enter on the Arthritis Research Canada website, or provide us in any other way, such as by telephone or by electronic mail. This information may include your name, address, e-mail address, and/or telephone number, as well as information pertaining to the business interaction between yourself and Arthritis Research Canada.

B. Automatic Information

Certain applications in Arthritis Research Canada’s website may invoke a standard feature found in web browser software called “cookies.” Arthritis Research Canada only reads cookies specifically written for our site and does not use cookies to track a user’s Internet history on other issues. We use cookies to better understand how our site is used and to make sure our information and content are served correctly. We do not use or share information transferred through cookies. Although most web browsers automatically accept cookies, you can change the configuration of your browser to prevent this from occurring.

2. Use of Information Collected

A. Electronic Mail

Arthritis Research Canada may use your personal information to e-mail you regarding specific information about events, activities, newsletters. All such e-mails sent to you by Arthritis Research Canada will offer you the option to be removed from our e-mail list.

B. Other Contacts

If you provide your e-mail address or have opted-in to receiving communication electronically or in print, in addition to using your personal information to provide you with such communication, Arthritis Research Canada may also use your personal information to contact you by mail, by e-mail, or by telephone. If you wish to be removed from this contact list (or have a preference as to how we may contact you), you may do so by contacting Arthritis Research Canada directly. (See the ‘Contact Us’ section below).

C. Sharing With Third Parties

Information collected by Arthritis Research Canada will not be shared with any third parties.

3. How Secure is Information About Me?

Arthritis Research Canada’s personnel are authorized to access personal information based only on their need to deal with the information for the reason(s) for which it was obtained. Safeguards are in place to ensure that the information is not disclosed or shared more widely than is necessary to achieve the purpose for which it was gathered. All Arthritis Research Canada staff are required to sign a confidentiality agreement. We also take measures to ensure the integrity of this information is maintained and to prevent its being lost or destroyed.

Arthritis Research Canada works to protect the security of your information. If you make a financial transaction via Arthritis Research Canada’s website, we will use your credit card number only to process your payment. For reasons of security, credit card information is not stored on our Web Server. We will retain order information for our records, but this information is never shared with third parties.

4. Links

Arthritis Research Canada is committed to protecting your privacy; however, this privacy notice applies only to the information collected via Arthritis Research Canada’s website. If you came to Arthritis Research Canada’s website from any other website, or if you link to another site from Arthritis Research Canada’s website (you can check where you are by checking the URL in the location bar on your browser), please be sure that you review the privacy policy of that site, as it may differ from ours. Arthritis Research Canada is not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of any such websites.

5. Children

We do not knowingly collect personal information from any children under 16. If you are under 16, be sure to obtain your parent’s or guardian’s permission before you send any information about yourself to us or anyone else over the internet. We encourage parents to get involved with their children’s online usage and to be aware of the activities in which they are participating.

6. How To Access And Update Your Personal Information

Upon your request, we will provide you with access to, and ability to correct, certain information about you, such as contact information, transaction information and credit card account information. You can help Arthritis Research Canada maintain the accuracy of your personal information by notifying us when you change your address, phone number, or e-mail address.

If at any time you wish to access or update your information or stop receiving communications from Arthritis Research Canada, please contact us:

E-mail: hcaulder@arthritisresearch.ca

Mailing Address: Arthritis Research Canada 5591 No. 3 Road Richmond, BC V6K 2C7

Please include your old and new contact information so that we can make the appropriate corrections. If you have any comments or concerns about this privacy policy, please contact us at one of the addresses listed above.

7. Conditions of Use, Notices, and Revisions

If you choose to interact with Arthritis Research Canada’s website, your visit and any dispute over privacy is subject to this privacy notice. We regularly review our privacy practices for our various activities, and update our policy. Please check this website on an ongoing basis for information on our most up-to-date practices.

Further information on privacy and your rights in regard to your personal information may be found on the website of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada at https://www.priv.gc.ca/en/

8. Complaints

We are always appreciative and responsive to any suggestions or concerns regarding any of our policies or practices. Please send your comments to hcaulder@arthritisresearch.ca and we will respond in a timely manner.

9. Terms and Conditions

This site www.arthritisresearch.ca is owned and operated by Arthritis Research Canada. Please feel free to browse the site; however, your access and use of the site is subject to the following terms and conditions and all applicable laws. By accessing and browsing the site, you accept the Terms and Conditions. Arthritis Research Canada reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to modify, alter or otherwise update these Terms and Conditions at any time and your continued use of the site constitutes your acceptance of, and is conditional upon your continued acceptance of and compliance with, the following provisions.

A. Copyright

All content included on this site, including but not limited to, text, graphics, logos, button icons, images, audio clips, video clips, digital downloads, data compilations, and software, is the property of Arthritis Research Canada and protected by Canadian and international copyright laws. Users are only entitled to copy for personal use and may not copy, reproduce or republish for any other purpose without Arthritis Research Canada’s written consent. All rights reserved.

B. Disclaimer of Warranties and Limitations of Liability

This site is provided by Arthritis Research Canada for information only. Reasonable effort is made to ensure that the information posted is reliable. Arthritis Research Canada does not make any representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, as to the operation of this site or the information, content, materials, products or services included on this site. This disclaimer of liability includes any failure of performance, error, omission, interruption, defect or delay in the operation or transmission, computer errors, communication line failure, or unauthorized access to or use of the website or information transmitted through the website. The Information on the site, including but not limited to newsletters, articles, opinions and views, are provided for educational information purposes only. Any Information created by us is believed to be reliable when posted. Despite the use of firewalls, anti-virus software and other security measures, Arthritis Research Canada does not warrant that this site, its servers, or e-mail sent from Arthritis Research Canada are free of viruses or other harmful components. Arthritis Research Canada will not be liable for any damages of any kind arising from the use of this site, including, but not limited to direct, indirect, incidental, punitive and consequential damages.

The information on this site is presented for information purposes only. It is not presented as a substitute for professional medical advice. If you have any questions about your individual medical situation, always contact your doctor or other qualified health-care provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this site.

Information posted on the website may be changed from time to time without notice. Although the website is intended to be updated from time to time, no guarantee is given that the information is current. Links provided on our website to other sites, references, services or products, do not imply endorsement or approval of such websites, products or services. Links are provided for the convenience of the user and are to be accessed for information only. We assume no responsibility for their content nor for their privacy practices.

This is a Canadian website and the laws in effect in the Province of British Columbia shall govern this agreement and any dispute or claim based on your use of the site or the information. You agree that any action or proceeding related to this agreement or your use of the site shall only be brought by you in the courts of the Province of British Columbia.

This policy and procedure applies to complaints received by Arthritis Research Canada about our activities, programs, services, staff or volunteers.

A. Guiding Principles

• It is in the interest of all parties that complaints are dealt with promptly and resolved as quickly as possible.
• Review of complaints is fair, impartial and respectful to all parties.
• Complainants are advised of their options to escalate their complaint to a more senior staff person if they are dissatisfied with their treatment or outcome.
• Complainants are provided clear and understandable reasons for decisions relating to complaints.
• Updates are provided to complainants during review processes.
• Complaints are used to assist in improving services, policies and procedures.

B. Types of Complaints

Definition: A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction about the service, actions, or lack of action by Arthritis Research Canada as an organization or a staff member or volunteer acting on behalf of Arthritis Research Canada.

Examples include but are not limited to:

• perceived failure to do something agreed upon;
• failure to observe policy or procedures;
• error made by a staff member/volunteer; or
• unfair or discourteous actions/statements by staff member/volunteer;

Anyone personally affected can complain and their complaint will be reviewed in accordance with this procedure.

C. Complaint Receipt and Handling

A complaint may be received verbally (by phone or in person) or in writing (by mail, fax, email). An employee or volunteer who receives a complaint should first determine the proper person to handle it. This will generally be the person who has the primary relationship with the complainant or has the specific knowledge that is needed to resolve the problem. It is the responsibility of the person who receives the complaint to either resolve it or transfer it to another person who can resolve it. If the complaint is transferred, the recipient must acknowledge to the transferor that he/she has received it and will act on it.

The person who initially receives the complaint should acknowledge to the complainant that the complaint has been received and will be acted on either by him/herself or another employee. If a timeframe for action can be determined, that should be included in the acknowledgement. Basic contact information including name, phone number and email address should immediately be recorded.

D. Resolving the Complaint

Every effort should be made to resolve complaints received in a timely fashion. When receiving a verbal complaint, staff should listen and seek to understand the complaint, and may attempt to resolve it immediately. Complaints received in writing should be acknowledged within 2 business days and staff should attempt to resolve the matter within 10 business days.

Where a complaint cannot be easily resolved, it should be escalated to the relevant supervisor. If the supervisor cannot resolve the complaint, it will be escalated to either the Scientific Director or Executive Director. If the complaint is about the Scientific Director or Executive Director, it will be handled by the Chair of the Board. Complainants should be kept informed of the status of their complaint. Every attempt should be made to resolve escalated complaints within an additional 10 business days so that all complaints are resolved within a month of having been received.

E. Documenting the Complaint

It is necessary to keep a record of any complaint that involves a dispute over money as well as any complaint that cannot be resolved immediate (on the same day it is received). Information about such complaints must be recorded on the complaints tracking worksheet. Information recorded on the worksheet includes a description of the complaint, who handled it, what was done to resolve the complaint, timeframe, and a description of the resolution.

A summary of the complaints received including number and type will be reported to the Arthritis Research Canada’s Board of Directors annually.