Terms and Conditions

Requests for Service

ASL

1.1 Requests will be made to the Assignment Coordinator through the CHS Interpreting and Translation Scheduling Centre.

1.2 Requests may be made by phone, email, fax, TTY, and Skype.

1.3 Requests should be made at least one week prior to the date of service. Short-notice requests will be considered but the likelihood of securing service may be lessened.

1.4 The requester shall provide the following information;

  • Name and contact information of the person making the request;
  • The date, time, and location of assignment;  
  • Nature of service [CART, Webinar Captioning, or Broadcast Captioning]
  • Language required [English or French]
  • Names of participants in the assignment;
  • The type/details of assignment, including preparation material if available
  • Name of preferred captionist(s); if any
  • Whether a transcript (edited or unedited) is required for the request
  • For CART service; Preferred service delivery method [Onsite or Remote service]; if any
  • For remote CART service; the method by which (and relevant information related to how) audio will be transmitted to the captionist
  • Name and contact information for any designated Audio/Video or Technical support person associated with the request; and/or Name and contact information for someone responsible for troubleshooting during the provision of service
  • Name and contact information of the person who will receive the invoice;

1.5 All requests will be acknowledged (usually by email) within two (2) business days. If an acknowledgement is not received, the requester should contact the CHS Interpreting and Translation Scheduling Centre.

1.6 The person making the request will be the sole contact person for the request unless a different contact person is assigned by the requester. If the requester is not directly associated with the agency, business, or service responsible for the cost of service, a representative from the applicable agency, business or service will be contacted to confirm service and be notified of the applicable terms.

1.7 Regardless of who initiates the request, the agency, business or service deemed to be the primary provider of service will be responsible for adhering to all CART and Broadcast Captioning Terms and Conditions and applicable rates.  This is consistent with Provincial and Federal legislation.
 

Service Delivery Method

ASL

2.1 Captioning service may be delivered through various methods;

  • Remote CART service [when captioning is used directly for accessibly of one or more participants; captionist(s) are off site, providing captioning via a secured internet feed]
  • On-site CART service [when captioning is used directly for accessibly of one or more participants; all participants and the captionist(s) are in one location] (availability of Onsite service may be limited in some regions)
  • Webinar or Broadcast captioning [when captioning is used indirectly for accessibly of one or more participants; captionist(s) are off-site, providing captioning via internet which is embedded into the live video feed]

2.2 All options will be considered, in consultation with the participants, to determine which methods are viable and which is the most appropriate prior to confirming service. 

2.3 Regardless of the service delivery method, all CART and Broadcast Captioning Terms and Conditions of Service will apply. 

2.4 Corresponding published rates fees will also apply and may change without notice.
 

Processing and Confirming Requests

ASL

3.1 Requests will be received and processed through the CHS Interpreting and Translation and CART Scheduling Centre by a designated Assignment Coordinator.

3.2 The Assignment Coordinator will confirm receipt of requests, typically within two business days.

3.3 The Assignment Coordinator will secure a captionist (subject to availability).

3.4 A confirmation email will be sent by the Assignment Coordinator once a captionist is secured. At this point all CART and Broadcast Captioning Terms and Conditions will apply (please note Section 11 Cancellations). 

Technical and Audio Connections

ASL

4.1 Remote CART, Webinar Captioning, and Broadcast Captioning each rely on audio and internet feeds to relay information in a secure and reliable manner

4.2 Audio can be provided through various means, including, but not limited to:  a teleconferencing service, a speakerphone on a land line, a microphone attached to a cell phone, a direct feed from the PA sound system into the phone line, via Skype. A quality audio feed is essential to the delivery of remote CART services.

4.3 CART service is available on most devices, operating systems, and internet browsers (including Google Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer 8 or above). Minimum system requirements may be required to access the service.  Ensure software and hardware are current and all system updates are installed prior to service delivery date. If you are uncertain if your system can support the service, specific needs can be discussed with the Assignment Coordinator at the time of placing the request.

4.4 High-speed Internet access (hard-wired preferred) is required to receive the Remote CART or captioning feeds.

4.5 An on-site contact number (either cell phone or land line) is required in case of emergencies or difficulties.

Recommended Number of Captionists

ASL

5.1 In order to comply with health and safety standards and to ensure the highest quality of service, complex and lengthy assignments may require a team of captionists.

5.2 As necessary, the captionist will be scheduled to change at a predetermined, natural break within the schedule.

5.3 For on-site service, multiple captionists may be needed throughout the course of the assignment, periodically trading off. A predetermined schedule with reasonable breaks must be established and agreed to prior to service.

5.4 Conference requests with multiple simultaneous, concurrent sessions may require a captionist assigned to each session (depending on access needs in each session).

5.5 Decisions about the number of captionists needed for larger conferences will be made after discussion between the Assignment Coordinator and the requester.

Captionist Preference

ASL

6.1 CHS will make every effort to secure a preferred captionist, if one is requested.

6.2 If unavailable, CHS will inform the requester. If the requester agrees, CHS will attempt to secure an alternate.

Replacing Captionists

ASL

7.1 Occasionally the need to change or cancel the confirmed captionist may arise. If this occurs, the Assignment Coordinator will notify the requester. Due to confidentiality reasons, no explanation of the cancellation will be given.

7.2 Every effort will be made to secure a replacement captionist.

Preparation Time and Materials

ASL

8.1  All information and material that can help a captionist prepare for the assignment should be sent to the Assignment Coordinator at least 3 business days prior to the date of service.

8.2  The Assignment Coordinator will make the request for the material at the time of booking.

8.3  Requested material must be provided to CHS.

8.4  Failure to do this may result in delays in the service; reduced efficiency or accuracy; the assignment being cancelled (the cancellation policy would apply); and/or an additional surcharge being applied.

8.5  All materials will remain confidential and will be destroyed or returned.

8.6 Arrangements can be made to send highly sensitive preparation materials directly to the captionist, when necessary.

Transcripts

ASL

9.1 Edited and unedited transcripts are available upon request

9.2 Requests for transcripts must be made in advance of service.

9.3 For privacy and confidentiality reasons, transcripts are not stored or saved by CHS.  If a transcript is requested, CHS permanently deletes the transcript upon confirmation of receipt. 

9.4 Edited transcripts are available.  Editing costs vary by assignment.

9.5 Transcripts provided by CHS do not constitute a legal transcript and are provided in order to facilitate communication and accessibility.  The transcript provides a written record of the event, but may not be a totally verbatim record of the proceedings. Transcripts may not be used in a Court of Law.

9.6 Transcripts will only be provided to the agency, business, or service responsible for the cost of service.

9.7 Transcripts are provided in electronic format via email.

9.8 Transcripts cannot be copied, reproduced or used for any purpose beyond provision of access, without the express written permission of CHS.

Integrity and Ethics of Service

ASL

10.1 Accurate and complete information must be provided to CHS CART and Broadcast Captioning Services to ensure the integrity and ethics of service.  The integrity of service may be adversely impacted by:

  • A conflict or perceived conflict of interest between an assignment participant and the assigned captionist,
  • The requirement of additional captionist(s) based on the content or duration of the assignment, or concurrent sessions

10.2 In instances where full disclosure is not provided, CHS may cancel the service up to and including the day of service. CHS, in collaboration with the captionist, will make this decision in accordance with CHS Policies and the captionist’s Professional Code of Ethics. Should this arise, the cancellation policy will apply.

10.3 All communications, excluding sharing of confidential preparatory materials with the captionist, must be done direct through the Assignment Coordinator.

Cancellations

ASL

11.1  The requester can cancel an appointment at any time by contacting the CHS Interpreting and Translation Scheduling Centre directly.

11.2  An email confirming the confirmation will be sent from CHS to the original requester/designated contact.

11.3  For a confirmed assignment to be cancelled without charge, CHS must be notified before 4:00 pm at least 3 business days’ prior to the date scheduled for the assignment. For assignments of 6 hours or longer; or multiple-day assignments, CHS may require additional cancellation notice (in these instances, cancellation timeframes will be established at the time of confirmation). Weekends and holidays are not considered business days.

11.4  CHS may cancel service if the integrity or ethics of service may be compromised.

11.5  Assignments cancelled without sufficient notice will be billed the assignment coordination fee and the hourly rate for the full period of the assignment.

Assignments that cannot be filled

ASL

12.1  All services offered by CHS CART and Broadcast Captioning program are subject to the availability of captionists.

12.2  If a search deadline has been set, the Assignment Coordinator will inform the requester by 4:00 pm on the deadline date that the search will cease and the assignment will go unfilled.

12.3  If no search deadline was agreed upon, the Assignment Coordinator will continue the search until either all potential captionists are confirmed as unavailable or until 4:00 pm, two business days prior to the requested date of service.

Confidentiality and Security

ASL

13.1  Each assignment is confidential.

13.2  CHS staff adheres to all Provincial and federal privacy legislation and the CHS Privacy Policy.

13.3  All information held in regards to a request is kept in accordance with the Ontario Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (1990) and the Ontario Personal Health Information Protection Act (2004).

13.4  Only designated CHS Assignment Coordinators will process assignments.

13.5  The information will only be made available/accessible to the assigned captioning individual/team for the provision of service, CHS management for the purposes of quality control and emergency support, and CHS Financial services  for the purposes of invoicing.  Only essential information will be shared with each party.

13.6  All materials related to the assignment will remain confidential and will be destroyed or returned to the assignment participants.  Transcripts of assignments are not saved unless a copy is expressly requested in advance.  In such a case the transcript is deleted upon confirmation of receipt by the customer.

Quality Assurance

ASL

14.1  Assignment participants may be asked to evaluate the services provided.

14.2  The information will be collected anonymously and will help with CHS’s efforts to monitor and continually improve standards.

14.3  All communications may be monitored for quality and/or training purposes.

14.4  For remote CART service or Broadcast captioning, CHS strongly encourages new users (or for new connection arrangements) to arrange for an initial Quality Assurance test. During the test all audio and internet connections will be assessed to ensure highest possible quality (and where necessary troubleshooting will be provided). This also provides new users an opportunity to become familiar with how Remote CART Service is provided and accessed, further minimizing any concerns that could arise upon service delivery. 

Terms of Service

ASL

15.1 Service provision adheres to the current posted rates.

15.2 The greater of: i) requested/confirmed service time, rounded up to the nearest half hour; ii) actual service time, rounded up to the nearest half hour, or iii) the specified minimum (see rates below) will be invoiced, as applicable. For remote Cart Service or Webinar and Broadcast Captioning Services, service time is considered to begin at the time the captionist connects to the audio source and CART stream become active, typically 15 to 30 minutes prior to requested start time.

15.3 Invoices will be sent within 45 working days of the completion of the assignment or the date the assignment is cancelled without the proper notice.

15.4 Payment is required upon receipt.

15.5 Invoices will contain the date; time; reference number; and a detailed breakdown of fees.

15.6 If your organization requires a Purchase Order, Department Code or similar identifying code included on the invoice for payment purposes, it is your responsibility to provide such to CHS prior to service. 

Service Rates

ASL

16.1 Service Rate:
Hourly service rates apply.  These rates vary depending on language and service delivery method.  A two-hour minimum applies to all Remote CART and Broadcast Captioning Service requests.  A three-hour minimum applies to all on-site CART Service requests. 30 minute increments will apply for any service beyond the minimum

16.2 Administration Fee
An Administration Fee of $35 per request applies to all requests.

16.3 Quality Assurance Testing (Remote CART Service and Broadcast Captioning)
An advanced test is available at a cost (quoted at the time of your request).  If the requester chooses to forego the advanced test or makes changes to the audio or internet connections after completing the test, CHS is not responsible for any failed connections or reduced quality of service due to poor audio or internet feeds, and full rates for the service will apply. 

16.4 Travel (On-Site CART Service)
The customer will be responsible for covering all travel related expenses incurred by CHS, invoiced at cost.  These fees include, but may not be limited to, mileage, parking, transit, meals, accommodations, and travel time.  An estimate of travel costs will be provided upon request.

16.5 Transcripts
Edited or unedited transcripts are available at an additional charge (variable based on specifics of the request). Transcripts must be requested prior to the delivery of service.

16.6 Preparation Surcharge
A 10% surcharge (based on the invoiced service rate for the request) may apply if sufficient preparation materials are not provided at least 3 business days prior to the delivery of service.  Additional preparation charges may apply depending on the nature and language of the request.

16.7 All rates are subject to change without notice.
Revised November 27, 2019