Disability Policy : Equality Policy

Ramore Restaurant Ltd : Disability Policy

Special arrangements can be made for disabled or mobility impaired customers when dining at any of our restaurants.

Please give Ramore Restaurant Ltd staff some advance warning (ideally 24 hrs notice) on 02870 824313 if you wish to reserve a table, or if you think you may need some form of assistance from our staff.

It is our pleasure to offer any of our restaurants' menus to our disabled customers. As the Wine Bar is the more spacious of our four restaurants we will serve food from Coast, Ramore Oriental or the Harbour Bistro in the area we call the Wine Bar. Please give us advance notice of your requirements.

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EQUALITY POLICY FOR THE PROVISION OF GOODS, FACILITIES & SERVICES BY RAMORE RESTAURANTS

1. Statement of Policy

This organisation supports the principle of equality of opportunity and is committed to the elimination of discrimination in the provision of its services. The organisation is also committed to accommodating diversity for our customers and service users.

We recognise, therefore, that it is both good practice and in the organisation's best interests to have an equality policy that covers not only our employees but also all our customers, potential customers, suppliers and users of our products and services.

The aim of this policy is to communicate the commitment of the directors and senior management team to the promotion of equality of opportunity in the provision of goods, facilities and services within Ramore Restaurants Ltd..

It is our policy not to discriminate or harass a person on any of the grounds of discrimination and to provide our services equally to all, irrespective of:

Disability
Race
Sexual orientation
Religious belief and/or political opinion
Sex, pregnancy or maternity (inc breast feeding)
Gender reassignment
Age
Marital or civil partnership status
Having or not having dependants

We are opposed to all forms of unlawful discrimination. All customers, service users and suppliers will be treated fairly and will not be discriminated against on any of the aforementioned grounds. Decisions relating to customers, service users and suppliers will be made objectively and without unlawful discrimination.

We fully acknowledge our duty under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 to make reasonable adjustments to enable disabled people to access our services. This organisation will take steps to assess the needs of disabled customers. We will anticipate the requirements of disabled customers generally and the adjustments that we may have to make for them.

Reasonable adjustments may mean changing practices, policies or procedures, providing an auxiliary aid or services, or overcoming a physical feature which make it impossible or unreasonably difficult for disabled people to access our services.

Definitions:

Customers: those who buy or use our products, goods or services. Those with whom we deal on a day to day basis.
Service users: those who buy or use our services (as opposed to products). It does not matter whether the service is paid for or provided free of charge.
Suppliers: those who provide the organisation with raw materials for manufacture, equipment for use in the manufacturing process or general.
Materials: (such as stationery) for day to day use.
Services: covers help or work from one person or group that benefits another. The way in which we meet the needs of our customers.
Goods: covers the ordinary meaning of the term, i.e. items for sale.
Facilities: covers anything from resources for doing something (such as hire of equipment or entertainment facilities for special functions) to facilities for saving money.

2. To whom does the policy apply (scope)

This policy applies to:

Customers, including online customers
Service users, including online service users
Suppliers
Visitors
Members of the public who enter our premises

3. Statement of commitment

This organisation is committed to ensuring that services are provided to customers/ services users:

in an environment which promotes equality of access for all persons and implementing any positive action where necessary;
free from unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation;
accommodating diversity and fulfilling all our legal obligations across all of the grounds as covered by equality legislation and associated Codes of Practice including our duties under section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998;
making reasonable adjustments for disabled people;
complying with our own policy for the provision of goods, facilities and services, and associated policies such as health and safety policies.

The organisation will not tolerate discrimination against customers by employees or non employees, over whom we have some control, such as customers or suppliers. Any discrimination may lead to disciplinary action for employees and to other sanctions for non-employees such as suspension of contracts or exclusion from premises. Any breaches of this policy could constitute misconduct which could lead to disciplinary proceedings.

This policy is fully supported by senior management and has been developed in consultation with staff and with the Equality Commission Northern Ireland.

4. Implementation

The company directors have specific responsibility for the effective implementation of this policy. Each director, manager and supervisor has responsibilities to ensure that customers do not experience discrimination and diversity is accommodated. We expect all our employees, customers, suppliers and service users to abide by the policy and help create the equality environment which is its objective.
In order to implement this policy we shall:

communicate the policy to customers, service users, business contacts, organisations representing groups experiencing inequality, suppliers, subcontractors, employees, job applicants, and relevant others;
provide the policy, information and any other promotional materials to customers in an accessible format such as different formats and different languages.
display the service policy and associated complaints procedure in all accessible areas;
incorporate specific and appropriate duties in respect of implementing this policy into job descriptions and work objectives of all staff;
provide equality training and guidance as appropriate, including training on induction and management courses;
incorporate equal opportunities notices into general communications practices (e.g. website, correspondence with customers, suppliers, subcontractors and other relevant bodies);
ensure that adequate resources are made available to fulfil the objectives of this policy

5. Monitoring and review

We will establish appropriate information and monitoring systems to ensure the effective implementation of this policy on the provision of goods, facilities and services.

In particular we will:

Carry out a review of how we provide our services as a starting point for identifying any areas for action.
Carry out a disability audit of our premises and make reasonable adjustments as appropriate. We will consider the needs of disabled people in advance and not wait until a disabled person wants to use our services.
Examine our existing practices in service delivery not only for existing customers and service users but also for new and potential customers including those who may wish to use our products and services sporadically or temporarily.
Take into account the entire spectrum of service delivery.
Formulate a plan of appropriate remedial action, in partnership with the relevant trade union or other employee representatives, to implement any changes to existing practices [if relevant].
Inform employees at each stage of the process how any new practices will work.
Carry out periodic monitoring of the impact of our practices by undertaking regular reviews and monitoring any customer complaints.

The effectiveness of this policy will be reviewed regularly [at least annually] and action taken as necessary.

Complaints

Individuals who believe they have suffered any form of discrimination in the provision of services, including failure to make reasonable adjustment, are entitled to raise the matter through the agreed complaints procedures5 [specify]. A copy of these procedures is available from the company directors. All complaints of discrimination will be dealt with seriously, promptly and confidentially.

In addition to our internal procedures, service users including those citing failure to make a reasonable adjustment have the right to pursue complaints of discrimination to the County Court under the following legislation:

The Sex Discrimination (Northern Ireland) Order 1976, as amended
The Fair Employment and Treatment (Northern Ireland) Order 1998, as amended
The Race Relations (Northern Ireland) Order 1997, as amended
The Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006, as amended
The Disability Discrimination Act 1995, as amended
The Special Educational Needs and Disability (NI) Order 2005 as amended (for example in schools)

Claims of unlawful discrimination in the provision of goods, facilities and services and in relation to premises must be made within six months of the act complained of. 6

Under disability discrimination legislation, the law allows complaints about goods, facilities and services to be resolved by conciliation, where this is what both parties want. Conciliation may be desirable for many people as it is less adversarial than court action and most disputes can be resolved more quickly. The Equality Commission has engaged [an organisation] 7 to run its independent Disability Conciliation Service Northern Ireland. 8

5 Specify here, the relevant complaints procedures.
6 Referring a complaint to the Disability Conciliation Service will extend the time limit for issuing proceedings in the County Court or SENDIST (Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal) by a further two months.
Time limits for taking a complaint of discrimination may be extended by two and three months under various pieces of equality legislation. For further details please contact the Equality Commission.
7 The contract to run the Commission's Disability Conciliation Service is periodically reviewed and at the time of printing (March 2010) is with Mediation Works.
8 Referrals to this service are made via the Equality Commission

Every effort will be made to ensure that individuals who make complaints will not be victimised. Any complaint of victimisation will be dealt with seriously, promptly and confidentially. Victimisation will result in disciplinary action and may warrant dismissal.

Date: 5th December 2011