Terms & Conditions of Use
The Association's website (site) is open to the general public. Users are welcome to visit the site as our guests, subject to the "Terms and Conditions" of use. For any registrations to the site that require your personal information, the user can be assured that we make every effort to keep your personal information secure and safe. You can be assured, however, that any such personal information will be used only for the purpose for which it was submitted, unless you request or agree otherwise, or as otherwise specified in this Privacy Notice.
- General Terms & Conditions for Memberships, Training & Education Programs, and E-Commerce Activity
- Online Classes & Webinar Registration
- Payment Terms
- Refund Policy
- General Privacy Policy Statement
- Cookie/Tracking Technology
- Third-Party Links
- Security
Memberships
Becoming a "Member" of the Association is a privilege, not a legal right. All members must adhere to strict "Membership Rules" and the "Members Code of Conduct." The acceptance of an application for membership in the Association cannot be guaranteed. When you are accepted as a bonified member, your membership privileges and benefits begin the day your member's account is activated (Not necessarily on the date of application).
The membership is a yearly subscription that lasts for a year. Your membership will expire on the 25th of the 12th month. Despite the fact that the Association sends an automated email reminder for renewal at least 15 days before the due date expires, the Association accepts no responsibility for whether or not the reminder was received by the member. Members who select auto-renewal when paying their membership dues will have their membership renewed automatically. If members decide not to renew, they will have 5 days after the renewal to request a refund of their renewal fees. In the case of a first-time application, once the membership fee is paid, the transaction is non-refundable. The amount of charges is non-refundable for membership renewals after 5 (five) days. If you have any membership disputes, complaints, or issues, please contact memberships@aofirs.org.
Training & Education Programs
The Association provides a number of online education and training programs (online programs) that use Internet connectivity to deliver such services. All of these online programs require advance booking and payment. As a result, the Association employs a "event booking system" to schedule the program on specific dates. Depending on the number of reservations, the program may or may not begin on the scheduled dates due to factors such as low enrollment, instructor unavailability, or any unforeseen events. In such cases, the Association may postpone the program and reschedule it for a later date. Students/attendees may request a full refund if such delays are unavoidable and the dates are moved more than 15 days (fifteen days) from the scheduled date. If the delay is less than 15 days, there will be no refunds. There will be no refunds given to registered participants if there is no such delay.
It should be noted that training programs require resource allocations and incur financial obligations for the Association that cannot be reversed, making refunds difficult to accommodate. Registrants can, however, email a refund request to ceo@aofirs.org if they have special circumstances that require consideration. All students/attendees must follow the Online Education Events Rules, Procedures, and Policies when participating in online education and training programs (regulations). If these regulations are not followed, the Association reserves the right to bar the student/attendee from participating in the program.
E-Commerce Activity
The Association offers several products and services in its e-shop, including e-books, exam vouchers, memorabilia, and other publications. We accept MasterCard, Visa, and PayPal. If you do not have a credit card, please use PayPal. All of your order information will be saved online in the Members Dashboard section. OUR SERVERS DO NOT STORE YOUR CREDIT CARD INFORMATION.
Participant Notices
- The purchase of webinar or online class attendance is for the attendee's personal use only, and registration credentials (login/passwords) should not be shared with third parties; doing so may impede your own access, as webinar entry is by prior registration only.
- Similarly, the materials and replays of webinars and classes are intended solely for the use of the purchaser and should not be forwarded or passed on to third parties.
- The registrant is responsible for the confidentiality and security of event registration information and event materials issued by the association. If you believe a third party obtained details in an unauthorized manner, please notify the association as soon as possible.
- The virtual event facility includes a recording feature for video, audio, and any documents or other materials exchanged or viewed during the session. By participating in a session, you automatically agree to such recordings. If you do not agree to the recording, please contact the association as soon as possible before the web event date to discuss your concerns.
Webinar & Online Events - Privacy Policy
In connection with the operation of the online event, we will ask you to provide us with information that personally identifies you or allows us to contact you ("Personal Information") when you register for the use of the service. The Personal Information you provide us in these circumstances will be provided to the association's provider of audio- and web-conferencing services, as well as vendors who help them process the information, for the sole purpose of enabling them to operate and deliver the webinar service. The association's partner vendors are required to enter into an agreement prohibiting the disclosure of this information to others and limiting its use to providing the contracted services of the online event. The only exception to this is disclosure required for legal purposes in accordance with legal edicts.
The association provider of its audio- and web-conferencing services for webinars is a market leader in audio- and web-conferencing services. With this comes an understanding of users' need for privacy when using the web for communications, as well as the utmost care in providing the highest levels of security possible. The Personal Information collected from webinar registrants by the association's provider of audio- and web-conferencing services is stored in operating environments that employ reasonable security measures and are not accessible to the general public. The Association and its audio- and web-conferencing service provider are not liable for unauthorized access to such information.
By contacting the association directly, you can obtain a copy of the association's audio- and web-conferencing service provider's practices and policy regarding the collection, use, and disclosure of user information collected through the use of their technology services. Regarding the use of personal information, please see our Privacy Policy below.
It should be noted that training programs require resource allocations and incur financial obligations for the Association that cannot be reversed, making refunds difficult to accommodate. Registrants can, however, email a refund request to ceo@aofirs.org if they have special circumstances that require consideration. All students/attendees must follow the Online Education Events Rules, Procedures, and Policies when participating in online education and training programs (regulations). If these regulations are not followed, the Association reserves the right to bar the student/attendee from participating in the program.
Payment Terms
- All transactions will be completed in Canada using US dollars. Where Canadian dollar amounts are charged, they will be converted into US dollar rates by TD Canada Bank prevailing the current currency exchange rates.
- If the association lowers the price of any shipped products within 10 working days of shipment, you may contact us and request a refund of the difference between the price you were charged and the lower selling price. You must contact us within 14 days of shipment to receive a refund (NOTE: Electronic Formats of Sold Goods are Non-Refundable).
- Shipping costs will be calculated and paid for on a case-by-case basis (on the day of shipping).
- We reserve the right to change our prices at any time and without notice.
Refund Policy
- Enrollment in any of the offered "Online Education and Training Programs" is non-refundable. A formal request must be emailed to ceo@aofirs.org if the paid amount is to be applied to another event of the same value. The Association will not be able to apply prepayment from event registrants that is of different dollar amounts, or where the purchase of "goods or services" differs in nature, form, or format from the originally purchased "goods or services."
- All self-study books, including e-books and any downloadable products, cannot be exchanged or returned, and thus no refunds will be issued.
- Membership fees, subscription fees, online class enrollment fees, course procurement fees, and registration fees for webinars and seminars are all non-refundable.
- Exceptions to the Refund Policy can only be granted by the Association Management if the user submits a written request to support@aofirs.org. Without explicit instructions from the authorized manager, no staff member or support personnel is authorized to commit any refunds.
- If a refund is to be issued, accounting and billing will need 30 days or less to send the refund payment. Refunded funds will only be sent via PayPal. If the user does not have a PayPal gateway account, a Company Check will be mailed to them via Canada Post.
General Privacy Policy Statement
We are committed to protecting your privacy. This privacy statement applies to all web pages associated with this website. All of the data collected on the website is used to personally identify users who subscribe to this service. The information will be used only for the purposes specified in the Terms & Conditions of Use for this service.
The website may collect certain information about your visit, such as the name of the Internet service provider and the Internet Protocol (IP) address through which you access the Internet; the date and time you access the Site; the pages that you access while at the Site and the Internet address of the Web site from which you linked directly to our site. This information is used to help improve the Site, analyze trends, and administer the Site.
The site does not sell, promote, or use any of the personal information collected during registration. The associations collect your information when you register for our services, make online purchases, or enroll in events and education programs. The association uses this information internally to send out newsletters, emails, and other offers to members, subscribers, and students. Your personal information is not accessible to third parties, outside businesses, or vendors. The only exception is our recent introduction of services that connects potential outside research businesses to our “Members Directory” and brings job, business, and contract opportunities for our members.
This policy may need to be updated from time to time to address new issues and reflect changes to our website. We will post those changes here so that you are always aware of what information we collect, how we may use it, and whether we will disclose it to anyone. Please refer to this policy on a regular basis. Please send us an email if you have any questions or concerns about our privacy policies.
By using this website, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to our Privacy Statement. Please do not use our site if you do not agree with this policy. Your continued use of the website after changes to these terms are posted indicates that you accept those changes.
Cookie/Tracking Technology
Depending on the features available, the Site may employ cookie and tracking technology. Cookie and tracking technology can be used to collect information such as browser type and operating system, track the number of visitors to the Site, and understand how visitors use the Site. Cookies can also help visitors customize the Site. Cookies and other tracking technology cannot collect personal information; however, if you previously provided personally identifiable information, cookies may be linked to such information. Third parties are not given aggregate cookie and tracking information.
Third-Party Links
We may provide links to other websites or resources in an effort to provide more value to our Users. You acknowledge and agree that we are not responsible for the availability of such external sites or resources, and that we do not endorse and are not responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, for the privacy practices or the content (including misleading or defamatory content) of such websites, including (without limitation) any advertising, products, or other materials or services on or available from such websites.
Security
Our website is committed to protecting your personal information. We have put in place all of the necessary safeguards to prevent unauthorized access or disclosure of your information. We use data encryption technology and “Cloudflare” servers to help protect your sensitive information from loss, misuse, or alteration. For online payment, we rely on reputable third-party platforms such as PayPal gateways, which are widely accepted around the world. For the transmission of any credit card information you enter online, we use compliant technology to encrypt the connection between you and our systems, and we use encryption protection for any payment authorizations for transactions we request through any channel.
Any unauthorized access or use of our Sites, other products and services, or the information collected and maintained by us should be immediately reported to us via email at support@aofirs.org.
Some services and content require a password to access. We strongly advise you not to reveal your password to anyone. The Association's support team will never, ever ask you for your password.
Please keep in mind, however, that no information transmitted over the Internet can be guaranteed to be completely secure, despite the best technology available to protect personal information with a guarantee. As a result, no one can guarantee the complete security of any information you exchange with us, or to or from our online products or services. As a result, we make every effort to ensure its security on our systems and rely on third parties for secure transmissions.