Sample audit questions

You can use the following checklist as a starting point when reviewing the organization of the tribunal. Some of your answers will lead to a system to deal with the needs of clients and participants with low literacy skills. And some of these preliminary questions may lead to other questions that are specific to your tribunal mandate.

  1. What is your core business?
  2. How do clients reach your tribunal? How do they find out about you?
  3. Do you have an outreach program to reach possible clients?
  4. What forms and written material do you use?
  5. Do you use printed material?
  6. Do you use videos?
  7. Do you have a web site?
  8. What literacy level are your communications aimed at?
  9. Where is your office and how is it designed?
  10. What signage is there?
  11. How is the waiting room designed?
  12. Do you have the facilities to meet clients privately?
  13. Which members of staff deal directly with clients and participants, before, during, and after the hearing?
  14. How do you deal with clients and participants when they come into your office?
  15. How do you deal with clients and participants once they have started into the process?
  16. What procedures and processes do you have in place?
  17. What kind of information do clients have to provide at each stage of the process, and in what format?
  18. How do you deal with clients and participants during the hearing process?
  19. Do you help clients and participants when they come before the tribunal?
  20. How do you deal with clients after the hearing?
  21. Can you identify clients and participants with low literacy skills?
  22. Can you list how the tribunal process could affect people with low literacy?
  23. What efforts are you making to make sure clients understand what is expected of them before, during, and after the hearing?
  24. Do other organizations advertise your services?