Whether you are a business owner, manager, or employee in California, you are bound by the state’s anti-harassment law. If you do not adhere to the law, you could face stiff fines and lawsuits. Fortunately, there is training you can take to ensure you are up to date on the laws and avoid trouble.
Mandatory training
Creating a harassment-free work environment requires more than a policy. It involves fostering the values and behaviors of your employees. The right training program can give your staff the knowledge and skills they need to protect your company from any sexual misconduct. You can read more about sexual misconduct by clicking the link.
California has several laws regarding harassment in the workplace. SB 1343, which was signed by Governor Jerry Brown, is a recent addition to California’s anti-harassment laws. The new law makes harassment training a legal requirement.
While there is no specific length for the training, it must be taken by all supervisors and other personnel. The same applies to the training of temporary and seasonal staff. The law also mandates that employers use bystander intervention training to encourage employees to take active roles in preventing harassment.
The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) has provided some useful information about sexual harassment. You can find answers to commonly asked questions on their website.
The DFEH has also developed an online training program that can be used by employers. This training includes information about the most common types of harassment, as well as how to report and prevent it.
For employers with five or more employees, California’s law requires that you provide one hour of mandatory harassment training to nonmanagerial workers. Two hours of sexual harassment training must be given to managerial employees. You must keep records of training for two years.
Piggy-back rule
Whether you are a California employer or a California employee, you must take steps to ensure a discrimination free workplace. This includes having up to date anti-discrimination policies and training. In addition, you are obligated to report all instances of sexual discrimination.
The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) has received a lot of complaints related to sexual discrimination. In fact, it has the right to sue employers who don’t follow the rules. The law requires all California employees to be retrained by January 1, 2022. The training must include the specifics of the DFEH regulations.
In addition, a written discrimination prevention policy must be distributed to all employees. This must contain a description of what constitutes discrimination and how employees can report it. The policy must also contain a list of remedies available to victims.
In addition, sexual discrimination educational materials must be provided to supervisors within the first 30 calendar days of a new hire. All other employees must receive one hour of instruction.
The California legislature has passed several laws regarding sexual discrimination. This includes the California Civil Rights Act, which requires all employers to implement a program to prevent sexual discrimination. Click the link: https://www.dor.ca.gov/Home/UnruhCivilRightsAct for more information on this law. The law also requires employers to pay for the cost of the educational materials.
A company with five or more employees should consider using an online tool for providing sexual discrimination educational materials. It offers an interactive experience, which allows employees to ask questions and provide input. It also includes reporting and tracking features.
Posting required workplace notices
Whether you work in the private or public sector, California employers are required to post a variety of workplace notices. Failing to do so can result in fines or criminal charges. Fortunately, many of the required notices are available free of charge from the Department of Labor.
Some of the required notices include Sexual Harassment Fact Sheet, OSHA Posting, FMLA Posting, USERRA, Health and Safety, and minimum wage and overtime information. Other notices, such as whistleblower laws and protections for transgender employees, must be prominently displayed.
Employers with a minimum of 20 employees are required to post the Family Care and Medical Leave poster. They are also required to provide sexual harassment prevention educational materials to all non-supervisory employees once every two years. The educational materials must meet California law requirements and be distributed in a timely manner. Proper documentation should be kept on file.
Under the Fair Employment and Housing Act, sexual harassment is illegal. If you have been the victim of sexual harassment, you may be entitled to sue your employer for damages. Moreover, you may file a complaint with the California Department of Labor.
If your business has more than five employees, you must provide non-supervisory employees with sexual discrimination prevention educational materials. The educational materials must be given within six months of hiring. Those who have completed compliant educational materials within the previous two years do not need to retake it.
