What You Need to Know about Harassment, Discrimination and Retaliation Prevention Training in California

In response to evolving awareness around harassment, discrimination and retaliation issues in the workplace, California passed a law in 2018 that expands training requirements for employees across the board.

Overview

Here’s how it breaks down. 

Previously, California law required any employers with 50+ employees to train their supervisors and managers on this topic for two hours every two years. As of January 1, 2019, the law now requires employers with five+ employees to provide the same level of training (two hours every two years) to supervisors and managers, and adds a requirement to train non-supervisory employees for one hour every two years. Non-supervisory employee training must occur within six months of hire, and supervisors and managers must be trained within six months of their hire or promotion.

Specifics

According to the new law, employees counted in the “five+” include:

• Those in supervisory and non-supervisory roles
• Seasonal workers
• Temporary workers
• Employees outside the state of California

For supervisors, the training must be interactive. Trainings for employees in non-supervisory roles can be done online or in person — in a group or individually. To comply with the new law, all employees need to be trained by January 1, 2020.

How We’re Helping

Realizing the influx of employees who need to be trained by the deadline, we are offering a number of opportunities to help companies comply. We host both online webinars, for non-supervisory employees only, and management trainings in person. These are available to specific groups, including our HR Elite clients. If you’d like to learn more about these trainings and how to access them and other events, please contact us. 

Keep an eye out for announcements on social media and in your client emails. If you have any questions about how this new law impacts you or to learn more about our client training offerings, contact us. 

Legal Disclaimer: This post is intended for informational purposes only, and does not constitute legal information or advice. This information and all Coastal Payroll materials are provided in consultation with federal and state statutes and do not encompass other regulations that may exist, such as local ordinances. Transmission of documents or information through the Coastal Payroll does not create an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, you are encouraged to consult an attorney.