The California Civil Rights Department (CRD) is reminding California employers of the state’s bi-annual sexual harassment prevention training requirements. Under California law, employers with five or more employees must provide at least one hour of training to nonsupervisory employees and two hours of training to supervisory employees every two years. With the new year just getting started, many workers may be fast approaching internal training deadlines.

Under the state’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) employers have an affirmative duty to take reasonable steps to prevent and promptly correct discriminatory and harassing conduct.  This includes compliance with the state’s efforts – when it comes to sexual harassment prevention – to educate or remind workers about what is — and is not — acceptable behavior in the workplace.

Sexual harassment is a form of discrimination based on sex or gender, gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation. People of any gender can be the target of sexual harassment and unlawful sexual harassment does not have to be motivated by sexual desire. It can also involve harassment by a person of the same gender, regardless of either person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

Additional information for employers on preventing discrimination and harassment in the workplace can be found here.

Information on WG University’s in-person and online trainings that satisfy the state’s legal requirements for sexual harassment and abusive conduct prevention training can be found here.