California Requires Sexual Harassment Prevention Training for All Employees 

In addition to providing Sexual Harassment Prevention Training to all eligible employees, under California law, Sending 1343 employers must provide refresher training every two years. Under previous California law, sexual harassment training was required only for employers with 50 or more employees and restricted to supervision staff. SB 1343 expands the rules considerably.

Effective January 1, 2019, employers with five or more employees, including independent contractors, are required to provide Sexual Harassment Prevention Training to all employees. The initial compliance deadline is January 1, 2020. Covered employers must meet the following training requirements:

Non-supervisory employees must receive one hour of Sexual Harassment Prevention Training every two years. Supervisory employees and managers must receive two hours of Sexual Harassment Prevention Training every two years.

All supervisory and non-supervisory employees must complete Sexual Harassment Prevention Training within six months of their hire or promotion dates.

Temporary employees must receive Sexual Harassment Prevention Training from their temporary agency or temporary staffing employer, not from the client company that hires them.

Consistent with prior California law, Sexual Harassment Prevention Training must also include education on abusive workplace conduct, workplace bullying, and gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation. This training provides employers with a foundation of knowledge to help them create respectful workplaces where all employees feel at ease.

Effective January 1, 2020, seasonal and temporary employees hired for periods less than six months must receive Sexual Harassment Prevention Training within thirty (30) calendar days of hire, or before completing 100 hours worked, whichever is sooner.

NOTE: The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) will provide workplace posters, employee fact sheets, and other guidance to help employers comply with California Sexual Harassment Prevention Training requirements.