It’s happening all around the country. In the wake of #MeToo, states and cities have upped the requirements for harassment prevention training, with four states now requiring training not only of managers, but of all employees. In addition, many states that do not mandate training by law strongly suggest training in regulations or court decisions. As of January 1, 2019, 20% of the US population lives in states with anti-harassment training mandates, and another 15% live in states that strongly suggest or encourage such training.
As the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said in its 2016 Report from the Select Task Force on the Study of Harassment in the Workplace, prevention is the best tool to eliminate sexual harassment and all harassment in the workplace.
| Required | Suggested/Encouraged |
| California | Colorado |
| Connecticut | Hawaii |
| Delaware | Maryland |
| Maine | Massachusetts |
| New York City (4/19) | New Jersey |
| New York State | Ohio |
| Rhode Island | |
| Vermont | |
| Wisconsin |
OK—here’s the legal landscape on harassment training. Find out more details on the “required” states’ training mandates.
Some employers think that they need to provide harassment prevention training only where there are statutes requiring such training. Wrong! The 2016 EEOC report said that “training should be conducted and reinforced on a regular basis for all employees.”
What this means to you:
A word to the wise employer: Do training not only to prevent legal liability, but, more importantly, to create a respectful workplace, where all employees are valued.
Fair Measures’ live, highly-interactive classroom and webinar trainings follow the EEOC best practices and fulfill all states’ 2019 compliance requirements for harassment prevention and awareness training.
We cover not only sexual harassment, but also harassment based on race, religion, age, sexual orientation, and other protected characteristics. We discuss what to do if harassment, bullying, or other disrespectful conduct happens, including how bystanders can intervene. We focus on personal and corporate values, as well as the law. We have been helping businesses create respectful workplaces since 1983.
If you want to keep your own organization a great place to work, contact us today to book in-person or web-based training for 2019 at 800-458-2778.
Posted 01-14-2019
Information here is correct at the time it is posted. Case decisions cited here may be reversed. Please do not rely on this information without consulting an attorney first.
