Sexual harassment is a serious issue affecting the lives of millions of people across the world.
It comes in many forms, including:
- Verbal or physical abuse;
- Expressions of sexuality that are unwelcome or offensive.
Moreover, sexual harassment can occur in any workplace and industry.
Keeping this in mind, the United States has strongly advised sexual harassment training in all its states.
It means that all employees must receive compulsory sexual harassment training.
Moreover, employees must document the training on their time cards, payroll records, or other forms of documentation.
But what if employees cannot receive or complete the required sexual harassment training?
If so, they could face disciplinary action by their employer under federal law (Title VII).
Related Article: Sexual Harassment Policies in the US: Why Knowing Your State’s Policy Is Important
What Is Sexual Harassment?
Experts defined sexual harassment as:
- Any unwelcome sexual advance;
- Request for sexual favors;
- Other verbal and nonverbal acts;
- Physical conduct of a sexual nature when
- An individual’s employment may include an explicit or implicit requirement for such conduct,
- An individual’s submission to or rejection of such conduct affects his employment and other terms, conditions, and privileges.
The behavior can be:
- Overt—physical contact and violence where someone is looking for sexual gratification);
- Covert—if it occurs through gestures and actions.
In the United States, sexual harassment is a serious issue that has to do with the workplace.
It applies to people of specific pay grades and certain professions.
It also applies to anyone that holds power or position in any business or organization.
If people are experiencing sexual harassment in their organization, it could be because their team tolerates it.
Most of their coworkers “go along with” this behavior.
But why?
They want to keep their workplace environment nice and clean.
They do not want to look like troublemakers in front of all other employees.
But, there is no excuse for sexual harassment in the workplace.
It is a disgusting way of thinking and behaving.
It can affect one’s self-esteem, especially when it happens many times or even once or twice.
What Is Sexual Harassment Training?
Sexual harassment training is a mechanism against harassment. It helps prevent people from engaging in unethical behaviors when
- they are at work,
- field
- factory
- school, or
- anywhere else
This kind of training includes:
- what sexual harassment means,
- how people deal with it,
- ways to prevent committing it, and
- so forth.
But do you know training on sexual harassment is not a rule for employers under federal law?
However, employers must follow:
- OSHA requirements,
- the Civil Rights Act, and
- other federal laws.
Furthermore, states like:
- Arizona
- California, and
- New York
have specific training requirements that employers must comply with.
What Does Sexual Harassment Training Include?
Sexual harassment training includes:
- Definition of sexual harassment
- Laws that govern sexual harassment
- Definition of sexual harassment training
- The training course also includes real-life scenarios and interactive content that teaches employees to differentiate between appropriate and inappropriate.
Sexual harassment training is not limited to providing training to employees.
It also trains employers to act a certain way when:
- an employee has a complaint,
- they need investigation
- they need to document their findings.
Employer’s training program also includes
- guidance for employers who must draft company-specific sexual harassment policies.
Must Read: Does Online Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Work?
Why Is Sexual Harassment Training Required In the United States?
Sexual harassment is a severe issue affecting:
- employees,
- customers, and
- the community.
So providing sexual harassment training is the right business decision. Furthermore, many states require employers to offer sexual harassment prevention training to their employees.
Training can help:
- build awareness and
- offer guidelines
on what to do when encountering such situations.
With this in mind, the United States has passed a law.
The law requires companies with over 50 employees to provide sexual harassment training for all their employees.
But, it does not limit sexual harassment training to your workplace.
It’s also required if you work with children or have access to clients under 18 years old.
Popular Blog: The Prevention of Harassment In The Workplace
Are There Any State-Specific Requirements For Sexual Harassment Training In California?
California state law requires employers to provide the best sexual harassment prevention training.
The training must be at least two hours long and repeated every two years.
Furthermore, only
- a qualified trainer;
- instructor with experience in the course’s subject
should provide the training, such as:
- an employee relations specialist,
- human resources manager, or
- lawyer
How Often Should The Employees Of A Company Receive Sexual Harassment Training In the United States?
The frequency of sexual harassment training depends on the
- size of the company;
- its employees.
All employees must receive annual training if you have fewer than 50 people.
If you have over 100 employees:
- It’s recommended that they receive two-year training programs, while those companies with between 100 and 500 people should get three-year training.
If it does not satisfy an employee with their current sexual harassment policy because:
- it’s too vague;
- there are no sanctions for violating policies
Then they can ask for a change in this policy by submitting an official complaint form.
Who Must Adhere To Sexual Harassment Training?
Every employer with 15 or more employees must adhere to sexual harassment training. They must stop their employees from discriminating based on:
- Race
- Color
- Sex
- Religion;
- National Origin
It applies to
- Federal
- State
- Local Employers
- Governs All Employment Actions
Must Read: The Importance Of Sexual Harassment Training
What Are California Harassment Training Requirements 2022?
Under California-compliant sexual harassment training law (as per revision made on January 1, 2022), all employers with five or more employees must provide:
- two hours of interactive sexual harassment training to supervisors and
- one hour of interactive sexual harassment training for non-supervisory employees every two years.
Other California harassment training requirements 2022 are:
- Training new employees within six months of being hired
- Training supervisors within six months of being promoted.
Is There A Specific Period That An Employer Must Retain The Records Under California Harassment Training Requirements 2022?
The California Code of Regulations (CCR) requires employers to:
- keep records of sexual harassment training for three years.
But, if you have previously undergone California-compliant sexual harassment training,
- your employer must keep these records for three years.
But, not all employers need to keep these records indefinitely.
For example:
- When an employee leaves your company and
- goes to another job
within six months before or after leaving yours.
Then you can ask them if they want their old file copied into their new system so
- it doesn’t get lost or
- damaged
during this transition period; if there aren’t any objections from both parties involved, this would be fine!
How Can An Employer Prove All Their Employees Completed A Mandatory Sexual Harassment Training Course In California?
Keep records of:
- attendance
- certificates of completion
- sexual harassment training certificates in a separate file
- sexual harassment training certificates in a secure location
Should An Employer Provide Independent Transgender Awareness And Restroom Access Training To Employees In California?
Yes, it is a good idea to have separate training on transgender awareness and restroom access.
However, it’s essential to be aware of the needs of all employees, regardless of their gender identity or expression.
An expert who understands trans issues and problems must provide the training.
They can also help ensure that everyone in the organization knows what they need to do if anyone experiences harassment based on gender identity or expression.
Where Can I Find More Information About Federal And State Laws On Sexual Harassment And Compliance With Mandatory Training Requirements?
You can find more information about the same in the
- California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA),
- California Labor Code,
- California Civil Code, and
- California Business and Professions Code.
Sexual Harassment Training Certification In the United States—Coggno Courses
Following states mandates sexual harassment training certification in the United States
California Sexual Harassment Training
California law mandates that all employers of 5 or more employees must provide one hour of sexual harassment and abusive conduct prevention training to nonsupervisory employees.
It also mandates two hours of sexual harassment and abusive conduct prevention training to supervisory employees once every two years.
California Sexual Harassment Course: Coggno provides the required training course to all employers and employees falling under California federal law.
Industry experts and qualified professionals have designed California Sexual Harassment Training For Managers And Supervisors 2022 (Course).
Our training meets all the statues and latest requirements of California, including:
- California Department of Fair Employment and Housing
- AB 1825
- AB 2053
- FEHA regulations
- SB 396
- SB 1343
- SB 1300
Connecticut Sexual Harassment Training
Connecticut employers must provide sexual harassment training for—
-
2 hours at least once every 10 years, but
-
suggest training refresher every 3 years.
Employers with three or more employees must provide
-
At least two hours of training to supervisors and
-
At least two hours of training to employees
within six months of hire.
Employers with fewer than three employees must provide
-
At least two hours of training to supervisors
At Coggno, we provide Connecticut sexual harassment training for supervisors as per Connecticut Human Rights and Opportunity Act, Time’s Up Act
Arizona Sexual Harassment Training
Arizona Sexual Harassment Training Requirements:
Arizona has no specific legal requirement for sexual harassment training.
But sexual harassment training in the workplace is highly recommended.
Moreover, Arizona companies—with over 15 employees—must file sexual harassment claims with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
However, if the company has fewer than 15 employees, it must file complaints with the Arizona Civil Rights Division.
Coggno offers the best sexual harassment prevention training program to
- employers and
- employees
working under Arizona law.
Our course walks them through necessary:
- federal and State discrimination and
- sexual harassment laws.
More sexual harassment training Coggno provides:
- Sexual harassment training certification in New York as per
- New York Human Rights Law § 296.1
- New York City Stop Sexual Harassment Act
- Sexual harassment training certification in Delaware as per
- HB 360
- Sexual harassment training certification in Illinois as per
- SB 0075 Illinois Human Rights Act
- Work Transparency Act
- Sexual harassment training certification in Maine as per
- Maine Employment Laws Revised Statute
- Title 26, Section 807
Coggno Course Content
The course content focuses on:
- Introduction to Sexual Harassment.
- What is Sexual Harassment?
- Types of Sexual Harassment.
- What makes up Sexual Harassment?
- How to report Misconduct?
- How to protect against Harassment?
What Does Coggno Do?
Coggno educates and trains employees and organizations on the various aspects of sexual harassment.
Coggno’s sexual harassment course educate and train employees and organizations on the various aspects of sexual harassment.
It will also provide you with tools that you can use to prevent or respond when it happens.
The course comprises multiple modules.
Each module contains several hours of audio/video content presented by experts.
All experts have extensive experience in this area.
Each module provides specific information:
- About the law
- Myths about sexual harassment
- How it affects women’s lives and careers
- Strategies for addressing complaints from victims or witnesses
- Speaking for someone who may not feel comfortable coming forward themselves
Our course also focuses on what someone should do:
- If there has been an incident involving one party making unwanted advances toward another party while participating in a work setting where they must interact professionally
Benefits Of Choosing Coggno
Following are the benefits of choosing Coggno
- Coggno provides an unmatchable learning management system and offers high-quality training courses.
- We have a team of experts and qualified professionals who work together to develop the course.
- The Coggno course offers quizzes to check if the employer/employee has gained adequate knowledge.
- There’s also a final assessment to ensure employees have completed the entire training program.
- We offer 24/7 customer support to help you out whenever you need it.
What’ll You Gain By Enrolling In Coggno Course?
You will get:
- A certificate valid all over the US
- Training from industry experts and qualified professionals
- Quizzes and fun activities at the end of the course
Are Coggno Courses Accessible On Multiple Devices?
Coggno’s training and courses are accessible on all compatible computers and mobile devices.
Upon completion, you will receive a training certificate.
The certificate will be valid across the United States and for a specific time.
What Are The Limitations Of Coggno Training?
Coggno provides all the perks to its users. But you can not:
- Duplicate
- Reproduce
- Distribute;
- Ingest
into a third-party system like employers’ e-learning platforms.
All the training content is licensed only to Coggno.
Is The Coggno Sexual Harassment Training Available In Distinct Languages?
Yes, the training is available in multiple languages. You can watch the training in your preferred language.
End Note
Sexual harassment training certification in the United States—2022 is a must.
It’s a must for all employers who have employees working in California, Arizona, New York, and other states of the United States.
Visit Coggno to enroll your employees in a sexual harassment training course today.