Liability for sexual harassment in the workplace is an ever-growing concern for business owners and managers. The disgrace affects the victim and those who have been a witness to it. As a result, the workforce faces an impact in the organization due to insecurity. Therefore, to stop such disgrace, it has been mandated to conduct Employee Sexual Harassment Training in the organization.
The workplaces can be safer and positive when employees are educated about their rights and their employer’s responsibilities. Therefore, the first step in protecting your business from sexual harassment lawsuits is to have a comprehensive sexual harassment training program on hand. The organizations must ensure conducting employee sexual harassment prevention training in California to improve the company’s productivity, performance, and reputation in the market.
To tackle a disgrace such as sexual harassment, California has enacted laws that mandate the thorough training of employees and supervisors to prevent such incidents at their workplace.
California Employee Harassment Training Requirements
In recent years, harassment complaints have been shooted up due to the lack of strict laws to prevent harassment. That’s why California employee harassment training in companies with a larger workforce than 50 employees is mandatory.
The law stipulates that all employees, including part-time and temporary employees, must get training within six months of starting work. The employer may provide the training or through an independent coaching service provider.
What does sexual harassment training include?
Sexual harassment training includes pointers to tackle bullying, abusive conduct, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, sensitivity training.
Here are the things that are must be included in the training, whether it is an online or offline session:
- The definition of sexual harassment under the fair employment and housing act and title VII of the federal civil rights act of 1964
- Examples of types of conduct that constitute sexual harassment
- The statutes and case law on prohibiting and preventing sexual harassment
- Remedies for sexual harassment victims
- Sexual harassment prevention strategy
- Supervisor’s responsibility to report harassment
- Limitations in confidentiality in the complaint process
- Correcting harassment behavior
- Actions to take if the supervisor is the perpetrator
- Elements of the anti-harassment policy and how to use it
- “Abusive conduct” under government code section 12950.1, subdivision (g)(2)
Employee harassment training spreads awareness about their rights and responsibilities and acts if they find an incident in the office premises. The training will make one confident enough to stand with the victim of sexual harassment and support them as they have dealt with a tough time.
Not only this, the training helps one create optimism, and the effect can be seen in the growing productivity of the team.
The companies must conduct employee harassment prevention training as their productivity is highly dependent on their employees. And if the employees are not physically and mentally able, nothing can help it grow.