Effective January 1, 2005 all employers who operate in California and who employee 50 or more people must provide two hours of sexual harassment training to supervisors every two years.
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO COMPLY:
- Under California law a "supervisor" can include anyone who can "effectively recommend" disciplinary action. Therefore all supervisors or newly promoted supervisors must undergo the training.
- Covered employers are those with 50 or more employees. However, there is some debate as to whether the law applies to employers who have 50 or more employees both inside and outside of California. The text of the legislation does not clarify this point. The more prudent practice would be to implement the required training if you meet the 50 employee requirement.
- The training must be "interactive," at least two hours long, provide information on at least the following: legal prohibitions against sexual harassment under federal and state law; discuss correction of situations involving sexual harassment; discuss remedies available to the victims; and discuss related topics, including discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.
- The training must be provided by an expert in employment discrimination law as the statutes specifically requires that the trainer be provided by "trainers or educators with knowledge and expertise in the prevention of harassment, discrimination and retaliation."
- The compliance deadline is January 1, 2006 for all supervisors who have not received training (complying with the new requirements) since January 1, 2003. In addition there will be an ongoing obligation to train new or newly promoted supervisors within six months of their assumption of the position. This will apply to all individuals assuming the supervisory position as of July 1, 2005. Beginning on January 1, 2005, all supervisory employees must go through the mandated training every two years.
DORSEY & WHITNEY CAN HELP YOU COMPLY
Dorsey & Whitney has unique and comprehensive training programs that can help you comply with the new sexual harassment training laws. We have prepared three separate options to assist you in meeting your legal requirements:
- On-Site Training for Supervisors
- Training the Trainers
- Two Hour Training Seminars
Dorsey has prepared a comprehensive training program designed for training of supervisory employees, including but not limited to, any managers, executives decision-makers, human resources professionals or in-house counsel. This program will be provided to you at your company site where our expert trainers will provide a comprehensive training session that includes: written materials; a PowerPoint presentation complete with question and answer session and a quiz to test the understanding of the issues; and a sign-in sheet to monitor attendance.
Dorsey has prepared a sophisticated training program designed specifically for your trainers, including the human resources professionals or in-house counsel who will be responsible for conducting the training for your employees. This program is designed to provide your trainers with detailed materials and information to assist them in implementing the sexual harassment training. The Dorsey & Whitney expert trainers will provide the training at your company site and conduct a two and a half hour comprehensive training that includes: a package of training materials; a PowerPoint presentation complete with question and answer session; a role play session and training on investigation of claims of harassment; a quiz to test the understanding of the issues; and a sign-in sheet to monitor attendance.
TWO HOUR TRAINING SEMINARS AT DORSEY
To further assist you in meeting your legal obligations under the new law, Dorsey has scheduled a number of breakfast and lunch briefings in both Northern and Southern California locations designed for training of supervisory employees, including but not limited to, any managers, executive decision-makers, human resources professionals, or in-house counsel. This program will be provided to you at your company site where our expert trainers will provide a two-hour comprehensive training that includes: breakfast or lunch; a two-hour training session; written materials; a PowerPoint presentation complete with question and answer session and a quiz to test the understanding of the issues; and a sign-in sheet to monitor attendance.
The Two Hour Training will be offered on the following dates and locations: