Sexual Harassement Training in CA

E Wart

I have received a notice that CA has a new law that all supervisors must have 2 hours of sexual harassment training a year. We have a small operation in CA (about 22 employees.) Is there a requirement limit as to number of employees or anything with this. Any information would be welcome.
E Wart

lnelson

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 03-04-05 AT 04:29PM (CST)[/font][br][br]That would be AB1825 which requires employers to provide formal training to all employees with supervisory positions in the prevention and correction of sexual harassment.

Employers with 50 or more employees regardless of whether those persons are classified employees or independent contractors and regardless of whether some or most of those persons work outside of CA.

It must be an interactive training, videotape presentations will not suffice.

Training must be completed during the 2005 year and repeated at least every 2 yrs. Supervisors hired after 7/1/05 must receive training within 6 mths.

This was taken from [url]www.calchamberstore.com[/url]

Assembly Bill 1825 (AB 1825) requires California employers of 50 or more to provide supervisors with at least two hours of sexual harassment training every two years. Employers must include their full-time, part-time and temporary service employees as well as independent contractors to determine whether they meet the 50 employee threshold. Since the law does not specify that the 50 employees must be within the state, the law applies to California employers with 50 total employees including those outside the state.

My interpetation would be California based employers.

System

I've been trying to figure out the same question. There's a remarkable dearth of official information about this law, considering how far-reaching it is.

I've read several places that the law applies to your company if you have at least 50 ees total in all states. But today I read that you need 50 in California. The statute doesn't say, so you'd have to figure out how California courts interpret this area of law. x:-/ I'm trying to get in touch with our California attorney, and I'll let you know if he enlightens me.

For the past three months, I've spent most of my time creating a training video in response to this law. It's called "Stop Sexual Harassment: Interactive Training for California Supervisors," and it'll be available in April. People tell me it's good and often funny - at least that's what they say to my face.

The video will be an easy way for employers to train their California supervisors in compliance with this law. We'll also have a national version for employers in other states who want to provide in-depth harassment training.

I'll let you know if I figure out whether companies like yours are subject to the law.

James Sokolowski
HRhero.com

System

I talked with attorney Mark Schickman, editor of California Employment Law Letter and the star of the Stop Sexual Harassment video. He confirmed that the California training law applies to employers with 50 employees anywhere as long as you have at least one employee in Calif. (Practically speaking, you'd need two -- one to be the supervisor and one to be the supervisee.)

But you'd only have to train your supers in Calif., not the ones in Ga.

Hope this helps.

James Sokolowski
HRhero.com