(February 12, 2010) New and improved sexual harassment prevention training for supervisors is being offered by CalBizCentral, the source for California business and human resource compliance products, presented by the California Chamber of Commerce.

AB 1825, signed in 2004, requires California employers with 50 or more total employees (including temporary service employees, independent contractors and employees outside the state) to provide newly hired or promoted supervisors working in California with two hours of classroom or other interactive sexual harassment training within six months of assuming a supervisor position. Employers must provide training to all employees who have “supervisory authority,” which generally includes anyone who has independent authority to:

• Hire, transfer, suspend, lay off, recall, promote, discharge, assign, reward or discipline other employees;
• Direct the work of other employees; and/or
• Resolve employee conflicts.

Employees who make recommendations to managers about such matters also must receive training if their recommendations are likely to be acted upon.

Training Must Be Interactive

California law also requires that the training be “interactive.” This means that video training alone is likely insufficient without discussion, role playing, a question-and-answer session, or other similar techniques led by a qualified trainer.

Businesses that do not complete the training are subject to a corrective order from the state Department of Fair Employment and Housing as well as increased exposure to harassment claims, lawsuits and liability.

The CalChamber recommends that employers:

• Ensure all training, including name of provider and dates of training, are maintained for all supervisors.
• Provide mandatory sexual harassment training, such as CalBizCentral's online, interactive 2-Hour California Harassment Prevention Training, every two years based on the tracking method(s) the company chooses.
• Give all employees a copy of the employer’s anti-harassment policy and a sexual harassment information sheet at least once a year but always upon hire.

More Information

CalChamber offers an affordable, well-produced online training system that satisfies the training requirement. More information on the course, California Harassment Prevention Training for Supervisors, is available at www.calbizcentral.com.