Am I Required to Take Sexual Harassment Prevention Training?

Existing law prior to January 1, 2019 required employers with 50 or more employees to provide at least 2 hours of prescribed training and education regarding sexual harassment, abusive conduct, and harassment based upon gender, to all supervisory employees within 6 months of their assumption of a supervisory position and once every 2 years.

The new law lowered the threshold so that an employer with 5 or more employees, or even five or more salespersons or brokers even if independent contractors, including temporary or seasonal employees, must provide at least 2 hours of sexual harassment training to all supervisory employees and at least 1 hour of sexual harassment training to all nonsupervisory employees by January 1, 2021, and once every 2 years thereafter.

The law currently does not require sales agents or brokers retained as independent contractors to take the training. However, due to expanded legal liability it is highly recommended that sales agents, too, take the training even if retained as independent contractors.