Introducing Alterity |
Online Anti-Sexual Harassment Training for All States
Federal Law applies to all 50 states in North America. According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, “Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination that violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VII applies to employers with 15 or more employees, including state and local governments. It also applies to employment agencies and to labor organizations, as well as to the federal government.”
All organizations must take proactive measures to protect employees from sexual harassment, sex discrimination, and retaliation. Our comprehensive training extends beyond these critical topics and encompasses other essential areas like diversity, emotional intelligence, and stress management. By providing equal access to this training, you can safeguard your organization from potential risks that may impact your business and the well-being of your workforce.
California’s AB 1825 initially mandated anti-sexual harassment training for supervisors, but SB 1343 expanded the requirements in July 2018 to include all employees in companies with 5 or more individuals. This comprehensive training covers harassment related to gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation to promote diversity and inclusivity. Supervisors must undergo two hours of training every two years, while other employees need at least one hour of training within the same timeframe. The interactive training covers essential aspects, including the definition of sexual harassment, relevant legal statutes and case-law, prevention strategies, and victim remedies. It also emphasizes supervisors’ duty to report harassment and offers practical examples to ensure a thorough understanding of:
The Time’s Up Act in Connecticut mandates that employers of all sizes provide 2 hours of sexual harassment training. Larger organizations with over 3 employees needed to complete this training by October 1, 2019, while smaller ones with fewer than 3 employees had until October 1, 2020, to comply. This law applies to all employees conducting business in Connecticut, regardless of their company’s headquarters location, and must cover:
While live training is not specifically mandated, an interactive training format is essential for compliance. Alterity’s Respectful Workplace virtual training meets all the Time’s Up Act requirements, including interactive components as defined by the state. The training program also fulfills the requirements of various federal regulations, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Equal Pay Act, among others.
Delaware’s Discrimination in Employment Act (DDEA), in effect since 2010, underwent significant amendments with House Bill 360 on January 1, 2019. These changes expanded the Act’s coverage to include joint employees, job applicants, state employees, apprentices, and unpaid interns, while also clearly defining sexual harassment. The law applies to businesses with at least four employees, mandating the distribution of written anti-sexual harassment information to all employees.
The law states that training must include:
In addition, all training must be interactive.
On August 9th, 2019, Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed the Workplace Transparency Act (SB 75, Public Act 101-0221) into law, a comprehensive bipartisan legislation aimed at curbing workplace discrimination and harassment. The Act introduces new reporting requirements, restrictions on employee contracts, a prohibition on forced arbitration, and an essential requirement for all employers – providing annual sexual harassment training for employees.
IDHR Model Training Standards Include:
Bars and restaurants are required to provide a supplemental sexual harassment prevention training program tailored to their industries.
Failure to meet the new training requirements carries a penalty, with fines ranging from $500 to $5000, depending on the size of the business and its history of offenses.
As a proactive step to address unreported sexual harassment events, Maine became the first state to mandate sexual harassment training in the workplace. Since 1991, employers with 15 or more workers must provide training within one year of the employee’s hire date, and supervisors must receive training within one year of promotion to a supervisory position.
Maine law does not specify the frequency or duration of training, but it does outline essential topics that must be covered, including:
While interactive training is not explicitly mandated, the Maine Human Rights Commission emphasizes its effectiveness and encourages a format that allows employees to ask questions and receive answers.
Alterity’s Respectful Workplace interactive virtual training fully satisfies the training requirements stated in Maine’s Title 26: LABOR AND INDUSTRY, Chapter 7: EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES, Subchapter 4-B: SEXUAL HARASSMENT POLICIES of Maine Revised Statutes §807, and meets the criteria set by federal regulations, including:
As a New York City-based business, it’s crucial to comply with the strengthened protections against sexual harassment under both the New York State Human Rights Law and the Stop Sexual Harassment in NYC Act. While the content and obligations of these laws largely overlap, as an NYC employer, you have additional responsibilities. According to NYC law:
Under the Stop Sexual Harassment in NYC Act, annual training is mandatory for all employees in businesses with 15 or more employees (while under New York State law, all employers must provide training). NYC law specifies that training must be interactive and include the following components:
Alterity’s training aligns with the Stop Sexual Harassment in NYC Act, the New York State Legislature & New York City Council Requirements For Sexual Harassment Training New York (as amended in 2018).
In response to the #MeToo movement, New York State mandated that all employers, regardless of size, must provide annual training to their employees. The term “employees” encompasses various worker categories, from exempt and nonexempt employees to part-time, seasonal, and temporary workers, without discrimination based on immigration status. The law is comprehensive, even covering minor employees, though those under age 14 receive a simplified version of the training.
Under the New York State Human Rights Law, training is mandatory for all employees, including those who work partially in the state. Compliance entails conducting annual interactive training, which, according to New York’s definition, can be achieved through:
California: Mandatory two hours of training that include types of harassment, examples, and remedies.
Colorado: No additional training requirements but encourages sensitizing to sexual harassment issues.
Connecticut: Mandatory two hours of training that must address federal and local laws, definitions, and remedies.
Florida: This state also requires affirmative action training.
Hawaii: This state has no additional requirements but encourages preventive measures.
Illinois: State program part of new employee and ongoing programs.
Iowa: Affirmative action, cultural diversity training.
Maine: Must include definition, federal/local laws, samples, complaint process, legal recourse, protection against retaliation.
Maryland: Maryland Commission on Human Relations will review steps taken to combat sexual harassment in the workplace.
Massachusetts: No additional requirements, but employers are encouraged to provide specific responsibilities of management.
Michigan: The Department of Civil Rights is required to provide training.
Nevada: Certified anti sexual harassment class is required.
New Jersey: None, but New Jersey Supreme Court will review if employer is negligent in preventing sexual harassment under state law.
New Mexico: Primary and secondary schools required to train all school personnel once a year.
North Carolina: All state agencies are required to have an unlawful workplace harassment plan, including training.
Ohio: None, but encourages preventive measures.
Oklahoma: All state employees should receive EEO and discrimination training.
Pennsylvania: State agency employees must have sexual harassment training.
Rhode Island: None, but encouraged to provide specific responsibilities of management.
Tennessee: State Department Personnel must assist with planning and delivering prevention training.
Texas: State employees must receive discrimination training every 2 years.
Utah: All state employees receive training approved by the Department of Human Resource Management and Risk Management every 3 years.
Vermont: None, but encourages employers to provide sexual harassment training program.
Washington: All state employees must take sexual harassment training.
Wisconsin: None, but encourages sensitizing to sexual harassment issues.
Empower your team and promote a safe environment with Alterity’s dynamic virtual training. Our Respectful Workplace program offers a range of tools to create an engaging learning experience for your entire workforce. Through captivating content and interactive exercises, we empower your employees to recognize and combat sexual harassment and discrimination.
Compliance is a shared journey, and our expert team is dedicated to supporting HR managers every step of the way. We provide invaluable reporting assistance, detailed analytics, and a user-friendly learning portal for streamlined compliance reporting.
Alterity’s Respectful Workplace virtual training meets the standards set by various federal regulations, including:
