Workplace Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Requirements by State
In the United States, the regulations regarding workplace sexual harassment are determined by each state, leading to varying obligations for private sector employers based on where their workers are located. Specifically, seven states (California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, New York, Washington) along with the District of Columbia have laws that compel certain private sector employers and their employees to undergo sexual harassment prevention training. Detailed information on each of these laws is available.
Furthermore, there are four states (Colorado, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont) that recommend, but do not mandate, such training. In the case of the other 39 states, it is highly recommended as a good practice to have anti-harassment training, though it is not mandated.
California
STATEWIDE
Effective January 01, 2019: Employers with five or more employees — including temporary and seasonal workers — must provide at least two hours of sexual harassment prevention training to all employees with supervisor duties and at least one hour of training to all employees without supervisor duties by January 01, 2020, and once every two years thereafter. Read the full law
Connecticut
STATEWIDE
Effective October 01, 2019: Employers with three or more employees must provide at least two hours of training to all employees by October 01, 2020, or within six months of hiring thereafter. Read the full law
Delaware
STATEWIDE
Effective January 01, 2019: Employers with 50 or more employees in Delaware must train new employees within a year of their start date and every two years thereafter. Read the full law
Illinois
STATEWIDE
Effective January 01, 2020: Employers with 15 or more employees must provide sexual harassment training at least once per year. They can use the model sexual harassment prevention training developed by the Illinois Department of Human Rights or develop their own sexual harassment prevention training program, so long as it complies with the Illinois Human Rights Act. Read the full law
Maine
STATEWIDE
Effective November 01, 2017: Employers with 15 or more employees must use a checklist developed by the Maine Department of Labor to create the sexual harassment training program they will use. Every employee must be trained within one year of their start date. Read the full law
New York
STATEWIDE
Effective April 12, 2018: All employers must provide employees with annual, interactive sexual harassment training. The training needs to include an explanation of sexual harassment, examples of conduct that amounts to sexual harassment, and the ways employees can report sexual harassment. Read the full law
New York City
CITYWIDE (ALL BURROWS)
Effective April 01, 2019: Employers with more than 15 employees must train every employee within 90 days of their hiring. The training must include an explanation of sexual harassment, the employer's complaint process, bystander intervention, and the responsibilities of supervisors and managers. Read the full law
Washington
STATEWIDE
Effective January 01, 2020: Employers in certain industries — like hotels, motels, retail corporations, security guard entities, and property service contractors — must provide qualifying employees with a specified list of assault and harassment prevention resources and a panic button, and must meet the record keeping requirements. All training must occur by January 1, 2020 or January 1, 2021, depending on the employer’s type of business. Read the full law
Washington, D.C.
DISTRICTWIDE
Effective October 30, 2020: Employers that have tipped employees must provide sexual harassment training to all employees by October 30, 2022, or within 90 days of hiring thereafter. Read the full law
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