CalChamber Helps California Businesses Comply with Sexual Harassment Training Deadline
Two-year requirement means many supervisors now due for retraining.
Sacramento, CA (PRWEB) November 12, 2006 -- The California Chamber of Commerce has made available a self-paced, Web-based training course to help businesses comply with the sexual harassment training law, which requires such training for employees with supervisory authority every two years.
"Sexual harassment training for supervisors is not just a good idea for businesses, it's the law," said CalChamber President Allan Zaremberg. "California employers with 50 or more employees must provide two hours of sexual harassment training to superiors every two years. CalChamber encourages employers of all sizes to train their employees to help prevent sexual harassment. Companies that implement clear policies against sexual harassment, including required training programs, can reduce costly liability. Over the past two years, our CalBizCentral has provided training to over 66,000 supervisors because providing compliance products and advice is another way CalChamber helps California business do business."
Assembly Bill 1825, signed in 2004, requires California employers with 50 or more employees (including temporary service employees, independent contractors, and employees outside the state) to provide newly hired or promoted supervisors 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.
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Employees who make recommendations to managers about such matters also must receive training if their recommendations are likely to be acted upon.
Training required every two years for supervisors
In addition, supervisors must receive at least two hours of anti-harassment training every two years.
Training must be interactive
California law also requires that the training must 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 Department of Fair Employment and Housing as well as increased exposure to harassment claims.
CalBizCentral provides easy compliance solution
CalBizCentral is currently providing businesses with a fully compliant, cost-effective training program to meet these requirements. The self-paced, Web-based training course helps supervisors understand what sexual harassment is and how to practically and effectively avoid conduct that could lead to sexual harassment situations. Developed by legal and HR training experts, "Preventing Harassment" covers both federal and California state sexual harassment laws and contains interactive features to engage supervisors and verify their understanding of the material.
Employers often select online training for employees because it is the least intrusive on daily workloads and is much less expensive than classroom training. A supervisor can take the sexual harassment training on his or her own schedule and pace, as the online course can be paused when work demands attention and picked up where left off hours or even days later.
To purchase the "Preventing Harassment" materials, visit www.CalBizCentral.com/harassment.
The California Chamber of Commerce (CalChamber) is the largest broad-based business advocate to government in California. Membership represents one-quarter of the private sector jobs in California and includes firms of all sizes and companies from every industry within the state. Leveraging its front-line knowledge of laws and regulations, it provides products and services to help businesses comply with both federal and state law. CalChamber, a not-for-profit organization dating to 1890, promotes international trade and investment in order to stimulate California's economy and create jobs. Please visit its website at www.calchamber.com.
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