California Sexual Harassment Training Introduction

California has some of the strictest sexual harassment training laws in the United States. Under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) and Senate Bill 1343 (SB 1343), employers with five or more employees are legally required to provide sexual harassment prevention training to every employee in the state of California.

These laws exist for a reason. According to the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission), more than 7,700 sexual harassment charges were filed in fiscal year 2023 alone, the highest number in 12 years. Research consistently shows that the majority of workplace sexual harassment goes unreported, with studies estimating that roughly 75 percent of incidents never result in a formal complaint.

California ranks among the top five states in the country for workplace sexual harassment claims. These are real incidents affecting real employees, and the training requirements exist because prevention through education is more effective than enforcement after the damage is done.

Employers who fail to comply face enforcement action from the California Civil Rights Department (CRD), financial penalties, and a weakened legal defense if a harassment claim is ever filed against them.

The law has evolved significantly over the past two decades. When AB 1825 took effect in 2005, only employers with 50 or more employees were required to train supervisors. SB 1343, signed into law in 2018, dropped that threshold to five employees and expanded the requirement to include all workers. Many employers are still operating under outdated assumptions about who needs training, how often it should occur, and what it must cover.

SB 1343 represents one of the most significant expansions of workplace harassment training requirements in California history. Employers who haven’t updated their compliance practices since AB 1825 are almost certainly falling short of what’s now required.

This guide breaks down exactly who needs California sexual harassment training, what the law requires, how often training must be completed, and the options available to employers who need to stay compliant.

What is California Sexual Harassment Training?

California sexual harassment training is state-mandated, interactive training that educates California workers and supervisors on recognizing, preventing, and responding to sexual harassment in the workplace. The training must meet specific content, duration, and interactivity requirements defined by California law and enforced by the California Civil Rights Department (CRD, formerly the Department of Fair Employment and Housing).

A policy acknowledgment, a pamphlet, or a passive video does not satisfy California’s sexual harassment training requirements. California law requires structured training with defined topics, minimum time requirements, interactive elements, and documented proof of completion.

The goal of California sexual harassment training is straightforward:

• Prevent sexual harassment, discrimination, and retaliation in the workplace.
• Ensure compliance with California’s FEHA, SB 1343, and AB 1825.
• Educate employees on recognizing prohibited conduct, understanding their rights, and knowing how to report harassment through both internal and external channels.

A compliant training program covers federal and state harassment laws, practical examples of prohibited conduct, the employer’s complaint process, bystander intervention strategies, and protections against retaliation. Supervisor training goes further, covering the employer’s obligation to investigate complaints and the legal liability that comes with a supervisory role.

Who Needs Sexual Harassment Training in California?

California law requires training for every worker, with specific requirements based on their role. The law divides training obligations into two primary categories based on supervisory status, with additional rules for temporary workers, seasonal employees, and remote staff.

Supervisory Employees

Under California law, a supervisory employee is anyone with the authority to hire, transfer, suspend, lay off, promote, discharge, assign, reward, or discipline other employees. It also includes anyone whose recommendations on these actions carry particular weight within the organization. This typically includes managers, directors, team leads, shift supervisors, and HR personnel with decision-making authority.

Supervisory employees must receive at least 2 hours of interactive sexual harassment prevention training. This training must be completed within six months of assuming a supervisory position and repeated every two years thereafter.

The supervisor version of the training covers everything included in the employee training, plus additional content on the supervisor’s specific obligations: how to respond to harassment complaints, the duty to report, conducting or supporting investigations, avoiding retaliation, and understanding the personal and organizational liability that supervisors carry under California law.

Non-Supervisory Employees

All non-supervisory employees must receive at least 1 hour of interactive California sexual harassment prevention training. This training must be completed within six months of hire and repeated every two years.

Non-supervisory employee training covers the definition of sexual harassment under federal and California law, examples of prohibited conduct, how to report harassment through internal and external channels, bystander intervention strategies, and protections against retaliation.

The one-hour minimum applies to all non-supervisory employees regardless of their role, department, or employment status. Full-time, part-time, and temporary workers are all included.

Temporary and Seasonal Employees

Temporary employees, seasonal workers, and employees hired for less than 6 months must be trained within 30 calendar days of their hire date or within 100 hours worked, whichever comes first.

This accelerated timeline applies because short-term employees may never reach the standard six-month training window. The law makes sure they’re still covered. If an employee doesn’t work 30 days or 100 hours, training is not required.

Remote Employees

Remote employees are covered if they’re employed by a California employer, regardless of where they physically work. An employee working from home in another state for a California-based company still needs to receive compliant training on the same schedule as on-site staff.

The 5-Employee Threshold

California’s training requirement applies to employers with five or more employees. When counting toward the five-employee threshold, all employee types are included: full-time, part-time, temporary, and seasonal. Employees working outside of California also count toward the threshold.

Independent contractors, volunteers, and unpaid interns count toward the five-employee headcount, but they are not required to receive the training themselves. However, California law prohibits harassment of these individuals, and many employers include them in training for risk management and as a best practice.

There is no requirement that all five employees work at the same location, work in California, or work the same schedule. If the employer has five people on payroll in any capacity, the training requirement applies.

Who’s Responsible for Sexual Harassment Training?

The employer bears full responsibility for providing sexual harassment training to every covered employee. This obligation cannot be transferred to employees, and the employer must cover all associated costs.

Employer Responsibilities

California law places the following obligations on employers:

• Identify which employees need training and whether they require the one-hour (non-supervisory) or two-hour (supervisory) version.
• Provide training that meets all CRD content, duration, and interactivity requirements.
• Ensure training is delivered in a language and vocabulary that employees can understand.
• Pay for training time. Employees cannot be required to complete the training on their own time. Training hours are compensable work hours.
• Cover any costs associated with providing the training, including course fees, materials, or instructor expenses.
• Maintain documentation of completed training for at least 2 years.
• Retrain employees on schedule and track deadlines for new hires, promotions to supervisory roles, and biennial refresher training.
• Develop, distribute, and maintain a written harassment, discrimination, and retaliation prevention policy.

Employers cannot avoid these obligations by claiming an employee was trained at a previous job. While California law allows employers to accept proof of compliant training completed within the last 2 years, many employers retrain on hire to reduce liability and ensure coverage under their own policies.

Staffing Agencies and Host Employers

When temporary or staffing agency workers are placed at a California worksite, both the staffing agency and the host employer share responsibility for training. This joint employer model follows the same framework outlined in OSHA’s Temporary Worker Initiative, where neither party can avoid its obligations by assigning them entirely to the other.

In practice, staffing agencies typically provide general sexual harassment training when the worker is hired or placed. The host employer is then responsible for ensuring the worker understands the company’s specific harassment prevention policy, internal complaint process, and reporting procedures.

When an incident involving a temporary worker occurs, both the staffing agency and the host employer may face liability if training was inadequate or absent. Clear documentation and communication between both parties is the best protection.

Both parties should maintain records of their respective training contributions and establish agreements about who is responsible for each component.

California Sexual Harassment Training Requirements: SB 1343 and FEHA

California’s sexual harassment training requirements are defined by a combination of state legislation and regulatory standards. Understanding how these laws evolved helps employers see why the current requirements exist and what they’re expected to do.

AB 1825 (Original Framework)

AB 1825 was California’s first mandatory sexual harassment training law, taking effect in 2005. Under AB 1825, employers with 50 or more employees were required to provide two hours of interactive sexual harassment training to all supervisory employees within six months of hire or promotion, and every two years thereafter.

AB 1825 didn’t require training for non-supervisory employees. It also didn’t apply to smaller employers. For over a decade, this left millions of California workers without any legally mandated harassment prevention education.

AB 1825 remains in effect but has been superseded in scope by SB 1343.

SB 1343 (Current Law)

Senate Bill 1343 was signed into law on September 30, 2018, and represents the most significant expansion of California’s training requirements. SB 1343 made three major changes to the existing framework:

• Lowered the Employer Threshold: The training requirement now applies to employers with five or more employees, down from 50 under AB 1825. This brought hundreds of thousands of smaller California businesses under the mandate for the first time.

• Expanded Training to All Employees: SB 1343 requires training for both supervisory and non-supervisory employees. Supervisors must still receive two hours, while non-supervisory employees must receive at least one hour.

• Included Temporary and Seasonal Workers: Employees hired to work for less than six months must be trained within 30 calendar days of hire or within 100 hours worked, whichever occurs first.

The original compliance deadline was January 1, 2020. Governor Newsom signed SB 778 and SB 530 to extend this deadline to January 1, 2021, giving employers additional time to comply. All covered employers were required to have completed initial training by that date, with refresher training due every two years thereafter.

Additional California Laws Affecting Training Content

Several other California laws require specific topics to be included in sexual harassment training:

AB 2053 requires training to include a component on the prevention of abusive conduct in the workplace (workplace bullying).

SB 396 requires training to include content on harassment based on gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation, with practical examples of each.

SB 1300 expanded employer liability for harassment by non-employees (clients, vendors, customers) and reinforced that a single incident of harassing conduct can be sufficient to create a hostile work environment under California law.

Together, these laws shape the content that any compliant training program must include. Employers using older training materials that predate these laws are likely falling short of current requirements.

Training Language and Comprehension

California law requires that sexual harassment training be provided in a language and vocabulary that employees can understand. This means employers must ensure employees fully comprehend the training content. If a significant portion of the workforce speaks Spanish or another language, the employer must provide Spanish California sexual harassment training.

What Must California Sexual Harassment Training Cover?

California law and CRD regulations are specific about what sexual harassment training must cover. The training can be delivered through classroom instruction, interactive e-learning, or live webinar, but regardless of format, it must address the following topics:

• Federal and California Harassment Law: Training must explain the definition of sexual harassment under both the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) and Title VII of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, including the legal standards that apply in California.

• Types of Prohibited Conduct: Training must provide practical examples of the types of conduct that constitute sexual harassment, including verbal, visual, physical, and electronic forms. These examples should be realistic and relevant to the workplace.

• Remedies and Complaint Processes: Employees must be informed of the remedies available to victims of sexual harassment and how to file complaints both internally (through the employer’s process) and externally (through the California Civil Rights Department).

• Abusive Conduct: Per AB 2053, training must cover the definition of abusive conduct in the workplace, commonly referred to as workplace bullying, including malicious conduct that a reasonable person would consider hostile, offensive, and unrelated to legitimate business interests.

• Harassment Based on Gender Identity, Gender Expression, and Sexual Orientation: Per SB 396, training must include practical examples of harassment targeting these protected characteristics. Supervisor training must specifically include examples of transgender harassment.

• Bystander Intervention: Training should include strategies for how employees who witness harassment or disrespectful conduct can intervene safely and effectively to stop the behavior and support the affected person.

• Retaliation Protections: Training must explain that retaliation against employees who report harassment, participate in an investigation, or oppose harassing conduct is illegal under both state and federal law.

• The Employer’s Anti-Harassment Policy: Training must reference and explain the employer’s written harassment, discrimination, and retaliation prevention policy, including the internal complaint process.

• Supervisor-Specific Content: For supervisory employees, training must additionally cover the supervisor’s obligation to report harassment, how to respond to complaints, the duty to take corrective action, the limited confidentiality of the complaint process, and the personal and organizational liability supervisors carry under FEHA.

Beyond covering these topics, the training itself must meet specific interactivity requirements. California law requires that training include questions that assess learning, skill-building activities to evaluate understanding and application, and hypothetical scenarios about harassment with discussion questions. A passive video, slideshow, or policy read-through does not satisfy the requirement.

How Often is Sexual Harassment Training Required in California?

California requires all covered employees to complete sexual harassment prevention training on a recurring schedule. This applies to both supervisory and non-supervisory employees. The specific timeframes depend on the employee’s situation:

New Hires: Must complete training within six months of their start date. California law recommends completing training during onboarding to ensure immediate compliance and reduce liability exposure during the initial employment period.

Newly Promoted Supervisors: Must complete the two-hour supervisory training within six months of assuming a supervisory role, regardless of when they last completed non-supervisory training.

Temporary and Seasonal Employees: Employees hired to work for less than six months must be trained within 30 calendar days of hire or within 100 hours worked, whichever comes first.

After completing initial training, all employees must be retrained every two years. 

Employers can choose to retrain employees individually on their anniversary dates or designate a company-wide retraining year. Either approach is acceptable, as long as no employee goes more than two years between sessions.

Training Format and Delivery Requirements

California law allows several formats for delivering sexual harassment prevention training. Employers have flexibility in how they train, but the training must meet specific interactivity and accessibility standards regardless of the format chosen.

Accepted Training Formats

California recognizes three delivery methods as compliant:

• Classroom training delivered in person by a qualified trainer. This format allows for live discussion, questions, and interaction between the trainer and participants.

• Interactive e-learning delivered through an online platform. Online training must be self-paced and include interactive elements such as questions, scenarios, and skill-building activities. It must also provide a way for employees to contact a qualified trainer who can answer questions within two business days.

• Live webinar delivered remotely by a qualified trainer. Webinars must allow real-time interaction, including the ability for employees to ask questions and participate in discussions.

All three formats are equally valid under California law. The choice comes down to what works best for the employer’s workforce, budget, and operational needs.

Interactivity Requirements

Regardless of format, California law requires training to be interactive. This means it must include:

• Questions that assess whether employees understand the material.
• Skill-building activities that test the application of concepts, not just recall.
• Hypothetical scenarios about harassment with discussion questions.

A passive video, a slideshow without interaction, or a document that employees read and sign does not satisfy the legal requirement. The CRD has been clear on this point: training must engage employees, not just expose them to information.

Trainer Requirements

California law requires that sexual harassment training be developed and delivered by individuals who meet specific qualification standards. Qualified trainers include:

• Attorneys admitted for two or more years to the bar of any state in the United States and whose practice includes employment law under FEHA or Title VII.
• Human resources professionals, harassment prevention consultants, or peer-to-peer trainers with a minimum of two years of practical experience in one or more of the following: designing or conducting discrimination, retaliation, and harassment prevention training; responding to harassment or other discrimination complaints; conducting investigations of harassment complaints; or advising employers or employees regarding discrimination, retaliation, and harassment prevention.
• Professors or instructors at law schools, colleges, or universities who have either 20 instruction hours or two or more years of experience teaching about employment law under FEHA or Title VII.

California does not issue licenses or certifications validating a trainer’s qualifications. Employers are responsible for ensuring that whoever delivers their training meets these standards.

Employer Recordkeeping and Documentation

California law requires employers to maintain documentation of all sexual harassment training for a minimum of two years. This isn’t optional. In the event of a CRD investigation or a harassment complaint, training records are among the first things an employer will be asked to produce.

Training records must include:

• The names of all employees who participated in training.
• The date(s) training was completed.
• The sign-in sheet.
• A copy of all certificates of attendance or completion issued.
• The type of training provided (supervisory or non-supervisory).
• A copy of all written or recorded materials that comprise the training.
• The name of the training provider.

Beyond training records, employers are also required to:

Develop and distribute a written harassment prevention policy. This policy must contain specific elements defined in 2 CCR Section 11023(b), including a list of all protected categories under FEHA, the employer’s internal complaint process, a statement that retaliation for reporting is prohibited, and information about how to file an external complaint with the CRD.

Distribute the CRD Sexual Harassment Fact Sheet. Employers must provide the CRD’s sexual harassment information sheet (DFEH-185) to all employees. This can be distributed in hard copy, email, or through the employer’s intranet.

Post required workplace posters. All employers must post the California Law Prohibits Workplace Discrimination and Harassment poster (DFEH-E07P). Employers with five or more employees must also post the Transgender Rights in the Workplace poster (DFEH-E04P).

Penalties for Non-Compliance

Failing to provide required sexual harassment training exposes California employers to enforcement action, financial penalties, and significant legal risk.

The California Civil Rights Department (CRD) has the authority to investigate employers who fail to comply with training requirements. If an employer is found to be non-compliant, the CRD can seek a court order compelling the employer to provide training. Continued failure to comply can result in fines and additional enforcement measures.

But the most significant risk isn’t the direct penalty from the CRD. It’s what happens when a harassment claim is filed.

When sexual harassment occurs in the workplace, employers frequently rely on a legal defense that they took “reasonable steps” to prevent and correct harassment. Documented, compliant training is the foundation of that defense. Without it, the employer’s ability to defend against a harassment lawsuit is substantially weakened.

Employers who fail to train are essentially building a legal case against themselves. Plaintiffs’ attorneys look for gaps in training records, missed deadlines, and missing documentation. Each gap represents a point of exposure. When combined with an actual harassment allegation, the absence of compliant training can turn what might have been a defensible case into a costly settlement or judgment.

Beyond legal exposure, non-compliance carries operational consequences. Employee trust erodes when workers learn their employer didn’t take legally required steps to protect them. Recruitment and retention suffer when a company develops a reputation for ignoring harassment prevention. And the cost of defending a harassment claim, whether through settlement or litigation, almost always exceeds the cost of implementing a compliant training program by a significant margin.

Sexual Harassment Training Options for California Employers

California law recognizes three delivery methods for sexual harassment training: classroom instruction, interactive e-learning, and live webinar. All three are equally valid, and employers can use any combination to meet their obligations.

Here are the most common ways employers deliver compliant training.

Instructor-Led Training

Instructor-led training delivers sexual harassment prevention training through a live, facilitated format led by a qualified trainer. This can be done by hiring an external training provider or by using qualified internal staff.

External Training Provider

Some employers bring in an outside consultant, attorney, or HR professional to deliver classroom training on-site or at an off-site location. This method provides live interaction, real-time Q&A, and group discussion, which can be effective for sensitive workplace topics.

However, it comes with practical limitations:

• Sessions require coordinating schedules, securing a venue, and pulling employees away from their regular duties.
• External providers charge per session or per day, which adds up quickly for employers who need to retrain every two years.
• Employers with high turnover have to schedule additional sessions throughout the year to keep new hires compliant, multiplying the cost and coordination involved.
• For employers with remote employees or multiple locations, getting everyone into the same room with the same trainer is often impractical or impossible.

External training can work well for initial rollouts or for organizations that want a facilitated discussion, but it’s the most expensive and least scalable option for ongoing compliance.

In-House Instructor-Led Training

Many organizations prefer to deliver training internally using their own HR professionals, managers, or designated trainers. This allows employers to tailor content to their operations, integrate company-specific policies and procedures, and control the training schedule.

Employers who take this approach must ensure the person delivering the training meets California’s qualified trainer requirements under 2 CCR 11024. In many cases, internal HR professionals, harassment prevention consultants, or peer-to-peer trainers with at least two years of relevant experience already qualify.

The trainer also needs compliant training materials, aligned with California’s training requirements. Our Sexual Harassment Instructor Package provides a complete in-house training solution, combining a train-the-trainer certification program with ready-to-use instructor materials, including a customizable training presentation, quizzes and answer keys, certificate templates, attendance-tracking templates, a training matrix, and 1 year of free updates to keep materials current with legislative changes.

The instructor package is a one-time investment that covers an unlimited number of employees at a single location (or multiple locations with a single trainer), making it cost-effective for employers who retrain large groups regularly.

Online Training

Online training provides a convenient and consistent way to deliver compliant sexual harassment prevention training to California workers and supervisors. It covers required content through interactive e-learning, including module-based instruction, scenario-driven questions, skill-building activities, and knowledge assessments. Employees complete the training at their own pace, and the system handles tracking, certificates, and compliance documentation automatically.

Under California law, online training must be interactive and must provide a way for employees to contact a qualified trainer who can answer questions within two business days. A passive video or slideshow does not qualify.

Online training is particularly well-suited for employers with distributed teams, remote employees, multiple locations, or high turnover, since it eliminates scheduling logistics and delivers consistent instruction regardless of where employees are located.

Our California Sexual Harassment Training for Workers (1 hour) and California Sexual Harassment Training for Supervisors (2 hours) are aligned with AB 1825, AB 2053, SB 396, SB 1343, and the Fair Employment and Housing Commission Regulations. Both courses include interactive modules covering all mandated topics, end-of-module quizzes, diploma-style certificates of completion, and employer access to a group training dashboard for tracking progress and compliance across the entire workforce.

Staffing and Employment Agencies

For staffing agencies, online training is the most practical way to meet sexual harassment training obligations for temporary placements. Workers can complete compliant training during onboarding or before placement, ensuring consistent, documented instruction across all hires regardless of timing or branch location.

As discussed in the shared responsibility section above, staffing agencies are responsible for providing general sexual harassment training, while the host employer must ensure the worker understands their specific harassment prevention policy and complaint procedures. Clear documentation of completed training helps both parties understand where one responsibility ends and the other begins.

Choosing the Right Sexual Harassment Training Provider

The training provider you choose matters. California holds employers responsible for ensuring training is compliant, current, and properly documented, even if a third party develops or delivers it. Choosing the wrong provider can leave gaps in content, documentation, or interactivity that expose the employer to enforcement action and weaken their legal defense.

When comparing providers, look for:

• California Law Alignment – Training must meet all requirements under SB 1343, AB 1825, AB 2053, SB 396, and CRD regulations (2 CCR 11024). Content should address both federal and California-specific harassment law, not just a generic national program repackaged for the state.

• Separate Worker and Supervisor Courses – California requires different training durations and content for non-supervisory (1 hour) and supervisory (2 hours) employees. The provider should offer distinct courses for each, with the supervisor version covering additional content on reporting obligations, investigation procedures, and liability.

• Interactivity That Meets CRD Standards – Training must include questions that assess learning, skill-building activities, and hypothetical scenarios with discussion questions. A passive video or slide deck does not satisfy California’s requirements, regardless of how long it runs.

• Flexible Delivery Options – A strong provider offers online, instructor-led, and in-house training options so employers can choose the approach that fits their workforce and operations.

• Documentation and Recordkeeping – Complete records, certificates, and progress tracking are essential for demonstrating compliance. The provider should make it easy for employers to produce training documentation if the CRD or an attorney ever requests it.

• Up-to-Date Content – California’s harassment laws have been amended multiple times. Training content should reflect the most recent legislative requirements, not materials developed years ago and never updated.

Summary

California requires employers with five or more employees to provide sexual harassment prevention training to all workers. Supervisory employees must receive at least two hours of interactive training, and non-supervisory employees must receive at least one hour. Training must be completed within six months of hire or promotion and repeated every two years.

The training must be interactive, cover all required topics, and be delivered by a qualified trainer or training provider. Employers must pay for training time, maintain records for at least two years, and ensure training is provided in a language employees understand.

Employers can meet these requirements through online training, instructor-led classroom sessions, or a combination of both.

Failing to comply weakens the employer’s legal defense in a harassment claim and exposes the organization to CRD enforcement action, court-ordered compliance, and financial penalties. The cost of implementing compliant training is a fraction of the cost of defending a harassment lawsuit.

WorkplaceSafety.com offers all the tools needed to deliver compliant California sexual harassment training based on your specific needs, including online training for workers and supervisors, train-the-trainer programs, and instructor packages for in-house delivery.

Reach out to our team via live chat, email, or phone to learn more about how we can support your California sexual harassment training needs.

California Sexual Harassment Training FAQ

Which employers are required to provide sexual harassment training in California?

Any California employer with five or more employees is required to provide sexual harassment prevention training.

When counting toward the five-employee threshold, all employee types are included: full-time, part-time, temporary, and seasonal. Employees working outside of California also count. 

Independent contractors, volunteers, and unpaid interns count toward the headcount but are not required to receive the training themselves.

Who needs California sexual harassment training?

All employees working in California for a covered employer must receive sexual harassment prevention training. This includes supervisory and non-supervisory employees, as well as full-time, part-time, temporary, and seasonal workers. Employees hired to work for less than six months are also covered.

How often is sexual harassment training required in California?

California employers are required to provide sexual harassment prevention training to all employees, including workers, supervisors, and temporary staff, at least every two years. Employers can track compliance by individual employee anniversary date or by designating a company-wide retraining year.

When must new California employees complete sexual harassment training?

California employers are required to provide sexual harassment training to new employees within six months of their hire date.

Newly promoted supervisors must complete the two-hour supervisor version within six months of assuming a supervisory role. Temporary or seasonal employees hired to work for less than six months must be trained within 30 calendar days of hire or within 100 hours worked, whichever comes first.

Can California sexual harassment training be completed online?

Yes. California law recognizes online training (interactive e-learning) as a fully compliant training method. Online training must include interactive elements such as questions, skill-building activities, and hypothetical scenarios. It must also provide a way for employees to contact a qualified trainer who can answer questions within two business days.

What is the difference between California worker and supervisor sexual harassment training?

California requires one hour of training for non-supervisory employees and two hours for supervisors. Both versions cover the same foundational topics: the definition of sexual harassment under federal and California law, types of prohibited conduct, reporting procedures, bystander intervention, and retaliation protections.

The supervisor version adds content on how to respond to and investigate complaints, corrective action procedures, and the personal and organizational liability supervisors carry under FEHA.

Who qualifies as a “supervisor” under California sexual harassment training law?

Under California law, a supervisor is anyone with the authority to hire, transfer, suspend, lay off, promote, discharge, assign, reward, or discipline other employees. This also includes anyone whose recommendations on these actions carry particular weight within the organization. Supervisors must complete the two-hour version of California’s sexual harassment training.

Do California employers have to pay employees for sexual harassment training time?

Yes. California law requires employers to provide sexual harassment training during paid work hours. Employees cannot be required to complete the training on their own personal time. The employer must also cover any costs associated with providing the training, including course fees, materials, or instructor expenses.

Do remote employees need California sexual harassment training?

Yes. California’s sexual harassment training requirements apply to remote employees if they are employed by a California employer, regardless of where they physically work. Remote employees must receive the same compliant training on the same schedule as on-site staff.

Is sexual harassment training in California transferable between employers?

California law allows employers to accept proof of sexual harassment training completed within the last two years at a previous employer. However, the current employer bears the burden of verifying that the prior training met all legal requirements.

Most employers retrain new hires to reduce liability and ensure the employee understands their specific harassment prevention policy and complaint procedures.

What training records must California employers maintain for sexual harassment training?

California employers must maintain sexual harassment training documentation for a minimum of two years. Required records include the names of employees trained, dates of training, sign-in sheets, copies of all certificates of attendance or completion, the type of training provided, copies of all written or recorded materials that comprise the training, and the name of the training provider.

What are the penalties for not providing California sexual harassment training?

The California Civil Rights Department (CRD) can investigate non-compliant employers and seek a court order compelling them to provide sexual harassment training.

Beyond direct enforcement, failure to train weakens the employer’s legal defense in a harassment lawsuit. Documented, compliant training is the foundation of the “reasonable steps” defense, and without it, that defense is substantially compromised.

What are the California sexual harassment training laws?

California sexual harassment training requirements are governed by the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), Senate Bill 1343 (SB 1343), and Assembly Bill 1825 (AB 1825).

Additional laws affecting required training content include AB 2053 (abusive conduct), SB 396 (gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation), and SB 1300 (expanded employer liability). The implementing regulations are in the California Code of Regulations, Title 2, Section 11024 (2 CCR 11024).