Sexual harassment is a form of discrimination that violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) defines harassment as any “offensive conduct that may include, but is not limited to, offensive jokes, slurs, epithets or name calling, physical assaults or threats, intimidation, ridicule or mockery, insults or put-downs, offensive objects or pictures, and interference with work performance.”
The EEOC also notes that the best method to eliminate harassment in the workplace is prevention. Although there isn’t a federally mandated law that requires employers to provide their supervisors or employees with sexual harassment prevention training, some states require training by law. Some states also don’t have a formal policy requiring sexual harassment prevention training but do encourage and suggest employers to take the proper steps to educating the workforce. Below details out which states require training, what kind of training must be provided and to whom:
Alabama
No training requirements
Alaska
No training requirements
Arizona
No training requirements
Arkansas
No training requirements
California
The state of California requires all private employers with 50 or more employees, including full-time, part-time, temporary, and contractors, to provide supervisory employees with sexual harassment prevention training. The supervisors must participate in two hours of training every two years and new supervisors must be trained within the first six months of being in their position.
The training curriculum must include an overview of the definitions of sexual harassment, the principles behind sexual harassment prevention laws, and prevention strategies. Training must also include remedy approaches available for the victims of sexual harassment and practical examples.
Colorado
No training requirements
Connecticut
Connecticut requires all private employers with 50 or more employees to train their supervisory employees. New supervisors must be provided with training within their first six months. Training beyond that is not required but is suggested every three years.
The training curriculum must go over the state and federal sexual harassment laws, the definitions of sexual harassment, the various types of misconduct, remedies available to victims, penalties for the harassers themselves, and prevention strategies.
Delaware
No training requirements
Florida
No training requirements
Georgia
No training requirements
Hawaii
No training requirements
Idaho
No training requirements
Illinois
Training is only required for state agencies. All state agencies must have a sexual harassment policy posted and distributed and must provide sexual harassment training as part of all on-boarding and ongoing training programs.
Indiana
No training requirements
Iowa
Training is only required for managerial and supervisory employees of the executive branch.
Kansas
No training requirements
Kentucky
No training requirements
Louisiana
No training requirements
Maine
The state of Maine requires all employers with 15 or more employees to provide training to all employees and supervisors within the first year of their employment.
Training curriculum must include the definitions and laws of sexual harassment, types of sexual harassment, the complaint process, legal penalties, and protection against retaliation. Further, more specific training must be provided to supervisors and managers about prevention methods and corrective actions when dealing with a sexual harassment complaint.
Maryland
No training requirements
Massachusetts
No training requirements
Michigan
No training requirements
Minnesota
No training requirements
Mississippi
No training requirements
Missouri
No training requirements
Montana
No training requirements
Nebraska
No training requirements
Nevada
The state of Nevada only requires state employees to take a certified sexual harassment class. State employees must take the class within the first six months of their employment and attend a refresher class every two years.
New Hampshire
No training requirements
New Jersey
No training requirements
New Mexico
New Mexico only requires primary and secondary licensed school personnel to either attend training or review literature regarding sexual harassment once a year.
No other employers are required to train.
New York
No training requirements
North Carolina
No training requirements.
North Dakota
No training requirements.
Ohio
No training requirements.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma only requires state employees who investigate discrimination complaints to be trained in all areas of EEO, including sexual harassment.
There are no training requirements for other employers.
Oregon
No training requirements.
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania only requires state employees to be trained and educated in sexual harassment.
Rhode Island
Rhode Island only requires state employees to attend sexual harassment training annually, in addition to EEO training.
South Carolina
No training requirements.
South Dakota
No training requirements.
Tennessee
Only state employees are required to attend sexual harassment training in Tennessee.
Texas
The state of Texas requires that all state employees and supervisors attend training within the first 30 days of their employment and receive a refresher class every two years.
Utah
Utah requires all state employees to attend harassment prevention training within the first 90 days of employment and receive a refresher every three years.
Vermont
No training requirements.
Virginia
No training requirements.
Washington
The state of Washington requires all state agencies to provide sexual harassment prevention training and education.
West Virginia
No training requirements.
Wisconsin
No training requirements.
Wyoming
No training requirements.
For more details regarding training requirements, please visit your state’s local website or the EEOC.
Harassment Prevention Training Courses
This provides guidelines on how to develop, manage, and maintain professionalism in the workplace.
