Sexual harassment training is a requirement in the state of California for any employer with over 5 employees. This training should be specific to the industry you are in and extensively cover what behavior constitutes sexual harassment. It should also include the process for victims to report it and resources for victims to get the help they need.
What is Sexual Harassment?
Sexual harassment is any unwanted physical, visual, or verbal conduct of a sexual nature or any unwelcome sexual advances. Sexual harassment can come in many forms, including gender-based harassment. Sexual harassment victims can be male or female, and their harassers can be of the opposite sex or the same.
Sexual harassment covers a lot of behaviors and is sometimes hard to define. For a clearer understanding of what sexual harassment involves, check out this website. Misunderstanding what harassment is can lead to an increase in unwelcome behaviors and a lack of reporting. Making sure these behaviors are clearly understood will help keep your workplace safe.
Sexual Harassment Prevention
Sexual harassment prevention is the responsibility of the employer. California state law requires that the employer maintain a safe environment for all their employees. This means putting in place some preventative measures to create a safe, welcoming environment and having a clear plan in case that environment is disrupted.
Policies and Procedures
The first step is creating a sexual harassment policy and procedure for your company. This policy should be clearly explained to all your employees in writing. It should be written and distributed to all employees so they can reflect back on it when needed.
The policy should clearly explain the law and what behaviors are unlawful. It should explain what behaviors are and are not appropriate for the workplace. It should also include a clear process for anyone who is seeing or experiencing these behaviors to come forward. The process for reporting needs to include who and how to report, the steps taken after the initial report is made, and appropriate actions for the resolution.
Distribute Literature
The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing has created posters and pamphlets that can be distributed and posted around your office. These posters include stats on sexual harassment, governmental resources, and an overview of unwanted behaviors. That literature can be found at www.dfeh.ca.gov/Posters/?target=Required%20Materials. If you would rather make your own brochures, you can make your own fact sheets. These can be printed and distributed with your company’s policy literature.
Create Lines of Communication
Encouraging employees to reach out to their supervisor or manager is an important step in preventing harassment in the workplace. However, not every employee will feel comfortable doing that. If the behavior is coming from a supervisor, that line of communication has been cut off. Providing multiple avenues will help encourage more people to come forward if they see or hear anything inappropriate.
A good way to provide these avenues is to create a complaint hotline or outside resource to approach. These hotlines provide anonymous options for those who do not feel comfortable coming forward. HR representatives are good in-person options that are not usually associated with the general workplace environment. Providing these lines will help create a safer place for your employees to discuss any issues they are experiencing at work.
Training
Providing training for your employees is required by law and a huge preventative tool. For the majority of companies, outsourcing their training is the easiest option. Some options, like this
California sexual harassment training provides training for both employees and supervisors. These options help make sure your training is by a qualified trainer and upholds California state law.
Every company employee is required to attend a one-hour training session. These sessions can be interactive online training, in-person classroom training, or a webinar. Supervisors are required to attend an additional hour of training. These training sessions should include thorough coverage of what to do if a claim is made. Once a sexual harassment claim is made, swift action to get the claim investigated and resolved is best for the victim and the company as a whole.
If you’re looking to train in New York, get sexual harassment training in New York state.
On top of providing the training, the employer is responsible for recording the training and maintaining an up-to-date training schedule. Training should be held every two years as a refresher for the state laws and company policies. It is the responsibility of the employer to maintain those records and encourage those training sessions.
While sexual harassment is a part of the world we live in now, it doesn’t have to be a part of your company’s culture. By taking charge of your company’s harassment issues, you are creating a safe place for your employees to come and work. This safer environment will encourage company loyalty and increase productivity. By taking these preventative steps, you can create a safer, healthier, more inclusive, and more productive company.
