One of the primary methods for protecting an organization’s team from the business leaders to their staff is to provide the mandatory and then routine sexual harassment prevention training. 

There are not laws in each state, but California sexual harassment training law is stringent, with employers recognizing the effects of the training on establishing a safe workspace for the employees. Those experiencing harassment are beginning to come forward as training becomes more robust, regardless, if it’s mandated. 

Organizations see the need to address the issues among their workforces. They can identify several purposes the training serves when implementing the right programs into their agenda, including educating their staff and presenting a respectful, diverse, and inclusive team. The desire is that everyone wants to come to work and can do so without fear.

These are the reasons states, including California, are beginning to make laws mandating businesses to provide adequate sexual harassment prevention training within their companies not only in an effort to comply with their laws but to educate staff on appropriate conduct and risk mitigation. 

Let’s look more in-depth at the purposes of sexual harassment prevention training and how the training benefits the workforce.

What Is The Purpose Of Sexual Harassment Training Laws Like Those In California

California and other states in the country are mandating sexual harassment prevention training for businesses with laws meant to create a work atmosphere where employees feel comfortable coming forward when they find themself in threatening situations without worrying about retaliation. 

California’s laws lead the remaining states in how the programs should be carried to ensure optimum participation within each organization and overall success with the training when the protocol is followed. 

Aside from complying with the laws, organizations can achieve with these programs education on what constitutes appropriate conduct within the company’s culture and how to mitigate risk. 

Check out how the insight each team member and business leader can gain with adequate sexual harassment prevention training.

⦁ Complying with the law

More states, especially California, mandate employers to provide company-wide sexual harassment training programs. The laws might somewhat vary depending on a specific jurisdiction or differ based on a particular industry or the company size. 

In California, the mandate applies to businesses carrying five employees or above. The programs need to start as soon as someone onboards with an organization and within every two years beyond that point. 

The California law dictates that business leaders have the option of choosing the format that works optimally for their setting, whether it be an interactive online program, a classroom platform, or an engaging webinar. 

In some areas, it’s required that the training be multilingual to accommodate all employees. The laws are continually being updated as new challenges arise. Go to https://www.natlawreview.com/article/understanding-compliance-california-s-sexual-harassment-prevention-training/ for guidance on complying with California sexual harassment laws.

⦁ Risk mitigation

The laws mandating sexual harassment training for business leaders intend that the companies that do not incorporate the programs into their organizations’ policies and procedures will receive penalties, including monetary. 

However, employers should focus more on the risk mitigation associated with offering their staff this education. The suggestion is with adequate training, there could be less probability of poor conduct. 

Not only is mandatory preventative training on a routine regimented basis the ideal way to protect staff from sexual harassment, but it prepares team members on every level to recognize the signs of harassment so they can be keenly aware of their surroundings. 

Leaders must review the company programs each year to ensure compliance with the laws, relevance, quality, and currency as the protocol changes with new challenges raised.

⦁ Education

Some people might not clearly understand what sexual harassment involves on your staff. Every level of the team must recognize the behavior and understand what the protocol is if they experience it directly or witness it around them.  

With a successful sexual harassment program, employees will be provided meaningful examples in their specific industry and instances with which they can relate, making the experience more interactive.

More states are developing laws in which employers are specifically obligated to give their staff a harassment-free workplace and provide sexual harassment training to depict what behavior is acceptable and which will not be. 

The protocol will involve “recognizing harassment, the policies/procedures to formal report an incident, investigations, and harassment documentation.”

Final Thought

California and a few other states in the country have established laws mandating business leaders to educate their organizations at every level on sexual harassment. More states are following their strong example. 
Still, intelligent employers in states where these laws don’t yet exist are implementing the programs independently because they recognize how vital creating safe, respectful, and non-discriminate workspaces is. 

The priority for companies today is that staff not only feel comfortable but know they have an ally in their leaders if that comfort is in any way threatened.