Procrastinating Any Form of Workplace Harassment Training Is Just Wrong!
California extended the deadline for sexual harassment prevention training from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020 with the passing of SB778. However, it’s still a good idea to do this training as soon as possible. It’s important to send the right message to your employees, to give them access to the right information, and take steps to protect your business now. The experts at Bridge Safety Consultants offer a comprehensive sexual harassment training that accomplish these two goals.
Though the legal deadline has been extended, putting off hosting a sexual harassment training could send the message to your employees that their safety is not your priority. The training is intended to let all your employees know what their rights are, both if they feel they’ve been the victim of sexual harassment and if they’re being accused. It’s important that employees have a clear path to follow, knowing who to report to. Managers will have clear guidelines to follow when sexual harassment accusations occur. Additionally, proper information can help prevent and minimize inappropriate behavior.
It’s important that your workplace have a clear policy and course of action for handling sexual harassment claims. It’s equally important that your employees have a clear understanding of what qualifies as sexual harassment and what does not. A comprehensive sexual harassment training must cover examples of sexual harassment and provide substantial time for questions that may arise during the training.
There is a lot of ambiguity in the law that the experts at Bridge Safety Consultants are able to clearly and definitively navigate. These trainings protect your business by providing a clear pathway for handling situations of sexual harassment, but also by demonstrating that your company took all the necessary preventative measures. An employer can be held legally responsible for the action of its employees. Trainings are a preventative measure and are much more affordable in terms of money and time than court. In addition to prevention, trainings serve as proof of your company’s commitment to prevent sexual harassment. If your company needs to defend itself in court, it is helpful to provide proof of training as a measure of good faith efforts to prevent sexual harassment.
These trainings also send a clear message to your employees by relaying a consistent message across the company. They can encourage a sense of community, by allowing various actors in your company to participate and interact together. These trainings also reassure your employees that you are in touch with the current social climate. The #MeToo movement is directly responsible for this update in California law.
It’s important that your company offers clear and comprehensive sexual harassment training, not only to protect against sexual harassment claims, but to abide by the law. Senate Bill 1343 requires that every company, even those with as few as 5 employees must provide comprehensive training on sexual harassment, abusive behavior, and sexual orientation. SB778 extends the deadline for this training to January 1, 2021. However, the extension does not apply to training requirements for seasonal, temporary, or other employees hired to work for less than six months. Those types of employees still must be trained within 30 calendar days of their hire date or within 1000 hours worked, whichever comes first. The law requires employers to provide at least two hours of sexual harassment prevention training and education to all supervisory employees and at least one hour of such training to all non-supervisory employees. Training and education must be provided once every two years thereafter. This repetition can be dull, dry, and thus difficult to pay attention to again and again. Our method of incorporates humor, many examples, and clear answers into the training.
For more information on our unique, and uniquely effective approach talk to us today.
