An important step in preventing sexual harassment is sexual harassment training. There is not a federal law that requires training, but there are federal laws that prohibit sexual harassment.
As an employer you may find that sexual harassment training can be beneficial for your business and help prevent further problems that can lead to your liability.
While federal law does not require training, you should check your state laws and policies to see what regulations apply to your business.
Be sure to document any training classes and to maintain documentation regarding to any sessions. Keep emails or notices regarding any session that is planned, and who must attend. If you receive a certificate for attending, keep that as well.
Requirements
The requirements pertaining to sexual harassment training can vary significantly from one state to the next. There are no federal requirements for sexual harassment training in the workplace.
Some states require sexual harassment training. Among those states with laws that require training are California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, and New York. New York City also has city enacted requirements.
The extent and requirements of this training can also vary greatly depending on the applicable laws. In some states, only management or supervisors are required to undergo sexual harassment training while other states may require all employees to go to training of some sort.
Some laws or municipalities may not have laws that specifically require the training, but they may suggest training to help reduce liability and to reduce the risk of sexual harassment in the workplace.
When done properly, sexual harassment training can be very beneficial. It can help reduce instances of the illegal behavior in the workplace and it can help protect workers from the inappropriate behavior.
Since the employer is liable for sexual harassment claims, it can also help protect the employer by reducing liability by showing that the employer tried to prevent such behavior and it can also help a company avoid sexual harassment incidents.
Why It Is Important
If you have been sexually harassed at work, the sexual harassment training that your company conducted cam be used as evidence.
If your company conducts sexual harassment training and you can show that there is an ongoing pattern of illegal activities and mistreatment including sexual harassment.
If your employer offers training and there is an ongoing pattern of behavior or neglect, then there is obviously an issue with the training and the employees are not getting the information and guidance that they need from those training sessions.
An effective training session that meets the requirements should reduce the instances of sexual harassment and help employees understand what is inappropriate and unacceptable.
This will reduce the chances of sexual harassment claims in the workplace and help reduce the chance of you falling victim to such behavior.
Some companies just have training sessions because they are required to, and those sessions have little or no effective details that show the importance of adhering to the laws regarding harassment and discrimination.
You should keep any documentation and learning materials provided at sexual harassment training as they can be used with other documentation as evidence for your workplace sexual harassment claim.
The more evidence and documentation that you have, the more likely you are to prevail with your claim and recoup compensation for your damages.
You should also keep your handbook, your employment contract, and any memos or documentation that you have regarding your job.
The more documentation that you can gather, the more likely you are to succeed with your sexual harassment claim against your employer.
Get Help With Your Case
If you believe that you have suffered from sexual harassment in the workplace, you should get a claim underway. An employment law attorney is familiar with the requirements of your state, and he or she will be helpful in determining your state’s laws and helping to gather evidence and documentation to support your claim.
A lawyer will be able to get your claim in order and prove that you were the victim of sexual harassment in the workplace.
When you speak with an employment law attorney, be sure to discuss their payment plan. Some lawyers take cases on a contingency basis while others require a retainer to be paid and then charge an hourly rate.
You do have limited time for pursuing a sexual harassment claim, so do not delay getting the legal guidance that your claim needs to get underway. Complete the Free Case Evaluation Form on this page today.
