Sexual Harassment Training Deadlines in New York
Regardless of where your company is situated or what your company deals in, ensuring your staff receives the correct sexual harassment training is incredibly important.
As an employer, it is up to you to ensure that your staff is properly trained and that any sexual harassment concerns are dealt with responsibly. You need to enforce a model policy for your employees to follow.
Each state has its own rules and laws regarding sexual harassment prevention policies, but wherever your company is based you should still take training and complaints seriously.
But what exactly are the rules and requirements when it comes to sexual harassment prevention training in New York?
In this article, we will break down exactly what you, as an employer, should know regarding New York sexual harassment training requirements. Ensuring staff is properly trained and that you are versed in your state’s sexual harassment policy is vital so read on to see how best to prepare your staff for any training requirements.
Harassment Training Laws in New York
What does the law say?
According to the New York State Division of Human Rights, as of October 9th, 2019 it is now essential that all employers in the state should be trained in preventing sexual misconduct in the workplace.
Training should be received annually and any companies that can bid on contracts must provide the New York State and New York City government with an affirmation that they have a sexual harassment prevention policy.
This training is required even for employers who currently do not work in New York State if you are an employer based in New York ALL employees must be aptly trained. Below you will find a break-down of the New York State sexual harassment training requirements.
- All employers regardless of their size, who employ anyone in the state of New York should be trained.
- Any contractors who bid on New York State contracts require training.
- This also applies to all employees, not just team leaders and supervisors.
- Training has to be provided annually.
When is the deadline?
The first deadline was October 9th, 2019 but going forward an employer has to set up an annual date for each employee to take part in the training program. Typically, in New York City, this will be a year from when the employee is first employed and training must take place each year from then onwards as a due process.
How do I follow the training law?
As stated, harassment in the workplace will not be tolerated and thus employers need to ensure that all employees are trained correctly and are aware of how to report complaints. This complies with regulations set out by the Department of Labor.
There are a host of online tutorials that you can provide to your employees that will offer a focus on raising an employee’s awareness and how to prevent harassment. You may also want to provide your employees with a break down of the state’s law using training videos or other interactive programs. This tutorial or course has to be taking at least once a year to ensure that you are following the New York City law.
It is also important to provide means for employees to complain, whether through a complaint form or other method. Preventing harassment in a work environment is exceptionally important and should be taken extremely seriously.