Sexual Harassment Training Postponed in California

Sexual Harassment Training Postponed in California

California has historically required workplace harassment training only for supervisors. But in 2018, California passed a law requiring employers with five or more employees to provide harassment training to both supervisors (minimum two-hour training) and non-supervisors (minimum one-hour training). While the training is required every two years, in October 2019, the governor signed a bill postponing the training deadline for regular, non-supervisory employees until January 1, 2021. However, for “seasonal, temporary, or other employees that are hired to work for less than six months, an employer shall provide training within 30 calendar days after the hire date or within 100 hours worked,” whichever occurs first, starting on January 1, 2021. The deadline to train such temporary workers is relevant to the motion picture industry because many crew and talent workers are engaged for less than six months.

Lastly, a separate bill in California, AB 2338—which requires minors ages 14 to 17 years old, as well as the minor’s parent/legal guardian, to both take sexual harassment training as a precondition to obtaining a minor’s entertainment work permit—was supposed to go into effect on June 30, 2019. However, AB 2338 temporarily has been placed on hold by the California State Labor Commissioner until further notice (click here).