California harassment training requirements for employers

Last reviewed

If you have five or more employees in California, you have to give harassment prevention training to all of them: two hours for supervisors, one hour for everyone else, repeated every two years.

Who has to provide training

Any employer with five or more employees. The rule comes from Government Code section 12950.1, part of the Fair Employment and Housing Act, and it covers every employee in California, supervisors and non-supervisors alike.

How long, and how often

  • Supervisors: at least two hours.
  • All other employees: at least one hour.
  • Repeat: once every two years.

Deadlines for new people

  • New employees: within six months of being hired.
  • New supervisors: within six months of taking the supervisory position.
  • Seasonal and temporary employees, and anyone hired to work less than six months: within 30 calendar days of hire or 100 hours worked, whichever comes first.

What the training has to cover

The training is about sexual harassment, and it must include practical examples of harassment based on gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation. It must also cover the prevention of abusive conduct.

From January 1, 2028, it must also include anti-hate-speech training. See AB 1803 explained for what that means and how to check whether your current course already covers it.

Does online training count?

Yes. The state regulations allow classroom training, live webinars, and self-paced online courses. For an online course to count, the regulations say it must:

  • be interactive, with questions or exercises, not just a video to watch;
  • be created by a qualified trainer together with an instructional designer;
  • take the employee at least the required time: two hours for supervisors, one hour for others;
  • give employees a way to ask a trainer questions, with an answer within two business days.

The time does not have to be spent in one sitting. An employee can stop and come back, as long as the total adds up.

Records to keep

Keep proof of who was trained, when, and what the training was, for at least two years. Certificates of completion are the usual way. If the Civil Rights Department or a court ever asks, these records are how you show the training happened.

A free option

The California Civil Rights Department publishes its own online training, free of charge: a one-hour course for employees and a two-hour course for supervisors. The law says an employer who has employees take it has met the training requirement. What it does not do is track your roster, remind people, or keep your records in one place, so it works best for very small teams.

Common questions

Which California employers must provide harassment prevention training?
Employers with five or more employees must train every employee in California.
How long does the training have to be?
At least two hours for supervisors and at least one hour for all other employees.
How often does the training have to be repeated?
Once every two years. New employees must be trained within six months of being hired, and new supervisors within six months of taking the supervisory position.
Does online harassment training count in California?
Yes, if it meets the state regulations: it must be interactive, be created by a qualified trainer and an instructional designer, take at least the required time, and give employees a way to ask a trainer questions and get an answer within two business days.

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