California Sexual Harassment Prevention Training

California has the lowest employee threshold and the broadest reach of any harassment training mandate in the country. If you employ five or more people, you are covered, and the count includes part-time, temporary, and seasonal workers, employees based outside California, and independent contractors.

The requirement sits in California Government Code section 12950.1, built up over two decades: AB 1825 in 2005 created the supervisor mandate, AB 2053 added abusive conduct and workplace bullying, SB 396 added harassment based on gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation, and SB 1343 dropped the threshold from fifty employees to five and extended training to everyone. SB 778 pushed the compliance deadline to January 1, 2021.

California in practice

The state capital is Sacramento, but the workforce is concentrated in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, and Fresno. California is the largest wine producer in the United States by a wide margin, with Napa, Sonoma, Paso Robles, Lodi, and the Central Valley anchoring the industry, and it has one of the densest restaurant, bar, and tasting-room workforces anywhere.

That matters for the five-employee threshold. A single tasting room, a neighbourhood bottle shop, or a two-location restaurant group almost always clears it. Most California operators are covered whether or not they realise it.

What the law requires for non-supervisory employees

• One hour of training, every two years

• New employees within six months of hire

• Seasonal and temporary staff, or anyone hired for under six months, within 30 calendar days of their start date or within 100 hours worked, whichever is sooner

• Employees must also receive a copy of the employer harassment prevention policy

The training must be effective interactive training, which is a defined term rather than a description. Watching a video without participation does not satisfy it. Online training qualifies, and California specifically requires that employees be able to ask questions and receive an answer from a qualified trainer within two business days.

What has to be covered

The California Civil Rights Department, formerly the DFEH, sets the content standard. Training must address the definition of sexual harassment under FEHA and Title VII, the types of conduct that constitute harassment, remedies available to victims, the prohibition on retaliation, abusive conduct and bullying under AB 2053, and harassment based on gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation under SB 396. It must use practical examples drawn from case law, news accounts, or realistic workplace scenarios rather than abstract definitions.

The two-year cycle catches people out

California runs on a biennial cycle, not an annual one. Train in 2024 and you are due again in 2026. That is easier to lose track of than an annual requirement, because there is no yearly rhythm to hang it on, and the clock runs per employee rather than per company.

Tracking it across a roster

The hard part is not the hour. It is that every employee sits on their own two-year clock, new hires have a six-month window, and seasonal staff have a 30-day one. A company account lets you assign training at onboarding, see who is due, and pull completion records by name and date if the CRD or a plaintiff ever asks.

California sexual harassment training FAQ

Is sexual harassment training required in California?

Yes, for employers with five or more employees. Non-supervisory employees need one hour every two years and supervisors need two hours.

Who counts toward the five-employee threshold?

Full-time, part-time, temporary, and seasonal workers, employees located outside California, and independent contractors all count toward the threshold. Contractors count even though you are not required to train them.

How often is training required?

Every two years, and within six months for new hires. Seasonal or temporary employees hired for less than six months must be trained within 30 calendar days or 100 hours worked, whichever comes first.

Does online training satisfy California law?

Yes, provided it is effective interactive training and employees can submit questions and receive answers from a qualified trainer within two business days.

Do supervisors take a different course?

Yes. Supervisors need two hours covering additional content on responding to complaints and their own legal responsibilities.

Harassment training in other states

Requirements differ sharply by state on duration, frequency, and headcount thresholds, so take the version for the state you operate in: Colorado, Connecticut, Washington, and more in the full compliance catalog. California supervisors need a separate two-hour course: see AB 1825 and SB 396 supervisor training. If your state sets no mandate, the general non-state-specific course covers the federal baseline. Track completion across a roster from the Learn Brands dashboard.

Buying for a team?

Seats are $18.99 each. Register your business free and assign seats across your whole staff. You can see who has started, who has finished, and when certificates expire from the Learn Brands dashboard.