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(323) 652-9451Last fall, the California Legislature broadened the obligations of employers to provide sexual harassment and abusive conduct prevention training to their workforce. This Bulletin briefly explains these changes.
Expanded Scope for Sexual Harassment Prevention Training
For many years, only California employers with 50 or more employees were required to provide supervisors with sexual harassment and abusive conduct prevention training every 2 years. However, Senate Bill (SB) 1343, signed into law in 2018, changed this requirement in two important ways.
First, SB 1343 now requires employers with just five (5) or more employeesto provide sexual harassment and abusive conduct prevention training every two years.
Second, the law previously required only that supervisorsreceive sexual harassment prevention training. SB 1343 expands this requirement, as well, so that all employees, including seasonal and temporary workers, must receive sexual harassment and abusive conduct prevention training every two years.
What if You Provided Training to Supervisors in 2018?
Many employers reading this may have complied with the then-existing law and provided sexual harassment prevention training to their supervisors in 2018. Common sense would dictate that, at least as to these supervisors, these employers have met their obligation until 2020, right?
WRONG! In its FAQs, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) states that, “[e]mployees who were trained in 2018 or before will need to be retrained.” “Employees” in this context applies to supervisors trained in 2018.
Additional Rules Regarding Sexual Harassment Prevention Training
What Should Employers Do
Employers should take steps to ensure allemployees, including part-time, temporary and seasonal workers, receive the required sexual harassment and abusive conduct prevention training sometime this year. Employers with questions about these changes or needing help finding a sexual harassment and abusive conduct training provider should contact their qualified employment law counsel.
On September 30, 2018, Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law several bills that greatly expand the rights of employees to pursue sexual harassment lawsuits in California. The majority of these laws require immediate attention as they become effective January 1, 2019. This discusses these laws and provides recommendations for how employers can act to avoid liability.
SB 1300 makes numerous changes to existing law with regard to liability for alleged sexual harassment. In serial form, beginning on January 1, 2019, employers will:
• Be prohibited from requiring a release of Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) claims in exchange for a bonus, raise, employment or continued employment;
• Be prohibited from recovering fees and enhanced costs through use of statutory (Cal. Code of Civil Procedure §998) offers to compromise, except where the employer can show (1) the lawsuit was frivolous, unreasonable and/or without merit; or (2) the employee continued to litigate a claim after becoming aware his/her case had no merit;
• Be potentially liable for any kind of unlawful harassment by nonemployees;
• Be potentially liable even where the harassment was a single instance or “stray remark” by a non-decision-maker;
• Be less likely to prevail on a sexual harassment case through a motion for summary judgment.
The statute of limitations refers to the “window” of time following an event within which an alleged victim can bring a civil action. Claims of sexual harassment can include a claim of sexual assault, in which the victim claims he/she was sexually touched without consent, or coerced or forced to engage in a sexual act. AB 1619 expands the limitations period for sexual assault claims to 10 years after the act, or 3 years after the alleged victim discovers the injury, whichever is later.
SB 224 expands the list of professional relationships which can form the basis of a claim for sexual harassment. To the previous list, which included physician, psychotherapist, dentist and real estate agent, the bill adds individuals who present themselves as able to assist one in establishing a business, service or professional relationship. The law specifically identifies lobbyists, elected officials, directors, producers and investors.
Settlements of sexual harassment claims have historically included nondisclosure clauses, preventing the alleged victim from disclosing details about the claim and settlement. SB 820 prohibits provisions that prevent the disclosure of factual information relating to certain claims of sexual assault, sexual harassment, or discrimination based on sex, that are filed in a civil or administrative action.
The bill makes such provisions in a settlement agreement on or after January 1, 2019, void as a matter of law and against public policy. The bill creates a limited exception for a provision that shields the identity of the claimant and facts that could lead to the discovery of his or her identity, if that provision is included in the agreement at the claimant’s request.
Additionally, AB 3109 renders void and unenforceable any clause that prevents a party to a settlement agreement from testifying about alleged criminal conduct or sexual harassment in an administrative, legislative or judicial proceeding.
California law currently requires employers with 50+ employees to provide their supervisors with sexual harassment prevention training every 2 years. Effective January 1, 2020, SB 1343 requires any employer who employs 5 or more employees, including temporary or seasonal employees, to provide at least 2 hours of sexual harassment prevention training to all supervisory employees, and at least 1 hour of such training to all nonsupervisory employees, once every 2 years. The bill also requires the Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) to develop or obtain 1-hour and 2-hour online training courses on the prevention of sexual harassment in the workplace.
Many of these new laws will impact how employment lawyers do their job, and will likely make it more difficult to resolve sexual harassment claims and lawsuits without a trial. However, employers remain primarily responsible and should examine their practices to ensure they maintain a harassment-free workplace.
Consideration should be given to getting a head start on sexual harassment prevention training, including for non-supervisory personnel. Employers with questions about how to reduce their chances of being targeted by a sexual harassment claim should contact their qualified employment law counsel.
