Course: Sexual Harassment Prevention for Supervisors and Managers in California

Course Summary:

UPDATED FOR 2023! Sexual harassment law is designed to provide employees with peace of mind, knowing that they are protected in the workplace. But harassment law also provides peace of mind for employers, who can be held liable for the actions of their employees. California Assembly Bill 1825 (AB 1825) was signed into law in December 2004. This law is designed to provide employees throughout the state with peace of mind, knowing that they are protected. The state of California takes the issue of sexual harassment seriously. The law requires employers in the state of California who have 50 or more employees to provide sexual harassment training for all managers and supervisors, update the training at a minimum of every two years, and ensure that new managers and supervisors receive their training within six months of being hired or promoted. AB 1825 exceeds the standards of related federal laws. This course has been designed to meet the requirements of AB 1825, including the regulations written by the California Fair Employment and Housing Commission that went into effect in August 2007. In addition, this course covers California Assembly Bill 2053 (AB 2053), which took effect Jan. 1, 2015. This law requires employers subject to harassment law to include prevention of abusive conduct as a component of the training and education. This course also covers SB 396, effective Jan. 1, 2018, which expanded required training to include information about gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation. This course is 2 hours.

Learning Objectives:

  • Understand the purpose and benefits of AB 1825, AB 2053, and SB 396
  • Know how federal and state laws and court cases have influenced sexual harassment mandates
  • Identify the types of behavior that can be perceived as harassment
  • Define the criteria for harassment in a court of law
  • Learn the categories of sexual harassment
  • Use real-life scenarios to discern actual sexual harassment situations
  • Know your role as a manager in sexual harassment scenarios
  • Understand how a zero-tolerance policy is effective in the workplace
  • Conduct a proper harassment investigation
  • Define ethics
  • Learn about federal reforms aimed at ethics
  • Understand the importance of having an ethical code
  • Understand the meaning of diversity
  • Know about diversity principles in the church workplace
  • Recognize the challenges of a diverse workplace
  • Define abusive conduct
  • Learn how to prevent abusive conduct and bullying behavior in the church workplace

Key Topics Include:

  • Module 1: Introduction
  • Module 2: Defining Sexual Harassment and Relevant Legal Precedent. In this module, you will be briefed on the history of federal and state laws governing harassment, as well as some of the important cases that have interpreted these laws. You will learn about the importance of a written harassment policy, the types of behavior that can be considered harassment, the two primary types of sexual harassment, the role perception plays in determining if harassment has taken place, and the people who can file a sexual harassment claim.
  • Module 3: Abusive Conduct. This module introduces you to California Assembly Bill 2053 (AB 2053), which took effect Jan. 1, 2015, and requires training on the prevention of abusive conduct in the workplace.
  • Module 4: Sexual Harassment Claims and Investigations. This module provides details on what supervisors and managers should do if they observe harassing behavior, as well as what to do if an employee reports a sexual harassment incident. You also will learn how to conduct an effective sexual harassment investigation, and how to become and be identified as a role model for your staff. In addition, you will learn what the consequences can be for mishandling harassment situations. You will also learn best practices and strategies for your organization.
  • Module 5: Discrimination and Diversity. AB 1825 recommends that businesses address other types of discrimination (race, religion, national origin, etc.) prohibited by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This module also examines the distinctions between the meanings of discrimination and diversity.
  • Module 6: Ethics and Ethical Behavior. AB 1825 recommends that all companies provide training for employees on the importance of ethical behavior in the workplace. This module discusses codes of conduct, as well as guidance for situations where the right answer isn’t always clear-cut.
  • Module 7: Conclusion

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