How do you handle training requirements that vary by U.S. state and city?
Important Note: Rethink is not a law firm. We cannot and do not provide legal advice. The information below reflects our current understanding of U.S. state and municipal requirements and does not take into account certain industry-specific requirements (e.g., training for tipped employees in the hospitality space). For legal advice, always consult with your in-house or external legal counsel.
The Challenge: Navigating anti-harassment compliance training is complex, as various U.S. states and municipalities have enacted their own anti-harassment training mandates.
Differences in content, duration minimums, timing requirements (e.g., immediately upon hire, within 30 or 60 days), and recurring training mandates create meaningful compliance variations that complicate training delivery. For organizations with employees scattered across multiple U.S. states, this presents a significant challenge in efficiently managing these diverse requirements without creating training — and deployment — fatigue.
Our Approach: We develop adaptive online learning that intelligently branches based on demographic factors such as work location and management status. This enables a single course to deliver precisely what is required for each employee’s specific situation — whether it’s a 30-minute, 60-minute, 90-minute, or 120-minute module — simplifying administration, reducing operational burdens, and maintaining compliance while minimizing over-training and human error.
U.S. State-by-State Requirements
Who must train?
Training requirements vary both by employer size and location:
- California: Employers with five or more employees
- Chicago: All employers
- Connecticut: Employers with three or more employees (all-employee training); employers with 50 or more employees (supervisor-specific training)
- Delaware: Employers with 50 or more employees
- Illinois: All employers
- Maine: Employers with 15 or more employees
- New York: All employers
- New York City (NYC): Employers with 15 or more employees
How often must employees receive training?
Required training intervals vary by jurisdiction:
- Annually: Chicago, Illinois, New York, and NYC
- Every Two Years: California and Delaware
- Every 10 Years: Connecticut
- Once (with encouragement for updates): Maine (with annual notification obligations)
How long must the training be?
Minimum training lengths differ across locations:
- California: Two hours for supervisors; one hour for non-supervisors
- Chicago: Two hours for employees (one hour harassment + one hour bystander intervention); three hours for supervisors (two hours harassment + one hour bystander intervention)
- Connecticut: Two hours
- Delaware, Illinois, Maine, New York, and NYC: No minimum length specified
What about training content requirements?
While specific content requirements vary by jurisdiction, U.S. states and municipalities with anti-harassment training mandates typically require coverage of:
- Federal and state/local statutory prohibitions against sexual harassment
- Definitions and examples of harassment
- Internal and external complaint processes and available remedies
- Anti-retaliation protections
- Supervisor responsibilities (where applicable)
- Bystander intervention (particularly in Chicago and NYC)
California stands out with unique requirements, including specific content on prevention of abusive conduct and prohibition of harassment based on gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation, along with practical examples throughout the training.
Our Solution
Rethink's anti-harassment training library is designed to address these complexities with:
- Adaptive Online Training: Our courses deliver precisely what each employee needs, tailored to their location and management status, with options ranging from 30 to 120 minutes of training.
- State- and City-Specific Compliance: We incorporate all required content elements for each jurisdiction while maintaining engaging, relatable scenarios that resonate with learners.
- Thoughtful Content Design: Our training features progressive scenarios, media-rich experiences, and custom explainer videos that keep learners engaged throughout even the longest required sessions.
- Flexible Customization: We can tailor training elements to align with your organization's specific policies and culture while meeting all legal requirements.
- Current with Federal Requirements: Our content balances state and city mandates with federal directives, using carefully calibrated language that respects both obligations.
Moving Forward with Confidence
Whether you're managing compliance training across multiple jurisdictions or addressing the requirements of a single state, Rethink's comprehensive training library provides the tools you need. Our approach simplifies administration, reduces operational burdens, and maintains compliance while delivering an engaging learning experience that genuinely benefits your workforce.
Ready to discover how our anti-harassment training solutions can address your organization's unique needs? Contact us today to learn more about our comprehensive, compliant, and engaging training library.
