Illinois Employer’s Annual Sexual Harassment Training Requirement
Illinois’ Governor J.B. Pritzker signed into law a requirement for sexual harassment prevention training for all employees for companies in Illinois. Here are answers to common questions about this new Illinois law.
When does the requirement go into effect? Now but enforcement will begin January 1, 2021, which just means all Illinois companies must show they are training their employees annually on how to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace by the end of this year. Training employees by December 31, 2020, meets your Jan. 1, 2021 deadline. Effective January 1, 2020, all employers must train all employees in Illinois each year. The first deadline is January 1, 2021.
What topics will the annual Illinois required sexual harassment training program include?
- An explanation of sexual harassment
- Examples of conduct that constitutes unlawful sexual harassment
- A summary of federal and state statutory provisions, including remedies available to victims of sexual harassment
- A summary of the responsibilities of employers for prevention, investigation, and corrective measures of sexual harassment.
What happens if an Illinois employer for some reason does not provide this annual sexual harassment prevention training to their employees?
Employers who do not provide compliant training will be subject to civil penalties, including a $500 penalty to businesses with less than 4 employees, or a $1,000 penalty to those with 4 or more employees. Penalties for subsequent violations can rise to $5,000 per violation.
Illinois employers can find sexual harassment prevention training through Caregiverlist’s Learning Management System, specializing in easy-to-understand training for employees with a modern tracking system for employers. Call: 312-669-8820