Sexual Harassment Training Requirements by State (2026)
No federal law requires private employers to provide harassment prevention training, but several states and cities do. Here is who must train, how long, and how often in each one, with a link to the law behind every rule.
States and cities that require harassment training
| State or city | Who is covered | Length | How often |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 5+ employees | 2 hrs supervisors, 1 hr others | Every 2 years |
| New York State | All employers | No set length | Every year |
| New York City | 15+ employees | No set length | Every year |
| Illinois | All employers | No set length | At least once a year |
| Chicago | All employers | 1 hr (2 hrs supervisors) + 1 hr bystander | Every year |
| Connecticut | 3+ employees (supervisors at any size) | 2 hours | Within 6 months of hire |
| Delaware | 50+ employees | No set length | Every 2 years |
| Maine | 15+ employees | No set length | Once, within 1 year of hire |
| Washington | Certain hotel, retail, security and janitorial employers | No set length | Required for covered employers |
Select a state for the full requirements and the law behind them. This page covers private employers only.
California
- Who is covered
- Employers with 5 or more employees
- Who must be trained
- All supervisors and non-supervisory employees, including seasonal, temporary and short-term workers
- Length
- At least 2 hours for supervisors and at least 1 hour for everyone else
- How often
- Once every 2 years
- New hires
- Within 6 months of hire or of becoming a supervisor. Seasonal and temporary workers hired for under 6 months must be trained within 30 calendar days or 100 hours worked, whichever comes first.
- What it must cover
- Interactive training on sexual harassment, abusive conduct, and harassment based on gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation, plus federal and state law, remedies, practical examples and retaliation
- State-provided training
- The law requires the California Civil Rights Department to offer two online training courses.
Law: California Government Code §12950.1
Last verified against the law text: September 30, 2026
New York State
- Who is covered
- All employers, regardless of size
- Who must be trained
- All employees
- Length
- The law does not set a minimum length.
- How often
- At least once a year
- What it must cover
- Training must be interactive. It must explain sexual harassment with examples, cover federal and state law and remedies, employee rights, and supervisor responsibilities.
- Language
- Employers must give employees the required notice in English and in each employee’s primary language when the state provides a template in that language.
- State-provided training
- The law requires the state to publish a model training program.
Law: New York Labor Law §201-g
Last verified against the law text: September 30, 2026
New York City
- Who is covered
- Employers with 15 or more employees
- Who must be trained
- All employees working in New York City, including supervisors, managers and interns
- Length
- The law does not set a minimum length.
- How often
- At least once a year
- New hires
- After 90 days of employment, for employees who work more than 80 hours in a calendar year
- Records
- Keep a record of all trainings, including a signed employee acknowledgment, for at least 3 years
- City-provided training
- The law requires the NYC Commission on Human Rights to offer a free online training module.
- Also note
- New York City employers must also meet the New York State requirements.
Law: NYC Administrative Code §8-107(30)
Last verified against the law text: September 30, 2026
Illinois
- Who is covered
- Every employer with employees working in Illinois
- Who must be trained
- All employees
- Length
- The law does not set a minimum length.
- How often
- At least once a year
- What it must cover
- What sexual harassment is under Illinois and federal law, examples of unlawful conduct, federal and state laws and remedies, and employer responsibilities
- Restaurants and bars
- Restaurants and bars must also provide supplemental training specific to their industry and give employees a written policy within their first calendar week.
- State-provided training
- The law requires the Illinois Department of Human Rights to offer a model training program online at no cost.
Law: 775 ILCS 5/2-109 · 775 ILCS 5/2-110 (restaurants and bars)
Last verified against the law text: September 30, 2026
Chicago
- Who is covered
- All employers with employees working in Chicago, regardless of size
- Length
- 1 hour of sexual harassment prevention training (2 hours for supervisors and managers), plus 1 hour of bystander training
- How often
- Every year
- Written policy
- Employers must have a written policy that states the annual training requirement and give it to employees in their primary language within their first calendar week.
- Records
- Keep training records for at least 5 years, or longer while a claim is pending
- Penalties
- Fines of $500 to $1,000 per offense. Each day a violation continues counts as a separate offense.
- Model training
- Employers may use the State of Illinois model training for the annual sexual harassment training.
- Also note
- Chicago employers must also meet the Illinois state requirements.
Law: Chicago Municipal Code §6-10-040
Last verified against the law text: September 30, 2026
Connecticut
- Who is covered
- Employers with 3 or more employees must train all employees. Employers of any size must train supervisors.
- Length
- 2 hours
- New hires
- Within 6 months of hire. Employers with fewer than 3 employees must train new supervisors within 6 months of their becoming a supervisor.
- Refresher
- Supplemental training at least every 10 years
- What it must cover
- Federal and state law on sexual harassment and the remedies available to victims
- State-provided training
- The law refers to a no-cost online training provided by the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities.
Law: Connecticut General Statutes §46a-54(15)
Last verified against the law text: September 30, 2026
Delaware
- Who is covered
- Employers with 50 or more employees in Delaware
- Who must be trained
- All employees, except applicants, independent contractors and people employed for less than 6 continuous months. Supervisors need additional training.
- Length
- The law does not set a minimum length.
- How often
- Every 2 years
- New hires
- Within 1 year of hire or of becoming a supervisor
- What it must cover
- Interactive training on the illegality of sexual harassment, its definition with examples, legal remedies and the complaint process, Department of Labor contact information, and the ban on retaliation
Law: Delaware Code, Title 19 §711A
Last verified against the law text: September 30, 2026
Maine
- Who is covered
- Employers with 15 or more employees
- Who must be trained
- All new employees. Supervisors and managers need additional training.
- Length
- The law does not set a minimum length.
- How often
- Once, within 1 year of hire. The law does not require a refresher.
- What it must cover
- The definition and illegality of sexual harassment, federal law, examples, the internal complaint process, the Maine Human Rights Commission process, and the ban on retaliation
- Records
- Keep training records for at least 3 years
Law: Maine Revised Statutes, Title 26 §807
Last verified against the law text: September 30, 2026
Washington
- Who is covered
- Hotels, motels, retail businesses, security guard companies and property services contractors that employ at least one isolated employee, as the law defines it (for example, a janitor, security guard or housekeeper who often works alone)
- Who must be trained
- Managers, supervisors and isolated employees
- What it must cover
- Preventing sexual assault, harassment and discrimination, protections for reporting, and how to use and respond to the panic buttons these employers must provide
- Recent change
- Under a 2025 amendment effective January 1, 2026, the Department of Labor & Industries may order a civil penalty of $1,000 for each willful violation, and $2,000 to $10,000 for each repeat willful violation.
Law: Revised Code of Washington §49.60.515
Last verified against the law text: September 30, 2026
States that encourage training but do not require it
- Massachusetts: Training is encouraged within 1 year of hire, with additional training for supervisors. A written harassment policy is required. Law: Mass. General Laws ch. 151B §3A. Last verified September 30, 2026.
- Vermont: Annual training is encouraged. After an inspection, the state can require annual training for up to 3 years. Law: 21 V.S.A. §495h. Last verified September 30, 2026.
- Rhode Island: Training is encouraged within 1 year of hire. Law: R.I. General Laws §28-51-2. Last verified September 30, 2026.
Other states may have rules for public employers or specific industries that are not covered here. We list a state only after checking its rules against the law itself.
Need training that fits your state’s rules?
Catapult delivers live harassment prevention training on-site or online: a 1-hour session for employees and a 2-hour session for managers and supervisors. Your advisor confirms the current rules for each of your locations before the session.
See harassment prevention trainingFrequently asked questions
Which states require sexual harassment training?
California, New York, Illinois, Connecticut, Delaware and Maine require it for private employers that meet their size thresholds. New York City and Chicago have their own requirements on top of their state’s. Washington requires it only for certain hotel, motel, retail, security and property services employers.
Does federal law require harassment training?
No federal law requires private employers to provide harassment training. Training can still help an employer show it took reasonable care to prevent harassment, which matters if a claim is filed.
Do the rules apply to remote employees?
Often, yes. Several states tie the requirement to where the employee works rather than where the employer is based. For example, Illinois covers anyone who works or will work in Illinois, and New York covers employees who work part of their time in the state. Check the rules for each place your employees work.