On April 23, 2007 the California Fair Employment and Housing Commission (FEHC) adopted the most recent draft of regulations governing AB 1825, California's mandatory sexual harassment training law. The final regulations were approved by the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) on July 18, 2007, and the regulations will become effective 30 days thereafter. Generally, employers with 50 or more employees or contractors are required to provide to all supervisors located in California with two hours of interactive sexual harassment training once every two years. The regulations clarify key details about the development, content, interactivity, and delivery of the training. The regulations can be found on the FEHC's website.

Maintaining Compliance: Is it enough?

In the wake of the passage of California's AB 1825 legislation, many organizations have been scrambling to implement training to check the box on this requirement. While complying with the law is vital, in many cases the training does little to make a sustained difference in the workplace. To reduce instances of harassment and the associated distractions and risks, employers need to focus on changing day-to-day workplace behavior and giving managers skills to recognize and address problems promptly and effectively. Furthermore, providing training only to those in states that mandate it may send a message to employees in other locations that the organization isn't really serious about addressing harassment and other inappropriate behaviors. The rush to comply with legal regulations may ultimately cloud an organization's overarching goals.

By taking a deliberate approach to goal setting, you can identify desired outcomes, link them to strategic business objectives, and establish the business rationale for implementing a solution that addresses compliance requirements in the context of broader organizational objectives. Consider the following steps when implementing an initiative to address workplace compliance and cultural issues:

• Goal Setting
• Planning
• Gaining Buy-In Across Functional Boundaries
• Positioning and Publicizing
• Rollout
• Follow-up and Reinforcement

About ELI®

Founded in 1986, ELI is a training company that teaches professional workplace conduct, helping clients translate their values into behaviors, increase employee contribution, build respectful and inclusive cultures, and reduce legal and ethical risk. Founder Stephen M. Paskoff, Esq., a nationally recognized author and speaker, is co-chair of the ABA's Compliance Training and Communication subcommittee. A former trial attorney for the EEOC and partner in a management law firm, he is a member of the Georgia and Pennsylvania bars.

ELI's CT Impact: Managing a Harassment-Free Workplace:

• Helps organizations address state mandatory training requirements and
• Gives managers practical skills they can readily apply to prevent, detect, and address harassing conduct