With summer coming to an end, now is a good time for employers and HR Departments to review training requirements and plan accordingly. Below are some helpful tips.
Workplace Violence Prevention Plan: Most California employers needed a written workplace violence prevention plan (WVPP) as of July 1, 2024. Every employee covered by the WVPP — including supervisors and managers — must receive training at least annually, when the WVPP is first established, when new employees are assigned, and when new workplace violence hazards are identified.
Indoor and Outdoor Heat Requirements: Both require written Heat Illness Prevention Plan (HIPP) specific to each worksite. Training is mandated for both workers and supervisors. This is required for all indoor work areas where temperature equals or exceeds 82 degrees Fahrenheit when employees are present. Does NOT apply to teleworking employees. The basic test of training is its effectiveness. Cal/OSHA evaluates compliance by examining both content and how it is presented.
AB 1803: Anti-Hate Speech Training in Workplace Harassment Programs: Would require employers with five or more employees to include anti-hate speech training as part of their existing sexual harassment and abusive conduct prevention programs. Under existing law, employers with five or more employees must provide at least two hours of training to supervisory employees and at least one hour to non-supervisory employees, once every two years. AB 1803 would not create a standalone, separate anti-hate speech training obligation; it would add anti-hate speech as another component woven into that existing training framework, alongside the current requirements covering abusive conduct, gender identity, and sexual orientation. AB 1803 does not define “hate speech.”
Take Away: If enacted, update training curricula to include anti-hate speech content, ensure trainers are qualified to address hate-related harassment, maintain records of training compliance, and assess whether current programs meet the expanded requirements. If it passes, it is effective January 2028 so employers can make adjustments i.e., update harassment training and prevention materials accordingly. Bill Text – AB-1803 Employment: sexual harassment training and education: anti-hate speech training.
This is the first of three posts where we will flag bills to watch as we head into 2027.