New York City Bill to Require Anti-Harassment Training

Businesses with 15 or more employees could be required to conduct training.

May 01, 2018

NEW YORK – If passed, the “Stop Sexual Harassment in NYC Act” could force businesses to conduct annual anti-sexual harassment training for all employees, supervisors and managers. If signed by New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio, it would go into effect on April 1, 2019.

The training must be conducted in businesses that employ more than 15 employees. Within those businesses, employees who work at least 80 hours a year on a full or part-time basis in New York City and within 90 days of initial hire must attend an annual training. The Act outlines a plan for the city’s commission on human rights to create an online interactive training module for business owners.

It isn’t the only thing New York City restaurants would have to comply with. The recently passed New York State budget included obligations for employees to provide anti-sexual harassment training based on a model training program from the state’s labor department and division on human rights.

“We’re extremely supportive of anti-sexual harassment training,” said Andrew Rigie, executive director of the NYC Hospitality Alliance, in an email, “but we now have questions and concerns about how the city and state plan to reconcile the two separate training requirements they’ve each passed.”

Regardless of if the Stop Sexual Harassment in NYC Act is passed, it’s a good idea to take stock of your current harassment policies to ensure you’re complying with existing laws and have a safe working environment for your employees.

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