California law requires employers with five or more employees, including seasonal and temporary staff, to provide compliant training on sexual harassment prevention. Employers in the nonprofit sector are not exempt from California’s sexual harassment prevention training requirements under Government Code §12950.1.
More specifically, for employers to remain compliant with the law:
- Supervisory employers must receive two hours of sexual harassment prevention training every two years.
- All other employers must receive one hour of training every two years.
- New hires must complete their training within six months of their start date.
Training must cover:
- Federal and State prohibitions against sexual harassment.
- Prevention and correction of sexual harassment and abusive conduct.
- Recognition of protected classes.
- Remedies available to victims.
Charities often face cyclical hiring needs, such as during summer camps, recreational programs, or festival seasons. Even if an organization employs five or more individuals only part of the year, it is still required to provide legally compliant training within the specified timeframes. While many charities depend on volunteers, any paid staff must still receive proper training. Maintaining compliance helps safeguard your organization’s team, supports its mission, and protects its reputation.
Our firm focuses on the unique legal and operational realities of charitable and nonprofit organizations. We understand how claims of harassment can arise in mission-driven environments with complex governance structures involving employees, volunteers, clergy, and minors, and the impact these claims can have on public trust, donor relationships, and governance. Through proactive, legally sound training and policies that account for the complexities of the nonprofit sector, we can help protect your organization’s most valuable asset: its mission integrity.
We design training and policies that reflect each organization’s culture and operational needs, recognizing that harassment prevention is not a one-size-fits-all. The California Center for Nonprofit Law offers a two-hour, attorney-led sexual harassment prevention training tailored for charitable and nonprofit organizations for $1,000. The program satisfies California’s statutory requirements under Government Code §12950.1 and can be customized to include your organization’s unique policies and risk areas.
Don’t wait until compliance becomes a problem. Contact our office today to schedule your training or to learn how we can help ensure your charity or nonprofit organization remains fully compliant and protected.
