In brief
A California employer with five or more employees must give supervisors at least 2 hours and non-supervisory employees at least 1 hour of harassment prevention training, every two years, within six months of hire or of becoming a supervisor. The Civil Rights Department (CRD) offers free online courses that satisfy the requirement.
- Supervisors: at least 2 hours; non-supervisory employees: at least 1 hour; repeated once every two years12.
- Timing: non-supervisory employees within six months of hire, and a new supervisor within six months of taking the role1.
- Seasonal, temporary and other workers hired for less than six months: within 30 calendar days of hire or after 100 hours worked, whichever comes first1.
- Format: classroom, interactive e-learning or a live webinar all count, and the CRD’s free course is available in English, Spanish, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese and Tagalog234.
- The harassment ban itself has no size minimum: it applies “even those with only one employee or independent contractor on staff”2.
This page explains how the paperwork and process work. It is not legal, tax or HR advice, and this site is not a law firm.
The detail
California Government Code section 12950.1 requires harassment prevention training once an employer reaches five employees. This page covers who is counted, how long each course must be, the deadlines, the free course the CRD offers and what the course gives the employer afterward. The step-by-step sequence for a new employer is in hiring your first employee in California, and where the five-employee line sits among the other headcount rules is on which employment laws apply at 1, 5, 15, 20 and 50 employees.
The short answer
| If you need… | The rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| To know who must train | Employers with five or more employees, including an employer that regularly receives services from five or more contracted workers | 1 |
| Hours | Supervisors at least 2 hours; non-supervisory employees at least 1 hour | 12 |
| Frequency | Every two years | 12 |
| First deadline | Within six months of hire (non-supervisory) or of taking a supervisory role | 1 |
| Short-term workers | Within 30 calendar days of hire or after 100 hours worked, whichever comes first | 1 |
| A free course | The CRD’s online courses, one hour non-supervisory and two hours supervisory | 13 |
Who must train, and how the five are counted
The statute applies to “employers with five or more employees,” and the text recorded from California Government Code section 12950.1 extends the count to employers that regularly receive services from five or more contracted workers1. The CRD’s employment page confirms the five-employee threshold2. The CRD pages do not state how many days or pay periods the count covers; the statute is the authority on the counting language1.
Harassment is prohibited at any size. The CRD’s page says the ban applies “even those with only one employee or independent contractor on staff”2. Only the training duty begins at five.
How long, how often and by when
The free course
Section 12950.1 provides that the CRD’s free online courses, one hour for non-supervisory employees and two hours for supervisors, satisfy the employer’s training obligation1. The CRD’s training page offers a non-supervisory and a supervisory course in English, Spanish, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese and Tagalog34. The CRD says training can also be classroom, interactive e-learning or a live webinar2.
The CRD’s page says the course asks for information so it can generate a certificate of completion, and tells the person taking it to ask their employer how the employer wants to receive the certificate. The CRD cannot email a replacement certificate. The page also says the courses may not be loaded into a third-party system such as an employer’s own e-learning platform3.
Good to know The CRD’s employment page states that the CRD accepts complaints for non-compliance with the training requirement, and section 12950.1 says the CRD may seek a court order requiring compliance12.
Records
The CRD pages do not state how long an employer must keep training records. The course certificate described above is the document the CRD’s own course produces3. For the written plans that sit alongside training, see the injury and illness prevention program and workplace violence plan.
When to get help
The CRD is the agency that enforces this requirement and publishes the free course; its training page and employment page are the first stop for questions about content, languages and certificates23. The statute, Government Code section 12950.1, is the authority on how contracted workers are counted and when short-term workers must be trained1. A paid route, such as an HR service or an employment attorney, can review a headcount near five, because the statute counts contracted workers. The training duty is separate from the harassment ban, which applies to employers of every size2.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does an employer with fewer than five employees have to train?
How many hours is California harassment prevention training?
When must a new employee be trained?
Within six months of hire for a non-supervisory employee, and within six months of taking the role for a new supervisor. Seasonal and temporary workers hired for less than six months must be trained within 30 calendar days of hire or after 100 hours worked, whichever comes first1.
Is there a free harassment prevention course in California?
Does the training have to be online?
No. The CRD says training can be classroom, interactive e-learning or a live webinar2.
Who enforces the requirement?
Related Articles
Sources (4)
- California Government Code section 12950.1 — California Codes (public mirror of the statute). Accessed 2026-10-13.
- Employment — California Civil Rights Department. Accessed 2026-10-13.
- Sexual Harassment Prevention Training — California Civil Rights Department. Accessed 2026-10-13.
- Civil Rights Department Reminds Employers and Employees to Complete Sexual Harassment Prevention Training — California Civil Rights Department, December 17, 2025. Accessed 2026-10-13.