Sexual harassment Training – IL requirement

Illinois and Chicago have specific requirements for sexual harassment prevention training:

Illinois State Requirements:

• All employers in Illinois must provide annual sexual harassment prevention training to all employees.
• The training must cover:
  • Explanation of sexual harassment under Illinois law
  • Examples of unlawful sexual harassment
  • Summary of relevant federal and state statutes
  • Summary of employer responsibilities
• Restaurants and bars must provide additional supplemental training.

Chicago Requirements:

• Chicago has additional requirements beyond the state mandates:
  • Annual training must include:
    • 1 hour of sexual harassment prevention for all employees
    • 2 hours for supervisors/managers
    • 1 hour of bystander intervention training for all employees
  • The initial training deadline was July 1, 2023, with annual training required thereafter.
  • Applies to all employers with employees working in Chicago, even occasionally or remotely.

Key Points:

• Training is required for all employees, including part-time, short-term, and interns.
• New employees should be trained as soon as possible after hire.
• Employers can develop their own compliant training or use state-provided model training.
• Failure to comply can result in fines and penalties.

Employers should ensure their training programs meet or exceed these minimum standards to be in compliance with both Illinois state and Chicago city requirements.