Question: Our employees are required to attend sexual harassment prevention training. Do we need to pay for their time at training?
Answer: If an employer requires attendance at a training, then it generally must be paid. While this training may often be directed because of a state law, it is ultimately an employer-directed activity.
Department of Labor guidance is that trainings and work events can only be non-work time (unpaid under the Fair Labor Standards Act) if all four of the following criteria are met:
Given these criteria, nearly all harassment prevention training will be paid time.
If possible, we recommend that you offer sexual harassment prevention training during regular working hours so that you can easily track and pay for the time. Providing the training during the workday also sends the message that you value the training and are serious about preventing harassment in the workplace.
Watch an on-demand webinar on the latest in state sexual harassment laws. ThinkHR customers can download a chart explaining sexual harassment prevention laws for each state that imposes them from Comply. Compliant training courses are also available.