Description
On May 13, 2019, Washington state enacted SB 5258, a new law regarding sexual harassment training in certain industries. The law takes effect January 1, 2020 and applies to employers in retail, the hotel, motel, security and property services contractor industries that employ at least one person.
New Policy and Training Requirements
Covered employers must:
- Adopt a harassment policy;
- Provide mandatory training to managers, supervisors and employees;
- Provide a list of resources for the employees to utilize, including the contact information of the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the state human rights commission, and local advocacy groups that focus on preventing sexual harassment and sexual assault; and
- Provide a panic button to each employee. A panic button is an emergency contact device that the employee carries, which can summon immediate assistance from another worker, security guard, or employer representative. This requirement does not apply to contracted security guard companies licensed under state law.
