Required Updates to Company Harassment, Discrimination, and Retaliation Prevention Policies
Effective April 1, 2016, California employers will be required to meet revised Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) regulations on harassment, discrimination, and retaliation.The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) released amended regulations, which impose a duty on all applicable employers “to take reasonable steps to prevent and promptly correct discriminatory and harassing conduct.” The regulations will continue to require the distribution of the DFEH sexual harassment brochure, and will add stricter guidelines on the employer requirement to have written policies and procedures in place to prevent harassment and discrimination. The amendments also allow DFEH to seek non-monetary, preventative remedies for failing to take reasonable steps to prevent harassment, discrimination, or retaliation.
These regulations will require employers to develop and distribute policies compliant with the amendments to employees in English and any additional languages spoken by at least 10% of their population. It is recommended that employees review their current harassment and discrimination policies for compliance prior to the April 1 requirement.
Click here to access the full text of the amendments.
