Creating a safe and respectful workplace doesn’t happen by chance—it starts with understanding your legal obligations. If your company operates in Washington, it’s essential to understand Washington State harassment training requirements to stay compliant and build a respectful workplace. Washington’s approach to workplace harassment prevention is more targeted than some other states—focusing specifically on certain industries and employment relationships—but all employers should understand the expectations and best practices.
Washington’s Current Sexual Harassment Training Mandates
Unlike California, Illinois, or New York, Washington State doesn’t have a universal harassment training law that applies to all private employers. However, there are important exceptions:
1. Mandatory Training in Specific Industries
Washington requires mandatory sexual harassment training for employees in the hotel, motel, retail, property services, and security industries under RCW 49.60.515, part of the 2018 Hospitality Industry Workplace Harassment Law.
Employers in these industries must:
- Adopt a sexual harassment policy.
- Provide mandatory training to employees and managers.
- Offer a reporting process.
- Provide protection from retaliation.
This law was designed to protect workers in high-risk industries, particularly women and low-wage workers, from sexual harassment on the job.
2. Best Practices for All Employers
Even if your business falls outside these regulated industries, it’s considered a best practice to implement anti-harassment training and establish clear policies. Following EEOC guidance and aligning with Washington employment laws can help mitigate risk, especially in light of increasing awareness around workplace misconduct.
What Should Washington Harassment Training Include?
Whether you’re mandated or proactive, sexual harassment training in Washington should include:
- A definition of sexual harassment and examples of inappropriate behavior.
- Clear guidance on how to report misconduct.
- Roles and responsibilities of managers and HR.
- Anti-retaliation protections.
- Company-specific reporting procedures.
For regulated industries, training must be provided within 90 days of hire and refreshed at least annually.
Remote and Hybrid Work Considerations
With the rise of hybrid and remote teams, harassment doesn’t just happen in break rooms—it can happen in emails, chat channels, and virtual meetings. That’s why online harassment training is a valuable tool for maintaining workplace standards and compliance, even when your team is distributed.
How Emtrain Helps Washington Employers Stay Compliant
Emtrain offers compliance training solutions tailored to meet your industry’s unique legal obligations, including Washington’s specific mandates. Our anti-harassment courses go beyond legal checklists—they use real-world scenarios and embedded pulse surveys to help you track your organization’s cultural health and risks in real-time.
Plus, our platform makes it easy to:
- Deliver training on any device.
- Track employee completion and comprehension.
- Support a culture of respect and inclusion.
Final Thoughts
Understanding Washington State harassment training requirements is more than a legal necessity—it’s a strategic investment in workplace culture. Whether you’re in a regulated industry or not, implementing regular and effective harassment training shows your commitment to your employees’ safety and dignity.
