Guidance for Implementing Sexual Harassment Training at Your Library
**Please provide all staff, trustees, and volunteers with a copy of your Sexual Harassment Prevention Policy and Complaint form. **
New York State requires to provide annual sexual harassment prevention training. Training must be completed by all library staff, trustees, and volunteers. If training was received elsewhere, the person may complete an attestation form.
The video, which may be watched via YouTube or downloaded, meets all state minimum training requirements except one: the video alone is NOT considered interactive.
Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Video: https://youtu.be/A9gudpiQ40M
If you are using this video to meet the training requirements, you must also: ask questions of employees as part of the program; accommodate questions asked by employees, with answers provided in a timely manner; or require feedback from employees about the training and the materials presented.
This can all be done by using the fillable PDF Answer Sheet attached to this email. Employees are able to record their answers directly on the PDF, or print a copy and record answers by hand. Employees should return their answer sheets to the Library Director/Manager upon completion of the training and retain a copy for their records.
There is space at the bottom of the answer sheet for employees to include any questions they have while watching the training video, including those specific to their industry, questions about the company’s reporting process and questions about how hypothetical cases would be handled.
Minimum Training Standards Checklist
The sexual harassment training must:
- be interactive
- include an explanation of sexual harassment consistent with guidance issued by the Department of Labor in consultation with the Division of Human Rights
- include examples of conduct that would constitute unlawful sexual harassment
- include information concerning the federal and state statutory provisions concerning sexual harassment and remedies available to victims of sexual harassment
- include information concerning employees’ rights of redress and all available forums for adjudicating complaints
- include information addressing conduct by supervisors and any additional responsibilities for such supervisors