Blog · HR Outsourcing
California Employee Handbook Requirements: Harassment Training in 2026
California requires a written anti-harassment framework backed by mandatory training: employers with 5 or more employees must give 2 hours to supervisors and 1 hour to nonsupervisory staff every 2 years. The other policy every handbook needs is the new annual Workplace Know Your Rights notice starting February 1, 2026.
California is the one state on this list where the harassment section of the handbook is not optional wording, it is a training program with a statute behind it. Combine that with a new annual notice starting in 2026 and a wage and hour structure with more moving parts than any other state here, and a template built for a federal-baseline state is guaranteed to fall short.
Harassment training is mandatory, not just policy language
Gov. Code section 12950.1 requires employers with 5 or more employees to give at least 2 hours of interactive sexual harassment training to supervisors and 1 hour to nonsupervisory employees, repeated once every 2 years. New hires must be trained within 6 months of hire and new supervisors within 6 months of taking the role. The CRD notice CRD-E07P, stating that California law prohibits workplace discrimination and harassment, is a required posting for every employer regardless of size.
A new annual notice starts February 1, 2026
Beginning February 1, 2026 and every year after, California employers must give employees an annual Workplace Know Your Rights notice using the Labor Commissioner own templates. This is a recurring obligation, not a one-time posting, and a handbook finalized before the effective date needs a specific update to reflect it rather than a passing mention.
Overtime and leave both carry more layers than most states
California pays overtime for hours worked daily over 8 at time and a half, daily over 12 at double time, plus the standard weekly over 40 threshold and seventh consecutive day premium rules. The paid sick leave poster is required under Labor Code 247, and EDD notice DE 1857A on unemployment, disability and paid family leave insurance is required of every employer. Employers of 5 to 49 need the Pregnancy Disability Leave notice alone, while employers of 50 or more combine it with CFRA into one notice, a distinction a handbook should track as headcount changes.
What California specifically adds, with sources
Nothing here is legal advice. Handbook obligations change, so confirm before publishing a revision.
| Minimum wage | $16.90 |
|---|---|
| Overtime | Daily over 8 (1.5x), over 12 (2x), weekly over 40, plus 7th-day rules |
| Paid sick leave policy | California mandates paid sick leave, so the handbook must state accrual, carryover and permitted uses to match the statute rather than describing a discretionary benefit. |
| Family and medical leave | California runs a state paid family and medical leave programme. The handbook needs the contribution and claim mechanics, not just an FMLA reference. |
| Harassment training | Required. Employers with 5 or more employees must provide 2 hours of interactive sexual-harassment-prevention training to supervisors and 1 hour to non-supervisory employees every 2 years, and within 6 months of hire or promotion. SB 1343 / Gov. Code 12950.1 [source] |
| Other state training duties | State-plan OSHA (Cal/OSHA) requires documented workplace safety training, including under the Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP). [source] |
| Continuation coverage | Below the federal 20-employee COBRA threshold, California has its own continuation law, Cal-COBRA (California Continuation Benefits Replacement Act), running up to 36 months. The handbook should name it, because employees below that threshold often assume they have no coverage rights at all. [Cal. Health & Safety Code section 1366.20 et seq. (health care service plans, DMHC); Cal. Ins. Code section 10128.50 et seq. (disability/health insurers, CDI)] |
Policies California employers commonly get wrong
- Treating harassment training as optional policy language. Gov. Code 12950.1 requires the training itself, on a 2-year cycle, not just a written statement that harassment is prohibited.
- Missing the 2026 Know Your Rights notice. Employers who last updated their handbook before February 2026 have not added this recurring annual obligation.
- Using the smaller-employer PDL notice past 50 employees. The CFRA-plus-PDL combined notice replaces the standalone PDL notice once headcount crosses that line.
- Undersized whistleblower posting type. Labor Code 1102.8 specifically requires type larger than 14 point with the Attorney General hotline included.
- PTO and final pay disconnects. Handbook policy decisions on PTO accrual and final pay flow straight into how payroll runs, and BEG's managed payroll keeps them connected so final pay calculations match what the handbook promises.
A California Handbook Built Around the Training Requirement.
Certified HR professionals write the Gov. Code 12950.1 training cycle and the 2026 notice into a California supplement on the Expert plan, two states included, powered by isolved.
The federal policies every handbook needs, the at-will language that survives challenge, the clauses that create unintended obligations, and the events that should trigger a revision are the same in every state. They are covered once in the handbook fundamentals guide. This page covers only what California adds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does California require sexual harassment training?
Yes. Gov. Code 12950.1 requires employers with 5 or more employees to give at least 2 hours of interactive training to supervisors and 1 hour to nonsupervisory employees, repeated every 2 years, with new hires trained within 6 months of hire and new supervisors within 6 months of taking the role.
What is the new Workplace Know Your Rights notice?
Starting February 1, 2026 and every year after, California employers must give employees an annual notice using Labor Commissioner templates. It is a new recurring obligation that a handbook written before the effective date will not yet reflect.
Does California require daily overtime?
Yes. California pays overtime for hours worked daily over 8 at time and a half, daily over 12 at double time, plus the standard weekly over 40 threshold and seventh consecutive day premium rules most other states do not have.
Does California require paid sick leave and paid family leave?
Yes to both. The paid sick leave poster is required under Labor Code 247, and the EDD notice DE 1857A covering unemployment, disability and paid family leave insurance is required of every employer.
When does the CFRA and PDL notice apply together?
Employers of 5 to 49 need the Pregnancy Disability Leave notice alone; at 50 or more, CFRA and PDL are combined into one notice. Handbooks should not use the smaller-employer version once headcount crosses 50.
What does the whistleblower posting require?
Labor Code 1102.8 requires the whistleblower protections posting to appear in type larger than 14 point and include the Attorney General hotline number, a formatting requirement most other state postings do not carry.
Do California cities set their own minimum wage?
Many do, and the state rate itself adjusts annually by formula. A handbook for a multi-location employer needs a documented process for confirming the correct local rate rather than printing a single statewide number.
Does an at-will disclaimer have a California-specific rule?
No California-specific at-will disclaimer statute is sourced for this guide. Use the general at-will and disclaimer language from the handbook fundamentals guide rather than inventing a California-specific clause the state does not separately require.
Is BEG a PEO?
No. There is no co-employment and no employer-of-record change. Your company stays the employer; the HR professionals support your team. Powered by isolved.
Anthony leads HR outsourcing strategy at Business Executive Group, a national HR outsourcing firm serving employers across every state. BEG HR outsourcing is powered by isolved, with certified HR professionals tracking California training cycles and new notices as they take effect.
Sources: Gov. Code section 12950.1; California DIR, required workplace postings. General information, not legal advice.
From the blog