How often must sponsors provide anti-harassment training?

To show that all individuals connected with the administration or operation of the apprenticeship program have received the required anti-harassment training, sponsors will generally need to maintain records showing that all required individuals completed the training and the training received by these individuals covered the required elements outlined in the Equal Employment Opportunity regulations.  Documentation showing that apprentices and journeyworkers who mentor apprentices completed the training could include a sign-in sheet with the individuals’ names and date on it.

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Women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and members of other protected groups continue to have very low participation rates in many apprenticeship programs.  The apprenticeship Equal Employment Opportunity regulations are intended, in part, to support sponsors in expanding the diversity of their apprenticeship workforces.  Protection from harassment promotes a workplace environment in which all apprentices feel safe, welcomed, and treated fairly.  This, in turn, benefits apprenticeship sponsors by increasing retention of valued apprentices and enhancing recruitment success with other qualified individuals from underrepresented groups.  As apprenticeship programs strive to achieve greater diversity, it is important to prevent individuals from experiencing harassing situations when they are simply trying to do their jobs.

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The training must be more than a mere transmittal of information.  It must include participation by trainees, such as attending an in-person training session or completing an interactive training online.  Sponsors that already provide anti-harassment training may modify their existing training to include the provisions specified in the apprenticeship Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) regulations.  Ready-to-use anti-harassment training materials are available on the Prevent Harassment Apprenticeship EEO webpage. 

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The anti-harassment provisions in the Equal Employment Opportunity regulations are applicable to all Registered Apprenticeship Programs.  Apprenticeship sponsors must develop and implement procedures to ensure that apprentices are not harassed because of their race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), sexual orientation, age (40 or older), genetic information, or disability and to ensure that their apprenticeship programs are free from intimidation and retaliation. These procedures must include a few specific steps, such as anti-harassment training and developing and implementing complaint procedures. These steps are described in this Frequently Asked Question.

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