New York Sexual Harassment Training Requirements (2026)

Source: NY Labor Law 201-g, ny.gov and the NYC Commission on Human Rights. This guide is general information, not legal advice.

Under Labor Law section 201-g, every employer must adopt the state’s model sexual harassment prevention policy, or write its own that meets or exceeds the model’s minimum standards. Employers must also give all employees sexual harassment prevention training each year, using the state’s model training program or an equivalent program that equals or exceeds the minimum standards.

The state does not set a minimum number of hours in the statute. Instead it sets content and format: the training must be interactive. That means an explanation of what sexual harassment is, examples of prohibited conduct, the relevant federal and state laws, and employees’ rights to seek redress, plus information about supervisors’ conduct and responsibilities.

Training sits next to a written policy. The policy must prohibit sexual harassment and include the federal and state laws and remedies, a standard complaint form, a timely and confidential investigation process, employees’ rights and available forums, a statement that retaliation is unlawful, and sanctions for harassers and for supervisors who knowingly allow harassment.

Employers must also give employees a written notice of the policy and training information at hire and at each annual training. It must be in English and in the language each employee identifies as their primary language. If no template exists in that language, an English notice is acceptable.

The Stop Sexual Harassment in NYC Act applies to employers with 15 or more employees at any time in the current or prior calendar year, or with one or more domestic workers. Independent contractors count toward the 15, and so do employees based outside the city.

• Annual training: employers must train employees every calendar year, and may base the timing on the calendar year, each employee’s start date or another date they choose.
• Who counts: interns, part-time, short-term and independent contractor workers who work more than 80 hours in a calendar year and at least 90 days must be trained.
• Content: sexual harassment as unlawful discrimination, with examples; the internal complaint process; external complaint options (NYC Commission on Human Rights, NYS Division of Human Rights and EEOC) with contact details; the ban on retaliation, with examples; bystander intervention; and the responsibilities of supervisors and managers.
• Accessibility: training must be accessible to employees with disabilities and limited English proficiency.
• Records: keep training records for at least three years. A signed acknowledgment or certificate on paper or electronic is accepted.
• Fact sheet and notice: give new hires the fact sheet by the end of their first week and post the required notice in English and Spanish.

New York State requires the training annually. The sources we reviewed do not set a statewide number of days for new hires. NYC guidance says employers should train new staff as soon as possible after hire. Many employers train new hires at onboarding and then again each year on a fixed date. Confirm your approach with the New York State Department of Labor or a lawyer.

The state publishes a model policy and model training materials, including an interactive video and answer sheet, at ny.gov/combating-sexual-harassment-workplace. The model is reviewed and updated on a regular schedule.

The NYC Commission on Human Rights runs a free online interactive training that it says meets both New York City and New York State requirements, provided the employer also shares its internal complaint process with employees. It is available in English, Spanish, French, Chinese, Korean, Haitian Creole, Bengali, Russian, Polish, Urdu and Arabic. It gives a certificate but the Commission keeps no completion records, so you must keep your own: NYC training FAQ.

Gama Safety’s Sexual Harassment Training is a self-paced online course of about 1.5 hours, priced at US$19.95, with a final exam (80% to pass) and a certificate. It is a general harassment-prevention course. Its own course page says that several states, including California, New York and Illinois, have their own training content and timing rules, that the course has not been reviewed for those state-specific requirements, and that you should check your state’s rules before using it to meet a legal training mandate.

We therefore do not claim it meets New York State or New York City requirements, and it is not approved or certified by either. It can still be useful for:

• General awareness and refreshers beyond the annual required session.
• Multi-state teams, where colleagues outside New York need baseline training.
• A supplement to the state model or NYC course.

To meet New York’s annual mandate, use the state model, the free NYC course, or another program you have confirmed meets or exceeds the state’s minimum standards.

NYC employers must keep training records for at least three years and make them available to the Commission on request. For State requirements, the sources we reviewed did not give a retention period, so we do not state one. A sensible practice is to keep the same records for everyone: name, date, course used, and a signed acknowledgment or certificate. Also keep your policy, complaint form and the dated written notices you gave employees.

The NYC Commission on Human Rights says failing to provide the training violates the NYC Human Rights Law, and employees can file complaints through 311 or the Commission. We did not verify specific penalty amounts for State or City violations, so we do not list them.

• NY State Senate, Labor Law section 201-g.
• New York State, Combating Sexual Harassment in the Workplace.
• NYC Commission on Human Rights, Sexual Harassment Prevention Training FAQs and Stop Sexual Harassment in NYC.
• Gama Safety, Sexual Harassment Training course page.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Laws change, so confirm with the sources above.