Assign new-hire harassment training using the rule for work state, employer or workplace size, and whether the employee supervises others.
Direct answer and key takeaways
- Verify if your firm meets the minimum employee threshold for the state where the new hire works.
- Confirm whether the new hire is a supervisor, as some states have distinct timing rules for supervisory roles.
- Record the specific training completion date and the responsible party for each new hire.
- Align the training schedule with the state’s mandated deadline, including six months, one year, December 31, or at least once per year.
- Keep a clear record of who assigned the training and who completed it for compliance documentation.
Match the onboarding deadline to the specific state rule that applies to your firm size and the new hire’s role. Connecticut requires employers with three or more employees to participate in sexual harassment training, according to Connecticut Business and Industry Association. Illinois mandates that employers with one or more employees provide sexual harassment prevention training to their employees, according to Illinois Department of Human Rights. Maine requires employers in workplaces with 15 or more employees to conduct an education and training program for all new employees within one year of commencement of employment, according to Maine Legislature. New York requires employees to be trained at least once per year, according to New York State Department of Labor.
See sick time rules for new hires, salary history questions, and hiring laws by staff size.
Connecticut’s size threshold and new-supervisor timing
Connecticut’s harassment-prevention training rules depend on whether your firm has three or more employees or fewer than three, and whether the new hire is a standard employee or a supervisor. For employers with three or more employees, the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities states that employers must provide two hours of training and education to new employees hired on or after October 1, 2019 within six months of their start date, according to Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities. This six-month window applies to new hires.
For employers with fewer than three employees, the rule differs for supervisory staff. The agency notes that employers with fewer than three employees must provide two hours of training and education to all existing supervisory employees by October 1, 2020 or within six months to new supervisory employees, according to Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities. If you are a very small firm hiring a new supervisor, the relevant deadline is the six-month period following their start date, not the past 2020 date for existing staff.
Beyond initial training, Connecticut requires ongoing education. The agency specifies that employers must provide periodic supplemental training not less than every ten years, according to Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities. This long-term requirement means your records should track not just the initial six-month completion but also the next supplemental training date.
To support these requirements, the agency provides resources. The Time's Up Act requires the agency to develop an online training and education video and to make that available to employers at no cost, according to Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities.
Illinois’s annual cycle and covered workers
Illinois requires harassment prevention training for every worker on your roster, regardless of their specific employment status. According to the Illinois Department of Human Rights, all employees must have been trained by December 31st of each calendar year. This annual deadline applies to the entire workforce.
The scope of this requirement is broad and inclusive. The Illinois Department of Human Rights confirms that all employees regardless of their status, including short-term, part-time, or intern workers, must be trained. If your staffing team includes temporary staff or interns, they fall under the same training mandate as full-time permanent employees. You must ensure that employees, including short-term, part-time, and intern employees, are trained by December 31 of each calendar year.
Record-keeping is a mandatory component of this compliance process. Employers are required to keep a record of all trainings, as stated by the Illinois Department of Human Rights. This obligation extends to every employee who receives the training, not just full-time staff. Your records should reflect that each worker, including part-time employees and interns, has completed the training. Maintain these records in a format that allows you to verify compliance for every individual on your roster by the December 31st deadline.
Filled reference table of two publishers’ training requirements
The table below lists Illinois and Maine training rules found in the cited documents. Each row cites the publisher and the specific rule or threshold mentioned in their materials.
| Publisher | State | Employee Threshold | New Hire Deadline | Record Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois Department of Human Rights | Illinois | 1 or more employees | Trained by December 31 of each calendar year | Employers are required to keep a record of all trainings |
| Maine Legislature | Maine | 15 or more employees | Within one year of commencement | A record of employees who received the training, kept at least 3 years and available for department inspection |
Maine’s new-hire program and New York’s annual training
Maine requires employers to keep a training record, while New York encourages a signed acknowledgment and a copy of training records even though no signed acknowledgment is required, but their operational timelines and scope differ. In Maine, the legislative framework mandates that employers conduct additional training for supervisory and managerial employees within one year of the commencement of employment. This specific supervisory module must include, at a minimum, the specific responsibilities of these employees and the methods they must take to ensure immediate and appropriate corrective action when addressing sexual harassment complaints, according to Maine Legislature. Beyond the content of the session, the law requires employers to use a checklist to develop the sexual harassment training program and to keep a record of the training, including a record of employees who have received the required training, according to Maine Legislature. These training records must be maintained for at least 3 years and must be made available for department inspection upon request, according to Maine Legislature.
In New York, the focus shifts to the distribution of written policies alongside the annual training cycle. Employers must provide employees with their policy in writing both at the time of hiring and during each annual training, according to New York State Department of Labor. While the annual cycle is a fixed requirement, the state does not impose a rigid deadline for when that training must occur relative to the start date. There is no requirement for training to take place within a particular amount of time, according to New York State Department of Labor. This distinction means that while Maine specifies a one-year window for new supervisors, New York leaves the specific scheduling of the annual session to the employer, provided it happens annually and is accompanied by the written policy.
For a staffing team managing hires in both states, the immediate task is to separate the supervisory track from the general employee track. In Maine, identify every new hire with supervisory or managerial duties and schedule their specific corrective-action training within the first year of employment. In New York, ensure the written policy is handed over on day one and calendar the annual training session for a consistent date each year. Do not assume that a new hire’s prior training from another employer satisfies these state-specific record-keeping or timing requirements. Verify that your internal records system can generate a list of employees who have completed the required training for both jurisdictions. Maine requires the training record to be kept and made available for inspection.
Illustrative example
A workplace of 15 employees hires 1 supervisor. Connecticut employers with 3 or more employees plan two hours within six months. Maine workplaces with 15 or more employees plan training within one year. Illinois employers with 1 or more employees finish before the calendar year ends and keep a record. New York training happens once per year, with the written policy at hiring.
Fields to record when assigning new-hire training
Record the specific variables that determine which state rule applies to a new hire. This worksheet is a practical tool for your staffing team to standardize onboarding documentation before the employee’s first day.
Fill in the work state column with the jurisdiction where the employee will perform their duties. Record employer size for Connecticut (three or more) and Illinois (one or more), and workplace size for Maine (15 or more). Record the start date as the first day of paid employment. In the supervises others? column, indicate whether the role involves directing the work of other employees.
The assigned deadline column should reflect the specific training completion date required by the applicable state law for that employee’s status. For example, if the employee is a new supervisor in a state with a specific post-hire window, enter that calculated date. The record owner column should name the specific HR staff member or manager responsible for verifying completion and filing the documentation.
Keep this record separate from general onboarding checklists to ensure harassment-prevention compliance is tracked distinctly. Review the completed record during the employee’s first week to confirm the training has been scheduled or completed as indicated. This step helps maintain a clear audit trail for each new hire’s onboarding process.
What to do today
Today, write the work state, size count, start date, supervisory status, deadline, and record owner for one new hire.
New-hire harassment training FAQ
Does Connecticut treat new supervisors at very small employers differently?
Yes, the rule distinguishes employers with fewer than three employees. According to the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities, such employers must provide two hours of training and education to new supervisory employees within six months. The same source notes that existing supervisory employees at these small firms had a deadline of October 1, 2020.
Does Illinois include part-time employees and interns?
Yes, the state includes these workers in its training mandate. The Illinois Department of Human Rights states that all employees regardless of their status, including short-term, part-time, or intern roles, must be trained. You should assign the training task to these individuals during onboarding rather than excluding them based on their contract type.
When must a Maine employer train new employees and supervisors?
Maine sets a one-year window from the start of employment for general training. The Maine Legislature requires employers in workplaces with 15 or more employees to conduct an education and training program for all new employees within one year of commencement. For supervisory and managerial employees, the same source mandates additional training within one year that covers their specific responsibilities and methods for ensuring immediate corrective action in addressing complaints.
Does New York impose a fixed interval after hiring for the training?
No, the state does not set a specific deadline after the hire date. The New York State Department of Labor states there is no requirement for training to take place within a particular amount of time. This lack of a fixed interval means you must schedule the session based on your internal onboarding calendar while ensuring it occurs annually.
Can a New York employer recognize training from earlier in the same calendar year?
Yes, you may choose to accept prior training completed within the current year. The New York State Department of Labor notes that if an employee can show they completed training within the same calendar year under a previous employer or temporary help agency, an employer may choose to deem the training requirement satisfied. This is an employer choice, not an automatic transfer of credit.