A friend who runs a 20-person shop in Oakland called me—shaken. A supervisor had dropped a “joke” in Slack. It landed badly. No one complained that day. By Friday, HR had three emails, two screenshots, and one teammate refusing to rejoin a project.
Scenes like this are common. Leaders aren’t sure what legally qualifies as harassment in California. Employees second-guess their words. Everyone worries about getting it wrong. This guide keeps the law California-specific and the advice practical so that you can act with confidence—on site and in remote settings.
What the Law Protects
California uses two core frames:
- Hostile work environment. Unwelcome conduct tied to a protected characteristic (sex, race, disability, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, etc.) that makes it hard to work or creates an intimidating, offensive, or abusive environment. A single severe incident can be enough under Government Code §12923.
- Quid pro quo. A supervisor links job benefits or penalties to sexual conduct (requests for dates, sexual favors, or similar).
In short, for harassment in California, the conduct must be unwelcome and connected to a protected trait—or, for quid pro quo, to sexual conduct and power.
What Is Harassment—and What Isn’t
Harassment can include:
- Verbal abuse: slurs, epithets, degrading remarks.
- Visual conduct: offensive memes, images, emojis, or cartoons.
- Physical conduct: unwelcome touching.
- Sexual conduct: comments, repeated unwanted advances, requests for dates or sexual favors.
- Identity-based behavior: misgendering, mocking an accent, jokes about disability or religion.
- Source: coworkers, supervisors, or third parties (customers, vendors). Employers can be liable if they knew or should have known of the situation and failed to act.
Usually not unlawful harassment (but still a problem to fix):
- A single rude comment not tied to a protected trait and not severe.
- Direct performance feedback delivered without slurs or stereotypes.
- Personality clashes with no identity-based angle.
Even when it’s not unlawful harassment in California, coach early so it doesn’t escalate. Small fixes prevent big issues.
Who Is Liable—and When
- Supervisors/agents: The employer is strictly liable for harassment by a supervisor acting in that role.
- Coworkers: The employer is liable if it knew or should have known and failed to act promptly and appropriately.
- Third parties (customers, vendors): Same “knew or should have known” standard.
- Prevention duty: California requires employers to take all reasonable steps to prevent harassment—clear policies, training, and fair investigations included.
Remote Work Counts Too
Harassment doesn’t stop at the office door. Slack threads, DMs, Zoom chats, text messages, and shared docs can all contribute to a hostile environment. Spell out standards for electronic communication, show examples from the tools your team uses, and list reporting options for remote staff. Plan for harassment in California to include remote and hybrid scenarios—not just in-person conduct.
If You Experience or Observe Harassment
Employees
- Document. Save messages, emails, dates, names, and locations.
- Report. Use any channel in the policy—HR, a manager, or a hotline.
- Consider the state route. In most employment cases, you generally have three years from the last harm to start an intake with the Civil Rights Department (CRD). You can request an immediate right-to-sue letter.
Managers/HR
- Acknowledge quickly. Thank the reporter.
- Assess severity. Minor behavior may call for coaching; potential violations call for a formal investigation.
- Protect all parties. Consider interim steps and remind everyone about anti-retaliation.
- Investigate promptly. Interview in a logical order, keep careful notes, weigh credibility, decide on facts, act, and follow up to confirm the behavior stopped.
Must-Have Employer Building Blocks
- Written anti-harassment policy. Give it to everyone. Include multiple ways to report, fair-investigation language, and a clear anti-retaliation promise.
- Training (California requirement). If you have five or more employees, provide:
- 2 hours of training for supervisors, and
- 1 hour for non-supervisors
every two years (and within six months for new hires and new supervisors).
- To stay current, align with:
- Many teams roll the above into one interactive program and refer to it as the Sexual Harassment in California training course, so it’s easy to assign and track.
- Investigation playbook. Define who investigates, target timelines, confidentiality guidance, documentation standards, and possible remedies.
- Third-party plan. Explain what happens when a customer or vendor is the source: how employees can speak up, who steps in, and what levers the company will pull.
- Remote etiquette. Set norms for Slack/Teams/Zoom, clarify what’s off-limits, and where to report issues from home or field sites.
A Short Story to Bring It Home
That Oakland team acted fast. They paused the project, interviewed in order, documented findings, and took proportionate action. They added a one-page Slack etiquette card, refreshed training (as part of the Sexual Harassment in California training course rollout), and checked in a month later. The teammate returned with support. Clear steps rebuilt trust—and work moved forward.
FAQs
Does California law cover very small workplaces?
Yes. While many discrimination rules kick in at five or more employees, sexual harassment in remote workplace is prohibited in all workplaces, including very small teams and certain situations involving independent contractors. Make reporting simple, offer multiple paths, and pledge no retaliation. Early coaching helps even when conduct hasn’t crossed a legal line.
Can one shocking incident qualify as harassment?
Yes. Under Government Code §12923, a single severe incident can support a hostile-environment claim if it unreasonably interferes with work or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment. Document what happened—dates, words, witnesses, and impact on work.
What training is required to prevent harassment?
Employers with 5+ employees must provide 2 hours for supervisors and 1 hour for non-supervisors every two years. Training must be interactive and include abusive conduct and LGBTQ+ topics. Stay aligned with California AB 1825, California AB 2053, California SB 396, California SB 1343, and California SB 778. Many employers package this as the Sexual Harassment in California training course. Track completions and time new hire/supervisor deadlines within six months.
How long do I have to act if I want to file a claim?
Generally, you have three years from the last alleged harm to start an intake with the CRD for employment cases. You can request an immediate right-to-sue letter. Deadlines in non-employment contexts may differ, so confirm specifics. Keep your documentation—messages, emails, and notes. Internal reporting is encouraged, but you don’t have to wait to seek outside help.
What should employers do when a customer harasses an employee?
Employers can be liable if they knew or should have known and didn’t act. Respond right away: remove the employee from the situation, warn or replace the customer, adjust routes or coverage, or end the relationship if needed. Document actions, update the employee, watch for retaliation, and train staff so they know how to report customer or vendor issues.
