Iowa Sexual Harassment Training Requirements

According to the Iowa Civil Rights Commission, employers are obligated to take active steps to prevent harassment before it occurs, and training new employees, particularly supervisory employees, is one such step employers should take. See ICRC Fact Sheet – Harassment in the Workplace at 3.

Additionally, EEOC guidelines and court decisions from around the country have made clear that employers should provide workplace harassment training to all employees periodically. The training should cover sexual harassment and all other forms of unlawful harassment related to federal and state protected characteristics.

The Iowa Civil Rights Act prohibits workplace harassment and employment discrimination based on protected characteristics such as the following:

age (18+), color, creed, disability, gender identity, national origin, race, religion, and sex (including pregnancy and related conditions), sexual orientation. Additionally, Iowa Code § 729.6 prohibits discrimination based on genetic information.

Local ordinances provide broader protections, so you should check the local Civil Rights Commission regulations applicable to your workplace.

For more information on Iowa equal employment opportunity requirements, see Iowa Civil Rights Commission.