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California janitors must undergo sexual violence and harassment training now that the state's Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) has successfully completed its sexual harassment training requirements for all registered janitorial service vendors, according to a press release.

To complete registration, all registered California janitorial service providers must demonstrate compliance with California Legislation AB 1978, otherwise known as “Justice For Janitors,” by completing sexual violence and harassment prevention training for all staff.

The "Justice for Janitors" Bill passed in 2016 and requires all janitorial employers to register through the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE). Registration went into effect in 2018.

Now that the DIR has completed its training requirements, the next step is for janitorial employers to find qualifying compliant training and to administer sexual violence and harassment prevention training to their employees. Without this training, janitorial employers will not be allowed to register and, by implication, may not operate in the state of California.

The California legislation seeks to address decades of unreported sexual violence against female janitorial service staff. Abusers frequently targeted undocumented workers during third shift, and victims didn't report the harassment for fear of discrimination and further abuse.

AB 1978 protects all janitorial service workers - both documented and undocumented - and offers victims of sexual violence or harassment a clear process for justice.