Congress’s New Sexual-Harassment Training Probably Won’t Help

Three states made training mandatory with minimal effects
‘The people who are going to do it don’t care’ about training

A runner passes the U.S. Capitol building before sunrise in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Tuesday, July 11, 2017. As Congress returned from its mid-summer break yesterday for a crucial three-week stretch, several obstacles await lawmakers, including an ongoing health-care fight, divisions among Republicans on the basic parameters of a tax bill, and a maelstrom of upcoming deadlines to keep the government running and avert a catastrophic default on U.S. debt.Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg

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By Jeff Green

November 30, 2017 at 10:00 AM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

In an effort to address charges that sexual harassment runs rampant in the Capitol, the U.S. Congress will require members and staff to undergo sexual harassment training. Three states have taken a similar approach, and the track record is not encouraging.

California and Connecticut have made sexual harassment training mandatory for supervisors in companies with more than 50 employees. In Maine, firms with 15 or more workers must provide training. All three require information to be posted in the workplace that details the complaint process for employees who have been subject to harassment.