The anti-harassment provisions in the Equal Employment Opportunity regulations are applicable to all Registered Apprenticeship Programs. Apprenticeship sponsors must develop and implement procedures to ensure that apprentices are not harassed because of their race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), sexual orientation, age (40 or older), genetic information, or disability and to ensure that their apprenticeship programs are free from intimidation and retaliation. These procedures must include a few specific steps, such as anti-harassment training and developing and implementing complaint procedures. These steps are described in this Frequently Asked Question.
What do the regulations say about harassment?
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Harassment in the workplace is unwelcome or offensive conduct that has the purpose or effect of being detrimental to an employee’s work performance, professional advancement, and/or mental health. Harassment against apprentices or applicants for apprenticeship programs can be against the law if it is because of certain characteristics – including their race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, and genetic information – and if it creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment or results in an adverse employment action.
Harassment is not limited by gender identity or sexual orientation. Likewise, a target of harassment and their harasser may identify as the same sex and/or share the same sexual orientation. Visit the Prevent Harassment page for more information.
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The training must be more than a mere transmittal of information. It must include participation by trainees, such as attending an in-person training session or completing an interactive training online. Sponsors that already provide anti-harassment training may modify their existing training to include the provisions specified in the apprenticeship Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) regulations. Ready-to-use anti-harassment training materials are available on the Prevent Harassment Apprenticeship EEO webpage.
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A participant in an apprenticeship program may not be intimidated, threatened, coerced, retaliated against, or discriminated against because the individual has:
- Filed a complaint alleging an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) violation (including harassment).
- Opposed a practice that is prohibited by Federal or State EEO law or regulation.
- Assisted, provided information for, or participated in an investigation, compliance review, proceeding, or hearing related to EEO.
Otherwise exercised any rights or privileges under these provisions.
Visit the Prevent Harassment page for more information.
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To show that all individuals connected with the administration or operation of the apprenticeship program have received the required anti-harassment training, sponsors will generally need to maintain records showing that all required individuals completed the training and the training received by these individuals covered the required elements outlined in the Equal Employment Opportunity regulations. Documentation showing that apprentices and journeyworkers who mentor apprentices completed the training could include a sign-in sheet with the individuals’ names and date on it.
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