District of Columbia tipped-worker sexual harassment training
The District of Columbia's mandate centers on restaurants and other employers of tipped wage workers. Owners, operators, managers, and employees all have training obligations, and certified third-party providers are required for some elements. D.C.'s broader Human Rights Act protections apply to all employers.
Coverage scope
Owners (one-time), operators, managers, and all tipped employees, with separate cadences for each.
Duration & frequency
- Duration
- No fixed total duration; programs must satisfy the topical requirements published by the D.C. Office of Human Rights and use certified providers where required.
- Frequency
- Operators, managers, and owners: every two (2) years. Employees: every two (2) years. New owners must complete training within ninety (90) days of acquiring the business.
- New hires
- Employees: within ninety (90) days of hire. New owners: within ninety (90) days of acquisition.
Every compliant program must include
Miss any one of these elements and your training fails the Washington D.C. standard, even if every other detail is perfect.
Definition of sexual harassment under federal and D.C. law
Examples of conduct that constitutes sexual harassment
Bystander intervention strategies
Reporting procedures and rights, including reporting to the D.C. Office of Human Rights
Anti-retaliation protections
For owners and managers: legal liabilities and specific duties to prevent and correct harassment
Recordkeeping
Employers must file with the D.C. Office of Human Rights certifications confirming completion. Records must be retained per OHR guidance.
Penalties & enforcement
Civil penalties under the D.C. Human Rights Act and ordinance-specific penalties for failure to certify training completion to OHR.
District of Columbia Office of Human Rights (OHR).
We map your roster to every mandate that applies.
Washington D.C. is one of 11 jurisdictions in our compliance matrix. If your employees work across state lines, the mandates stack: different durations, frequencies, and content per location. We handle that.
This page summarizes publicly available statutes and regulatory guidance, last reviewed July 2026. State and local mandates change frequently; verify current requirements with the enforcing agency or employment counsel before relying on this content for compliance decisions. empathiHR clients receive a written compliance matrix updated against their roster and locations.
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