Rhode Island § 28-51-2 - Sexual Harassment, Education and Training in the Workplace

§ 28-51-2. Adoption of workplace policy and statement.

(a) All employers and employment agencies shall promote a workplace free of sexual harassment.

(b) Every employer shall:

(1) Adopt a policy against sexual harassment that shall include:

(i) A statement that sexual harassment in the workplace is unlawful;

(ii) A statement that it is unlawful to retaliate against an employee for filing a complaint of sexual harassment or for cooperating in an investigation of a complaint for sexual harassment;

(iii) A description and examples of sexual harassment;

(iv) A statement of the range of consequences for employees who are found to have committed sexual harassment;

(v) A description of the process for filing internal complaints about sexual harassment and the work addresses and telephone numbers of the person or persons to whom complaints should be made; and

(vi) The identity of the appropriate state and federal employment discrimination enforcement agencies, and directions as to how to contact these agencies.

(2) Provide to all employees a written copy of the employer’s policy against sexual harassment; provided, that a new employee shall be provided such a copy at the time of his or her employment.

(c) Employers are encouraged to conduct an education and training program for new employees and members, within one year of commencement of employment or membership, that includes at a minimum the information set forth in this section. Employers are encouraged to conduct additional training for new supervisory and managerial employees within one year of commencement of employment that shall include at a minimum the information set forth in subsection (b), the specific responsibilities of supervisory and managerial employees, and the methods that these employees should take to ensure immediate and appropriate corrective action in addressing sexual harassment complaints. Employers and appropriate state agencies are encouraged to cooperate in making this training available.

(d) Employers shall provide copies of their written policies on sexual harassment to all employees upon their request.

(e) Employers shall be required to maintain copies of their written policies on sexual harassment at their business premises, and copies of the policies shall be made available to any state or federal employment discrimination enforcement agency upon request.