The Civil Rights Department (CRD) has the authority to receive complaints from victims of human trafficking. The CRD can investigate, prosecute, mediate, conciliate and bring civil actions on behalf of these victims. Any damages awarded in a civil action go to the victim.

Some retail sellers and manufacturers doing business in California must post a link on their website to information about the company’s efforts to eradicate slavery and human trafficking from its direct supply chain.2

• The county of Los Angeles adopted the Prevention of Human Trafficking Ordinance, which requires certain employers to post a notice providing human trafficking hotlines and information, as well as provide at least 20 minutes of human trafficking prevention training to new and current employees.

Human Trafficking Notice Requirements

California law requires some businesses to post a human trafficking notice near the public entrance or another conspicuous location where the public and employees may view the notice.3 The notice provides hotline numbers for the public and victims of human trafficking to call or text to seek help or report unlawful activity, and contains information about organizations that provide services to eliminate slavery and human trafficking.

The California Office of the Attorney General (OAG) recently revised their model notice.

• Human Trafficking Model Notice
• Human Trafficking Model Notice - English and Spanish
• Human Trafficking Model Notice - Spanish

Businesses that are required to post this notice include:

• Retail sales of alcoholic beverages (On-sale general public premises licensees under the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act of the Business and Professions Code, section 23000 et. seq.);
• Adult or sexually oriented business (as defined in subdivision (a) of section 318.5 of the Penal Code);
• Primary airports;
• Intercity passenger rail or light rail stations;
• Bus stations;
• Truck stops (privately owned and operated facilities that provide food, fuel, shower or other sanitary facilities, and lawful overnight truck parking);
• Emergency rooms within general acute care hospitals;
• Urgent care centers;
• Farm labor contractors;
• Privately operated job recruitment centers;
• Roadside rest areas;
• Businesses or establishments that offer massage or bodywork services for compensation;
• Hotels, motels and bed and breakfast inns (as defined by Business and Professions Code sec. 24045.12), not including personal residences; and
• Hair, nail, electrolysis, and skin care, and other related businesses or establishments subject to regulation under Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 7301) of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code.

The notice must be at least 8.5 x 11 inches in size, written in a 16-point font and must be in English, Spanish and one other language that is the most widely spoken language in the county where the business is located and for which translation is mandated by the federal Voting Rights Act. The OAG provides a list of counties in which a third language other than English and Spanish is the most widely spoken language and also provides additional translations of the model notice on this webpage .

Additional translations of the model notice and more information about the notice requirements can be found on the California Office of the Attorney General website.

Failure to comply with the notice posting may result in a civil penalty of $500 to $1,000 per offense.

Human Trafficking Training Requirements

Employers operating intercity passenger rails, light rails, and bus stations must provide employee training on human trafficking, including recognizing signs to look for and how to report suspected trafficking.

The training must include all of the following:

• The definition of human trafficking, including sex trafficking and labor trafficking.
• Myths and misconceptions about human trafficking.
• Physical and mental signs to be aware of that may indicate that human trafficking is occurring.
• Guidance on how to identify individuals who are most at risk for human trafficking.
• Guidance on how to report human trafficking, including, but not limited to, national hotlines and contact information for local law enforcement agencies that an employee may use to make a confidential report.
• Protocols for reporting human trafficking when on the job.

Failure of an employee to report human trafficking does not, by itself, result in liability for the employer or employee. An employer who fails to provide the required training can be liable for a civil penalty of $500 for a first offense and $1,000 for each subsequent offense.

If an employer fails to provide the required training, the CRD may issue an order requiring compliance. Failure of a hotel or motel employee to report human trafficking does not, by itself, result in liability for the employer or employee.

1. Civ.Code sec. 52.5