Employee Trainings Required by Law: Everything Employers Must Know

Keeping up with compliance employee training isn’t just a good business practice—it’s the law! From workplace safety to anti-harassment policies, employers must stay compliant with a range of legal training requirements to protect their teams and avoid costly penalties

Employee training required by law can be industry-specific, state-imposed, or federally mandated. So, whether you’re a small business owner or an HR pro, it’s important that you stay informed about these requirements and ensure your organizations are compliant to the extent allowed by law. 

Why Are Specific Employee Training Required by Law?

Certain employee trainings are required by law to protect workers, ensure workplace safety, and promote ethical business practices. These regulations help prevent a host of problems, such as workplace hazards, discrimination, and data breaches.

Statutory employee trainings cover critical topics such as workplace safety, anti-discrimination policies, cybersecurity, and ethical conduct, ensuring employees understand their rights and responsibilities and are well-equipped to handle workplace challenges responsibly.

What Employee Training Are Required by Law?

Employee training required by law varies based on the country, industry, and level of government it is enforced. Some trainings are universally mandated to ensure a safe and ethical workplace, while others are specific to national federal laws or industry regulations. 

You’ll find below a breakdown of key training requirements categorized into universally mandated training, federally required training, and industry-specific training with a special focus on regulations in the United States and Canada.

Universally Mandated Training

To ensure a safe, inclusive, and compliant workplace, some employee training programs are required worldwide, regardless of industry or jurisdiction. These include:

a) Workplace Health and Safety Training

Every employer is responsible for providing a safe work environment. Occupational health and safety training covers:

• Emergency procedures (fire drills, evacuations, first aid)
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) use
• Hazard identification and workplace safety protocols

In Canada, the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act and in the U.S., regulations mandate workplace safety training. Employers must conduct training tailored to the specific risks associated with their work environment.

b) Anti-Harassment and Discrimination Training

To create a respectful and inclusive work environment, most countries require:

• Sexual harassment prevention training
• Diversity and inclusion training
• Workplace violence prevention training

In the United States, states like California, New York, and Illinois have specific laws requiring harassment prevention training for all employees. In Canada, provinces such as Ontario (Bill 132) and British Columbia have stringent anti-harassment policies requiring training.

c) Data Protection and Cybersecurity Training

With the rise of cyber threats and data breaches, employees must be trained to handle sensitive information securely. Key topics include:

• Phishing awareness
• Password security and data encryption
• Handling personal and financial data

In the U.S., businesses handling customer data must comply with laws like HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) for healthcare and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) for financial institutions. Canada enforces similar regulations under PIPEDA (Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act).

Federally Required Training

Certain training programs are mandated at the national level, ensuring that employees across industries meet specific federal regulations.

In the United States

The federal government enforces several mandatory training programs across different sectors, including:

• OSHA Safety Training: Required for high-risk jobs in industries like construction and manufacturing.
• HIPAA Training: Required for healthcare professionals handling patient data.
• Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Training: Educates employees on wage laws, overtime, and working hours.
• Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Training: Required for federal contractors and businesses working with the government.
• Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Training: Required for financial institutions under the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA).

In Canada

Federal labor laws in Canada mandate the following training:

• Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) Training: Educates employees on handling hazardous chemicals and materials.
• Canada Labour Code Part II – Workplace Safety Training: Ensures federally regulated industries (such as banking, transportation, and telecommunications) follow national safety guidelines.
• Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) Training: Required for businesses in Ontario to accommodate employees and customers with disabilities.

Industry-Specific Training

Certain industries require specialized training to meet safety and regulatory compliance.

a) Healthcare Industry

• Bloodborne Pathogens Training (OSHA in the U.S.)
• HIPAA & Confidentiality Training (U.S.)
• Infection Prevention & Control (Canada – Public Health Agency)

b) Construction & Manufacturing

• OSHA 10/30-Hour Training (U.S.) for workers and supervisors
• WHMIS (Canada) for hazardous material handling
• Fall Protection Training (Both U.S. & Canada)

c) Financial & Banking Sector

• AML (Anti-Money Laundering) Training
• Know Your Customer (KYC) Compliance
• Cybersecurity & Fraud Prevention Training

d) Food & Hospitality Industry

• Food Safety Certification (ServSafe in the U.S., Food Handler Certification in Canada)
• Liquor Service Training (e.g., Smart Serve in Ontario, TIPS in the U.S.)

e) Transportation & Logistics

• DOT (Department of Transportation) Training (U.S.)
• Transport Canada Safety Training
• Defensive Driving & Cargo Securement Training

How to Better Deliver Compliance Training?

Organizations can make statutory required training more enjoyable and engaging for employees by incorporating interactive methods, modern technology such as LMS (Learning Management System) , and practical learning techniques. 

However, keep in mind that certain laws have rigid training requirements such as physical skill demonstration and the delivery of training sessions by certified instructors 

With that said, here are some effective strategies you can use to better deliver company compliance trainings.

Use Interactive and Engaging Content

• Replace long lectures with short, engaging videos and animations.
• Incorporate interactive quizzes, case studies, and real-life scenarios.
• Use virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR) for hands-on training in industries like healthcare and construction.

Make It Social and Collaborative

• Use peer learning by having experienced employees share real-world experiences.
• Organize group discussions and role-playing activities to make training feel less like a chore.
• Introduce mentorship programs where employees can learn from each other.

Gamify the Learning Experience

• Use point systems, leaderboards, and rewards to make training competitive and fun.
• Incorporate badges and certifications to encourage progress.
• Create training challenges where employees can win prizes or recognition.

Provide Learning Flexibility 

• Offer on-demand, self-paced learning through online platforms.
• Allow employees to complete training in small, manageable sessions rather than in one sitting.
• Use mobile-friendly training so employees can learn anytime, anywhere.

Gather Training Feedback and Implement 

• Ask employees for feedback on training sessions and improve based on their suggestions.
• Regularly update training materials to keep them fresh, engaging, and relevant.
• Use employee-led training sessions where they share insights, making it more relatable.

What Onboarding Automation Software Assigns and Tracks New Hire Training?

Delivering great training content is one thing. Making sure every new hire actually gets assigned the right courses—and finishes them—is another problem entirely.

Manual assignment doesn’t scale. When onboarding volume spikes, training assignments slip through the cracks, and you’re left chasing completions weeks after someone’s start date.

The fix is onboarding automation software that handles assignment and tracking without manual intervention. Here’s what to look for:

• Automatic course assignment. New hires get enrolled in required training the moment they’re added to the system—no HR follow-up needed.
• Role-based training paths. Different roles get different courses. Your sales reps shouldn’t sit through the same modules as your engineers.
• Real-time completion tracking. See who’s done, who’s behind, and who hasn’t started—without pinging managers for updates.
• Audit-ready exports. When regulators or leadership ask for proof, you need timestamps, scores, and completion records in one click.

Varsi lets you build role-specific training paths and track completions in real time. Every course finish is time-stamped and exportable, so you’re never scrambling before an audit.

What Compliance Training is Best Delivered on an LMS?

Compliance training can either be physical skill-based or theoretical, while some training adopts both learning methods. You can best deliver theoretical and fused compliance training on an LMS (Learning Management System), like Varsi.

Varsi offers a seamless, user-friendly platform that lets you create courses and training in minutes—no technical skills required! With our interactive features like video presentations and quizzes, employees stay engaged while learning. Plus, we provide powerful tracking metrics to monitor progress and ensure compliance.

Here’s a list of compliance trainings you can seamlessly deliver on Varsi,

For the USA,

• Sexual Harassment Prevention Training 
• Anti-Discrimination Training 
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Training
• Cybersecurity Awareness Training – Covers phishing, password security, and data protection.
• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Training – For handling sensitive healthcare data.

For Canada,

• Workplace Violence and Harassment Training – Required under Bill 168 (Ontario) and Bill 26 (Alberta).
• Privacy and Data Protection Training – Covers Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).
• Employment Standards Training – Covers wage laws, overtime rules, and employee rights.

Simplify training, boost engagement, and stay compliant with Varsi!