New House Rule Mandates Anti-Harassment Training for Every Staffer and Member, Every Session

This resolution is short, but it packs a punch for anyone working in the House of Representatives. Essentially, it mandates that every single person—from the newest intern to the longest-serving Member and officer—must complete a program of training focused on workplace rights and responsibilities. Crucially, this training must specifically cover anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policies under the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995. This isn't a one-and-done deal; everyone has to complete this training during each session of each Congress.

The New Workplace Checklist: Who’s In?

This rule casts a wide net, which is the whole point. For the purpose of this mandatory training, the definition of an “employee” is expanded to include anyone serving as an intern, fellow, or temporary detail from another Federal office. If you’re already working when the program is certified as ready, you get 90 days to finish the training and file proof. If you’re hired mid-session, you have 90 days from your start date. This is a significant logistical lift, especially for offices constantly cycling through short-term staff, though the Committee on House Administration (CHA) can adjust deadlines for those brief stints like internships.

Putting Teeth into Accountability

For the average staffer—the legislative director pulling all-nighters or the scheduler managing a Member’s chaotic calendar—this means a guaranteed, standardized education on their rights. Before this, training could be inconsistent, but now the CHA has only 30 days to establish the rules for this program. This provision ensures that knowledge about how to report misconduct, what constitutes discrimination, and what legal protections exist isn’t optional or dependent on a specific office’s internal policy. It’s a baseline requirement for everyone.

The Administrative Lift and the Fine Print

While this is a clear win for workplace standards, it creates a serious administrative task. The CHA has to design, certify, and track compliance for hundreds of Members and thousands of employees, interns, and fellows—all within a tight deadline. Furthermore, the CHA is specifically tasked with looking into other ways to make sure everyone actually complies with this training rule. This grants the Committee considerable authority to monitor and enforce participation, which is necessary for the rule to have real teeth, but also means the Committee holds the keys to defining the quality and scope of the training itself. The goal is better accountability, but the quality control rests entirely with the CHA’s implementation.