I was recently speaking with another HR professional, and he told me that a bill was passed last year (SB 513, I believe) that now requires employers to keep all training records. Do I need to create records for training that we’ve done in the past, and if so, how far back do I need to go?
There seems to be quite a bit of confusion about what exactly SB 513 is requiring of employers. SB 513 amends California Labor Code Section 1198.5. That code section requires employers to allow employees to review or receive copies of their personnel records upon request.
SB 513, effective January 1, 2026, amends this Labor Code section to explicitly require that employers allow employees to review or copy any education and training records the employer retains as part of their personnel records.
SB 513 does NOT require employers to begin retaining records, nor does it require employers to create training records that do not currently exist. The new law simply states that IF employers have kept training records, then those records must be maintained in a certain prescribed manner, and they must be provided to an employee upon his or her request.
There are certain training records, however, that employers have been required to maintain (for example, sexual harassment and workplace violence). This new law sets forth the way these legally required training records, and any other training or education records the employer retained, must be maintained and what they must include.
For these records, beyond just requiring that the records be included in the employee’s personnel file, SB 513 requires the records to contain the following information:
- Name of the employee.
- Name of the training provider.
- Duration and date of the training.
- Core competencies of the training, including skills in equipment or software.
- The resulting certification or qualification.
Column based on questions asked by callers on the Labor Law Helpline, a service to California Chamber of Commerce preferred members and above. For expert explanations of labor laws and Cal/OSHA regulations, not legal counsel for specific situations, call (800) 348-2262 or submit your question at www.hrcalifornia.com.
