State-by-State Legal Deep Dives: What HR Needs to Know in 2025

Workplace compliance laws are no longer a one-size-fits-all checklist. They’re a moving target—shaped by evolving legislation, political climates, and public demand for safer, more equitable work environments.

For HR professionals managing multi-state workforces (or even just staying compliant in one), it’s critical to understand how state-level mandates differ—and how those differences impact your training strategy, documentation practices, and liability exposure.

That’s why we created the WILL Interactive State-by-State Legal Deep Dives—a growing resource built to simplify the complexity.

Here’s how to use these deep dives to your advantage—and why they matter more than ever in 2025.

Why State-Level Compliance Is So Complex (and So Important)

In today’s regulatory landscape, state laws often go further than federal mandates, particularly when it comes to:

Sexual harassment prevention
Workplace violence training
Inclusion and anti-bias education
Supervisor-specific requirements
Training frequency, delivery, and documentation

The penalties for missing these requirements aren’t just legal—they’re cultural. A compliance lapse can damage employee trust, erode morale, and leave your organization vulnerable to lawsuits or public backlash.

What Our Legal Deep Dives Cover

Our State-by-State Legal Deep Dives are tailored to help you understand exactly what’s expected—no guesswork required. Each guide includes:

Current mandates – What’s required for employers today, based on the latest state laws.
Training breakdowns – Who must be trained, how often, and what content must be covered.
Unique state nuances – From mandatory documentation to laws that apply differently to supervisors or remote employees.
Upcoming changes – A heads-up on pending legislation that could impact your policies or programs.
Actionable next steps – What you need to do today to stay compliant tomorrow.

States That Go Beyond the Basics

Here are just a few examples of what you’ll find in our deep dives:

California – Interactive training required for all employees in companies with 5+ staff, including seasonal workers. Training must be repeated every 2 years.

New York – Annual, interactive harassment training for all employees—with unique requirements for complaint forms and internal procedures.

Illinois – Statewide mandates plus industry-specific rules for bars and restaurants.

Connecticut – Mandatory two-hour harassment training for nearly all workers, including deadlines for new hires and periodic refreshers.

Maine – Early adopter of compliance laws with rules that remain strict, especially for recordkeeping.

Delaware – Supervisor training requirements within six months of promotion, plus re-training every two years.

And that’s just the start. More states are proposing new legislation this year—and WILL’s compliance team is already tracking them.

Built-In Compliance. Real Behavior Change.

Knowing the law is one thing. Embedding it into your workplace culture is another.

That’s where WILL Interactive’s scenario-based training sets itself apart. Every module is designed to:

Bring state laws to life with realistic, immersive simulations
Build confidence in how to respond to workplace situations
Go beyond “check-the-box” learning to drive behavior change

Whether you’re preparing for California’s SB 1343, New York’s annual harassment law, or anything in between, WILL’s training meets compliance standards and resonates with your employees.