Today, the California Civil Rights Department is launching a first-of-its-kind statewide pilot program to help businesses that opt-in to respond to hate and discrimination. Resources to be provided by the department include training on state civil rights protections at businesses, bystander intervention, technical support, and sexual harassment prevention.
Launched as a result of the passage of Assembly Bill 2448, “Welcome In” is one of several initiatives created in direct response to reported increases in hate and discrimination in California and across the country in recent years.
According to the Welcome In website, businesses are eligible to participate by meeting several criteria, like adopting legal training for employees on discrimination and posting public signs informing the public of their right to be free from harassment and how to report it. It also requires businesses to host or participate in at least three community engagement events.
In addition to training materials and resources, businesses that fulfill the criteria will be recognized by the department with a certificate and public recognition on a department database.
New data from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research shows that roughly a third of Californians who experienced hate were targeted while at a business. That’s out of an estimated 2.6 million Californians – 8% of the state – who reported directly experiencing at least one act of hate between 2022 and 2023, according to the same study. An estimated 5 million Californians (15%) witnessed at least one act of hate within the same time frame.
Other common locations for hate incidents reported by adults aside from businesses (34%) were the street or sidewalk (45%), and at home (23%). For youth between 12 and 17 years old, some of the most common locations were at school (80%) and online (24%). The groups who most frequently experience hate are Black (16%), Native American (13%), and Asian (9%).
Due to these numbers, and the fact that a significant amount of cases occur inside businesses, the Welcome In program specifically rewards businesses for demonstrating compliance with Section 51 of the California Civil Code, known as the Unruh Civil Rights Act.
The 1959 law prohibits California businesses from discriminating against anybody in California’s jurisdiction for any reason: sex, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, age, disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, citizenship, primary language, or immigration status. It applies within every type of business.
The program will be evaluated for its effectiveness in preventing harassment or discrimination by January 1, 2028, after which the pilot will end unless extended by the State Legislature
Businesses across California can now apply here to participate in the pilot program at any time.
