These trainings are available through the Washington State Learning Center.

Non-agency public sector and higher education employees, who don't have a Learning Center license, must get one to register for a class. 

• Learn how to register for a class.

Required training

DES provides this page as a resource to help agencies identify training that may be required by RCWs, WACs, Governor's Executive Orders, or other state directives. Unless a specific course is named in the governing authority, each agency is responsible for determining which training best meets the requirement for their employees and operations.

For questions about how a requirement applies to your agency, timelines for existing employees to complete trainings, which course satisfies an obligation, or how compliance is measured, please consult your agency's HR department, compliance officer, or designated policy lead.

Recruitment and hiring 

Required training for state employees participating in recruitment and hiring.

Recognizing and mitigating bias in hiring (initial)

Guidance:	Executive Order 12-02, State HR Directive 20-02, Executive Order 24-04
Who:	All employees who are participating in the hiring process
Frequency:	Once
Class Availability:	eLearning for Recognizing and mitigating bias in hiring

Reducing bias and noise with a competency-based approach (annual)

Guidance:	Executive Order 24-04, Executive Order 12-02, State HR Directive 20-02
Who:	All employees who are participating in the hiring process
Frequency:	Annually
Class Availability:	Class dates for Reducing bias and noise with a competency-based approach or eLearning for Reducing bias and noise with a competency-based approach annual refresher. According to Executive Order 24-04, the Department of Enterprise Services (DES) must approve any training content developed by other agencies.

All employees

Required training for all state employees.

Accessibility

Guidance:	Executive Order 24-05
Who:	Executive Order 24-05 requires that all staff be trained to create accessible documents and forms within six (6) months of employment (effective immediately for new employees). Agencies must ensure that all employees who create, edit, publish, or distribute documents, forms, or digital content complete document accessibility training.
Frequency:	Within six months of appointment
Course options:	Required training per Executive Order - eLearning WA State Microsoft Word Accessibility WA State Microsoft Excel Accessibility – in development WA State Microsoft PowerPoint Accessibility – in development WA State Microsoft Outlook Accessibility – in development WA State Foundations for Disability Inclusive Leadership WA State Reasonable Accommodation for Supervisors

Artificial intelligence (AI) use

Guidance:	Executive Order 24-01 and Artificial Intelligence Resources (WaTech)
Who:	All employees
Frequency:	Agency discretion
Class Availability:	Contact your agency training manager for training assignment

Customer service

Guidance:	Executive Order 03-01
Who:	All employees
Frequency:	Once
Class Availability	Class dates for Customer service

Diversity, equity, inclusion

Guidance:	Executive Order 22-02 and State HR directive 23-01
Who:	All employees
Frequency:	Once
Class Availability	Employees will be prompted to take the training when they are assigned to the training. Learn more about this training.

Information technology security training

Guidance:	RCW 43.105.225 and WaTech Privacy and Data Protection Policy
Who:	All employees
Frequency:	Annual
Class Availability:	eLearning course within the Learning Center

Privacy basics for Washington state agency employees

Guidance:	RCW 43.105.225, WaTech Privacy and Data Protection Policy
Who:	All employees
Frequency:	Within 30 days of employment and annual thereafter
Class Availability:	Contact your agency training manager for training assignment

Quality management

Guidance:	RCW 43.17.385
Who:	All appropriate employees, based on their agency's policy
Frequency:	Agency discretion
Class Availability:	Instructor-led Strategic Quality Management

Sexual harassment prevention

Guidance:	WAC 357-34-100, WAC 357-34-115 and OFM DES Guidelines for Sexual Harassment Prevention Training
Who:	All employees
Frequency:	Within six months of appointment and then every five years
Class Availability:	Class dates or eLearning sexual harassment prevention training

Violence in the workplace

Guidance:	Executive Order 96-05
Who:	All employees
Frequency:	Once
Class Availability:	Class dates for violence in the workplace training or Class dates for domestic violence in the workplace training

Supervisors and managers

Required training for supervisors and managers.

Accessibility

Guidance:	Executive Order 24-05
Who:	While this training is required for supervisors and managers, employees in non-supervisory roles are strongly encouraged to complete the annual training. New supervisors and managers complete both courses within six (6) months of appointment to a supervisory role.
Frequency:	Annual
Course options:	WA State Foundations for Disability Inclusive Leadership WA State Reasonable Accommodation for Supervisors

Domestic violence in the workplace prevention

Guidance:	Executive Order 96-05
Who:	All supervisors and managers
Frequency:	Agency discretion
Class Availability:	Preventing Workplace Violence for Supervisors eLearning (statewide foundational training; agencies must supplement with their own domestic violence policy, agency-specific resources, and reporting procedures to fully meet EO 96-05)

Leadership development

Guidance:	WAC 357-34-065, WAC 357-34-055, and WAC 357-34-070
Who:	All supervisors and managers appointed to a permanent position within the last six months
Frequency:	Once
Class Availability:	Leadership development class list

OFM HRMS basics

Guidance:	RCW 43.41.113 and RCW 41.07.020
Who:	All HRMS professional users
Frequency:	Once
Class Availability:	eLearning for OFM HRMS basics

Performance management

Guidance:	WAC 357-58-385
Who:	All WMS employees
Frequency:	Once
Class Availability:	eLearnings (both required): Performance Plans and Reviews and Resolving Performance Issues

Sexual harassment prevention for supervisors and managers

Guidance:	WAC 357-34-105 and OFM DES Guidelines for Sexual Harassment Prevention Training
Who:	All supervisors and managers
Frequency:	Within six months of appointment and then every three years
Class Availability:	Class dates for sexual harassment prevention training for supervisors and managers or eLearning sexual harassment prevention training for supervisors and managers

Select Washington state employees

Required training for select Washington state employees.

Bloodborne pathogens

Guidance:	WAC 296-823-100
Who:	All employees who have occupational exposure
Frequency:	Once
Class Availability:	Agency determined and provided

Computer software piracy

Guidance:	Executive Order 00-02
Who:	All appropriate employees
Frequency:	Once
Class Availability:	Agency determined and provided

Contract management for contract monitors and managers

Guidance:	RCW 39.26.110
Who:	All employees who do post award work only
Frequency:	Once
Class Availability:	Multiple required classes accessible through the DES Procurement and Contract Training Website

Contract management for contract and procurement professionals

Guidance:	RCW 39.26.110
Who:	All employees who do pre-award and post-award work as a primary part of their job
Frequency:	Once
Class Availability:	Multiple required classes accessible through the DES Procurement and Contract Training Website

Customer experience

Guidance:	Executive Order 25-06
Who:	All appropriate employees, based on their agency's policy
Frequency:	Agency discretion
Course options:	Instructor-led Beyond Customer Service: Crafting Experiences That Stick Customer Experience Prototyping and Usability Testing Customer Experience Research for Government Leaders Customer Experience Research: Strategy, Execution, and Insight Sharing Customer Experience Research-Based Solutioning Customer Personas and Journey Maps Foundations of Human-Centered Design and Customer Experience Leading with a Human-Centered Design Approach Planning and Managing a Human-Centered Design Project

Government to government

Guidance:	Executive Order 25-10
Who:	Agency heads, Governor's policy advisors, and executive leadership team members (required); all appropriate cabinet agency employees, based on their agency's policy
Frequency:	Agency discretion
Class Availability:	Class dates for government to government training

New employee orientation

Guidance:	WAC 200-600-015
Who:	All new Employees
Frequency:	Once
Class Availability:	Agency determined and provided

Office safety

Guidance:	WAC 296-800-14020
Who:	All occupational safety and health employees
Frequency:	Prior to their job assignment
Class Availability:	Agency determined and provided

OFM HRMS basics

Guidance:	RCW 43.41.113 and RCW 41.07.020
Who:	All HRMS professional users
Frequency:	Once
Class Availability:	eLearning for OFM HRMS basics training

Plain language writing and design

Guidance:	Executive Order 23-02
Who:	All appropriate employees based on their agency's policy
Frequency:	Agency discretion
Class Availability:	Class dates for plain language writing and design training or plain language writing and design eLearning
Additional Resources:	Visit the communications category for additional classes that support Plain Language

Recommended training

All state employees

Recommended training for all state employees:

Essential ethics

Guidance:	RCW 42.52.365
Who:	All employees
Frequency:	Once every three years
Class Availability:	Class dates for essential ethics training and also essential ethics eLearning training

First aid

Guidance:	U.S. Dept. of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Who:	Determined by agency
Frequency:	Agency discretion or whenever first aid or CPR certificate expires
Class Availability:	Class dates for first aid training