Human Trafficking

Human Trafficking Training

male receptionist at hotel lobby desk looking at computer

FAST FACTS – Where is the training?

DCJS is in the process of developing training. Stay tuned for the access information for the DCJS training course.

DCJS is approving existing training resources. CLICK HERE for the Approved Curriculum Directory from DCJS (scroll to the bottom of the page to access the link to the directory). This is a pdf list with all of the approved existing training courses and the website links (if available).

In the meantime, you can access free existing courses on identifying and reporting human trafficking through existing groups such as:

Summary

House Bill 258 (Hotels; human trafficking training), as adopted by Chapter 751, is an act that directs the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS), under the direction of the Criminal Justice Services Board, to develop an online course to train hotel proprietors and their employees, as defined in § 35.1-15.1 of the Code of Virginia, to recognize and report instances of suspected human trafficking. The act provides that such online course shall be provided at no cost to the hotel proprietors and their employees. The act requires that every hotel proprietor require its employees to complete such human trafficking training course developed by the Department or an alternative online or in-person training course approved by the Department within six months of being employed by a hotel and thereafter at least once every two years, for as long as the employee is employed by the hotel. The act has an effective date of January 1, 2023; VDH will begin enforcing these requirements starting July 1, 2023.

Overnight lodging facilities permitted by VDH

VDH regulates overnight lodging facilities (hotels, motels, inn’s, bed-and-breakfasts) through Title 35.1. Hotels, Restaurants, Summer Camps, and Campgrounds. The new section, § 35.1-15.1, will require training of hotel employees, as defined in the chapter, and this training will be regulated by VDH through Chapter 431. Sanitary Regulations for Hotels.

What’s next?

DCJS will develop an online training course available free of charge to all hotel employees throughout the Commonwealth. DCJS will also provide approval to use existing human trafficking training that is already provided to employees through hotel chains or other organizations. The list of approved curriculums is available at: https://www.dcjs.virginia.gov/human-trafficking/human-trafficking-training-requirements-hotels.

The DCJS Human Trafficking Training Requirements for Hotels webpage is available at: https://www.dcjs.virginia.gov/human-trafficking/human-trafficking-training-requirements-hotels.

Where can I find the training?

DCJS is in the process of developing training. Stay tuned for the access information for the DCJS training course.

DCJS is in the process of approving existing training resources. CLICK HERE for the Approved Curriculum Directory from DCJS.

Do you have an existing training course that you would like approved by DCJS? If so, visit the DCJS Human Trafficking Training Requirements for Hotels webpage for more information.

My staff and I are trained, now what?

Hotel operators will need to provide documentation that the appropriate employees have been trained through an approved training course or curriculum. It will be necessary to provide a list of applicable employees, their employment start date, when they completed the training, and documentation supporting the training completion (certificates, transcripts, etc.). VDH will begin enforcing these requirements starting July 1, 2023 and will be part of the normal routine inspection.

Starting after July 1, 2023, your local VDH health inspector will ask for this information at the next routine inspection. You do not need to forward training documentation to your local health department at this time. 

Additional Resources

For more information on human trafficking, visit: