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  • Home
  • About Us
    • GHLA Staff >
      • Hardman Bio
      • Sprouse Bio
    • Contact Us
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    • Premier Allied Membership
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    • Industry Resources >
      • Save Georgia Hotels Grant
      • Ending Human Trafficking Resources >
        • Human Trafficking Prevention Resource Page
        • Human Trafficking Prevention: Free Training
        • Human Trafficking Notice
      • AH&LA Resources
    • Member Directory
    • Members Only
  • Advocacy
    • No Pay No Stay Issues
    • Legislative Tracking Update - 2025/2026
    • Legislative News and Alerts
    • Disaster Relief Resources >
      • Pet Fees and Pet Deposits
  • Buyers' Guide
  • Events
    • Calendar of Events
    • Signature Events
    • Stars of the Lodging Industry Employee Recognition
    • 2024 Stars of the Lodging Industry Albums
    • 2023 Stars of the Lodging Industry Albums
    • GHLA Hospitality Open Golf Tournament
    • Hospitality Leaders Holiday Mingle Reception
    • Stars of the Lodging Industry Awards >
      • 2019 Stars Albums
      • 2019 Stars Celebration
      • 2018 Stars Celebration
      • 2017 Stars Celebration
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Approved Human Trafficking Prevention Training | Georgia Hotel & Lodging Association
Georgia Human Trafficking Prevention Training Act · O.C.G.A. 43-21-16

Approved Human Trafficking Prevention Training

Georgia hotels and short-term rental properties are required to provide annual human trafficking awareness training to covered staff. This page explains who must train, when, and how to meet every requirement under Senate Bill 570 as enacted in the 2026 session.

Effective July 1, 2026
Find an approved training Review the requirements
Who must train
All lodging properties and short-term rentals
How often
Every year. Within 60 days of hire, then annually
First deadline
December 31 of the first full year of employment
The requirement

What Senate Bill 570 requires

The Georgia Human Trafficking Prevention Training Act adds a new Code section governing training, reporting, recordkeeping, and signage for the lodging industry. Here is what covered properties must do.

Codified at O.C.G.A. 43-21-16. Inns are governed by Article 1 of Chapter 21 of Title 43.

Annual awareness training

Covered staff must complete an approved human trafficking awareness training every year. New personnel must finish within 60 days of starting work, and the first year's course must be completed by December 31 of their first full year of employment. Note: Hotel brands may offer approved human trafficking awareness training through internal e-learning platforms that are also designed to satisfy brand standards. Please verify available internal training resources before enrolling in a separate program.

Written reporting procedures

Every owner, operator, or manager must adopt policies and procedures for reporting suspected human trafficking to the National Human Trafficking Hotline or local law enforcement.

Required signage

Properties must post the human trafficking awareness notice required by O.C.G.A. 16-5-47. Local sheriffs and police departments assist in enforcing the posting requirement.

Training records

Keep each employee's training acknowledgment for the length of their employment plus one year. Records must be provided to the Attorney General's office within ten business days of a written request.


Choose one

Approved training options

Covered staff satisfy the requirement by completing any one approved course. Each program below covers the topics the statute requires, including how to recognize the signs of trafficking and how hospitality staff should respond.

Note: Hotel brands may offer approved human trafficking awareness training through internal e-learning platforms that are also designed to satisfy brand standards. Please verify available internal training resources before enrolling in a separate program.

Under O.C.G.A. 43-21-16, the human trafficking awareness training is approved by the Office of the Attorney General in consultation with GHLA, the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, and hosting platforms. The courses below are approved for use by Georgia lodging properties and short-term rentals. Completing any one of them satisfies the annual training requirement.
State resource

Human Trafficking Trainings and Resources

Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC)

Training and resources from Georgia's Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, the state agency named in the Act, through its Human Trafficking Task Force.

Go to training
GHLA

Inhospitable to Human Trafficking

Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking (BEST)

Free, on-demand training already promoted by GHLA. Built specifically for hotel and lodging staff across all roles.

Go to training
Hotels and STVR

No Room for Trafficking

American Hotel & Lodging Association Foundation

The national lodging industry program from GHLA's federal partner, AHLA. Free awareness training for hospitality employees.

Go to training
AAHOA

Human Trafficking Prevention

Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA)

Human trafficking prevention training and resources for hotel owners, offered free to AAHOA members through the association's BEST-sponsored program.

Go to training
Unbound Now

Identifying and Responding to Human Trafficking

Unbound Now · Commercial Lodging and Hospitality

Role-based course for the commercial lodging and hospitality industry, with guidance on recognizing and responding to trafficking.

Go to training
PACT: Hotel Brand Recognized

Hospitality Awareness Training

PACT (Protect All Children from Trafficking)

Online course covering the indicators of trafficking and the role frontline staff play in prevention and reporting.

Go to training
PACT: Hilton, Hyatt, & IHG

Preventing Human Trafficking

PACT (Protect All Children from Trafficking)

Free 30-minute course for hotel owners and operators, developed by PACT with survivor input and global hotel partners Hilton, Hyatt, and IHG. English with Spanish subtitles.

Go to training
PACT: Marriott, ECPAT, Polaris

Recognize the Signs

PACT (Protect All Children from Trafficking)

Free 30-minute PACT course developed with the American Hotel & Lodging Association and Marriott International, covering the signs of trafficking and how hotel staff should respond.

Go to training
Required brand training not listed? If your hotel brand mandates a specific human trafficking awareness training that does not appear above, email [email protected] to have it reviewed for approval.

When training is due

Training deadlines

Georgia requires training on an annual cycle. Note this differs from some neighboring states: every covered person must repeat the training each year, not every two years.

1

Within 60 days of hire

New lodging properties and short-term rentals complete an approved course within 60 days of beginning work.

2

By December 31

The first year's training must be completed by December 31 during the employee's first full year of employment.

3

Every year after

Covered staff repeat an approved training annually for as long as they remain employed in a covered role.

Already trained recently? The annual requirement does not apply to a covered person who completed a qualifying human trafficking awareness training within the 12 months before July 1, 2026 and provides a record of completion to the owner, operator, or manager. Their next training follows the regular annual cycle.
Need help

GHLA is here to support members

As an industry uniquely positioned to recognize and report human trafficking, Georgia's lodging community plays a critical role in keeping properties and communities safe. GHLA members can reach our team with questions about training options, signage, recordkeeping, and how the requirements apply to their properties.

Penalties under the Act are administered by the Office of the Attorney General. For questions about meeting the requirements at your property, contact GHLA Government Affairs.

Report suspected human trafficking
National Human Trafficking Hotline · 1-888-373-7888
Georgia Human Trafficking Hotline · (866) 363-4842
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