Across the U.S., dozens of states and municipalities have enacted mandatory employer-provided paid sick leave laws, which are now in effect or scheduled to go into effect in the coming months (e.g., Arizona, California, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, etc.). 

This update focuses on Colorado.

Colorado recently enacted a ground-breaking paid-sick leave mandate, which will require all Colorado employers to provide three types of paid sick leave: 1) COVID-19 emergency paid sick leave; 2) general paid sick and safe time; and 3) public health emergency paid sick leave.  More recently, the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment has updated its website with clarifying Interpretive Notices & Formal Opinions on the law's various types of paid leave and a required model notice and poster

In summary, Colorado employers with 16 or more employees' have general paid sick and safe time obligations that will take effect on January 1, 2021, and remaining covered employers, i.e., those with 15 or fewer employees, have general paid sick and safe time obligations that will take effect on January 1, 2022.  Employees must accrue at least one hour of general paid sick and safe time for every 30 hours they work (including OT), up to a maximum of 48 hours per year when employment begins. Size is determined nationwide not statewide.  In addition and also effective starting next year, Colorado employers are required to supplement paid sick and safe time up to 80 hours for public health emergency leave.  However, Colorado COVID-19 emergency paid sick leave obligations (extending FFCRA's paid sick provisions to employers with more than 500 employees) went into effect on July 15, 2020. 

But be careful- the devil is in the details (and there are so many more details).

Have questions about Colorado paid sick leave or a different paid sick leave law in a jurisdiction where your business is located?  Don't worry - we are here to help!

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