2 rules apply together in Colorado. Each is listed with its own source; Juriset does not combine them.
Federal (United States): Family and Medical Leave Act (unpaid). Effective from .
State (Colorado): Healthy Families and Workplaces Act (HFWA) paid sick leave (paid). Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) (paid). Effective from .
Verification: approved by a person (carried over from Juriset's first release).
Programs
Name
Family and Medical Leave Act
Paid
no
Condition
Unpaid, job-protected leave with continuation of group health benefits. Up to 12 workweeks in a 12-month period for qualifying family and medical reasons; up to 26 workweeks in a single 12-month period of military caregiver leave. Covered employers: private-sector employers with 50 or more employees in 20 or more workweeks in the current or previous calendar year; public agencies and local educational agencies regardless of the number of employees. Eligible employees: at least 12 months with the employer, at least 1,250 hours of service in the 12 months before leave, and work at a location where the employer has at least 50 employees within 75 miles. The employer chooses the 12-month period method (29 CFR 825.200(b)).
The FMLA entitles eligible employees of covered employers to take unpaid, job-protected leave for qualifying family and medical reasons and requires continuation of their group health benefits under the same terms and conditions as if the employee had not taken leave. … For eligible employees, up to 12 workweeks of leave in a 12-month period for any of the following qualifying reasons: … An eligible employee who is the spouse, son, daughter, parent, or next of kin of a covered servicemember with a serious injury or illness may take up to 26 workweeks of leave during a single 12-month period to care for the servicemember. … Private-sector employers who employ 50 or more employees in 20 or more workweeks in either the current calendar year or the previous calendar year,
Public agencies (including federal, state, and local government employers), regardless of the number of employees, and … Work for a covered employer for at least 12 months,
Have at least 1,250 hours of service with the employer during the 12 months before their FMLA leave starts, and
Work at a location where the employer has at least 50 employees within 75 miles.
An employer is permitted to choose any one of the following methods for determining the 12-month period in which the 12 weeks of leave entitlement described in paragraph (a) of this section occurs:
(1) The calendar year;
(2) Any fixed 12-month leave year, such as a fiscal year, a year required by State law, or a year starting on an employee's anniversary date;
(3) The 12-month period measured forward from the date any employee's first FMLA leave under paragraph (a) begins; or,
(4) A “rolling” 12-month period measured backward from the date an employee uses any FMLA leave as described in paragraph (a).
Healthy Families and Workplaces Act (HFWA) paid sick leave (paid). Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) (paid).
Version 2 · effective from · verified on
Verification: approved by a person (carried over from Juriset's first release).
Programs
Name
Healthy Families and Workplaces Act (HFWA) paid sick leave
Paid
yes
Condition
Paid leave begins to accrue at the commencement of employment or on January 1, 2021, whichever is later. Accrual of one hour per 30 hours worked, up to a cap of 48 hours per benefit year; an overtime-exempt employee accrues based on normal hours worked up to a maximum of forty per week. Up to 48 hours of accrued unused paid sick leave carries forward to a subsequent year. Unless otherwise established by an employer in a written policy, a 'benefit year' is the calendar year. During a public health emergency, employees have a right to use up to 80 hours of paid sick leave, which the employer must supplement for an employee who lacks enough previously accrued sick leave. Leave is paid at the same rate and with the same benefits as the employee normally earns, excluding overtime premiums, bonuses, or holiday leave pay, and at least the applicable minimum wage.
Funded by
employer
Annual max
48
Leave type
sick
Annual max unit
hours
Accrual hours earned
1
Accrual per hours worked
30
Name
Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI)
Paid
yes
Condition
Benefits are available to an individual who meets the definition of 'covered individual' and has a qualifying condition; an individual meets the $2,500.00 wage threshold if paid that amount of wages during either the base period or alternative base period, from any combination of employers. 'Application year' is a 12-month period measured forward from the date the claim is filed. Benefits to care for a new child are limited to 12 weeks per qualifying condition. An additional four weeks of leave per benefit year for pregnancy or childbirth complications may not exceed four weeks per pregnancy. Neonatal care leave provides up to twelve (12) additional weeks per infant, for absences on or after January 1, 2026. Wage replacement benefit is the monetary weekly benefit amount described at C.R.S. § 8-13.3-506. Leave may be continuous, intermittent, or reduced schedule, in increments of one hour or less.
Upcoming changes
No published changes are waiting to take effect.
Change history
Federal: United States
Version
Effective
Published
Change
Value
3in effect
new
paid_leave in us: version 3, effective 2026-10-24, published (new)
Family and Medical Leave Act (unpaid).
State: Colorado
Version
Effective
Published
Change
Value
2in effect
new
paid_leave in us-co: version 2, effective 2026-07-01, published (new)
Healthy Families and Workplaces Act (HFWA) paid sick leave (paid). Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) (paid).
the Healthy Families and Workplaces Act (HFWA) of 2020, C.R.S. § 8-13.3-401 et seq. … “Paid sick leave” required by HFWA constitutes “wages” under C.R.S. § 8-4-101(14); is covered by the provisions of C.R.S. Title 8, Article 4, and these Rules; is defined as paid time off from work that is provided by an employer for one of the qualifying reasons described in C.R.S. §§ 8-13.3-404 to -406. … Paid leave begins to accrue at the commencement of employment or on January 1, 2021, whichever is later. … For the minimum HFWA accrual rate of one hour of leave for every 30 hours worked, up to cap of 48 hours per benefits year … “up to forty-eight hours of paid sick leave that an employee accrues in a year but does not use carries forward to, and may be used in, a subsequent year.” … Unless otherwise established by an employer in a written policy, a “benefit year” is the calendar year. … During a public health emergency, employees have a right to use up to 80 hours of paid sick leave, that the employer must supplement to an employee who lacks enough previously accrued sick leave.
The general purpose of these rules is to exercise the authority of this Division to enforce and implement the Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Act (C.R.S. § 8-13.3-501 et seq.) with regard to benefits and employer participation. … Employers participating in the state plan must submit accurate wage reports to the Division on the same quarterly schedule as they must submit premiums to the Division … An individual meets the $2,500.00 threshold described at C.R.S. § 8-13.3-503(3)(a)(I) if the individual has been paid that amount of wages during either the individual’s base period, as defined at C.R.S. § 8-70-103(2), or the individual’s alternative base period … Benefits under C.R.S. § 8-13.3-504(2)(a) are limited to 12 weeks per qualifying condition … An additional four weeks of leave per benefit year for leave due to a serious health condition related to pregnancy complications or childbirth complications available under C.R.S. § 8-13.3-505(1) may not exceed four weeks per pregnancy. … provides up to twelve (12) additional weeks of paid family and medical leave benefits to a covered individual who is providing care for their infant receiving inpatient treatment in a neonatal intensive care unit. … Rules 3.1 3, 3.4 1 eff. 07/01/2026.