As of January 1, 2022, all Colorado employers must provide a minimum of one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours an employee works, totaling up to 48 hours of paid sick time per year.
The Healthy Families and Workplaces Act
The Healthy Families and Workplaces Act (HFWA) covers most full-time, part-time, and temporary workers. It does not apply to some workers covered by federal law.
If an employee already is eligible for paid time off that can function as sick leave, and which is at least as good as what HFWA mandates, he does not normally receive additional benefits under HFWA.
Eligible uses for sick leave
Under HFWA, paid sick leave is appropriate when an employee:
- Is injured or is physically or mentally ill
- Requires medical care, including preventive care
- Needs to attend to a family member who is ill or requires medical care
- Needs leave to recover from domestic abuse or some other traumatic situations involving herself or another family member
A “family member” can include others outside the legally recognized family, such as those whose health care or safety the employee is responsible for.
Paid sick leave during a public health emergency
Paid sick leave can be appropriate when a public official closes the workplace due to a declared public health emergency or when a declared public health emergency causes the school or care provider of the employee’s child to close.
Provisions in HFWA also specify that during a declared public health emergency, employees can immediately receive additional paid sick time for use in self-isolating, getting medical care, or
taking care of family members.
Employment law may alter provisions to adapt to changing times, and it is important to stay up to date.
