Fast Facts About Paid Leave in Colorado

CAP 20 | By Molly Weston Williamson

Colorado workers are ringing in the new year with an important new protection: On January 1, 2024, benefits begin under the state’s paid family and medical leave law. Voters passed Proposition 118 in 2020, making the Centennial State the first—and, so far, the only—state in the country to enact paid family and medical leave benefits by ballot initiative. Colorado joins nine states and Washington, D.C., in providing these benefits; four more states will begin providing benefits in 2026.

Here are the key facts about the law.

What will the law do?

Starting January 1, 2024, Colorado’s law will guarantee workers in the state the right to paid family and medical leave when they cannot work due to serious health or caregiving needs.

Who does the law cover?

The law cover nearly all Colorado employees, including both private sector and state government employees. Local government employees are automatically covered unless the local government opts out; when local governments opt out of coverage, individual local government employees can still elect coverage for cash benefits for themselves. The law covers employees regardless of employer size and includes both full-time and part-time workers. As in most state paid leave programs, self-employed people can voluntarily opt in to coverage…

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