On July 14, Governor Polis signed into law an Act that requires Colorado employers to provide employees with paid sick leave. The Act becomes effective January 1, 2021 for Colorado employers with 16 or more employees and effective January 1, 2022 for all employers. Specific provisions of the law include among other things:
Employees are covered whether they are full-time, part-time, seasonal, or temporary with no waiting period for using accrued paid sick time.
Employer must provide 1 hour for every 30 hours worked capping at 48 hours of paid sick leave per year, with carryover provisions for unused time. In addition, the Act requires employers to provide additional time in the event that a public health emergency is declared.
Circumstances when an employer must allow an employee to use their accrued sick leave.
Employer posting and recordkeeping requirements.
Expansion of the provision of the federal Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act to all employees not otherwise covered by the act.
We recommend employers begin working towards compliance by working with your payroll company to ensure their accrual methods will be compliant, updating your handbook sick policies for compliance, and communicating with employees so they understand the upcoming changes.
Our Client Accounting Services Team is available to assist should you have any questions.