Colorado
Be in the Know: New Rules on Leave
Starting January 2024, Colorado will require paid medical leave (PML) and paid family leave (PFL) income replacement benefits for eligible workers who need time off from work for qualifying reasons.
Coverage and cost
Learn more about your state rules and eligibility
Covered employers
Any employer with one or more employees during each of 20 or more calendar workweeks in the current or immediately preceding calendar year; or paid wages of $1,500 or more during any calendar quarter in the preceding calendar year.
Excludes federal government. Local government can opt out. Self- employed and local government employees can opt in to the program.
Coverage options
State plan or state-approved private plan.
Cost
0.9% of employee wages up to the annual Social Security maximum wage. The employer and employee contribution amounts for combined PML/PFL is 0.45% of taxable wage base each for a combined 0.9%.
The initiative exempts businesses with fewer than 10 employees nationwide from paying the premium.
Employee eligibility
Employees who have earned $2,500 in wages that were subject to the Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) premiums.
Leave reasons
Caring for a family member, bonding, medical, qualifying exigency, and safe leave.
Job protection
Requires continuation of health insurance benefits, and (if employed at least 180 days before taking leave) reinstatement to previous or equivalent position.
Other protections and provisions
Employee can choose to supplement with earned paid time off.
Intermittent must be permitted in no greater than 1-hour increments, payable once 8 hours accumulated.
Benefits
Employees receive up to 90% of their average weekly wage on a sliding scale. The maximum weekly benefit is 90% of the state average weekly wage. Will be $1,100 in 2024 regardless of the state average weekly wage.
Maximum of 12 weeks Additional 4 weeks for pregnancy or childbirth complications. No waiting period.
Helpful information
Timeline and key dates
- January 1, 2023 contributions for the program began
- January 1, 2024 benefits will become available to employees
How Unum can help
Unum will offer our clients both fully insured and self-insured solutions. We will also offer STD products to provide supplemental coverage that integrates seamlessly with our private plan or the state-run program.
Have questions?
Reach out to our sales team to learn more about Unum’s state PFML and absence management solutions.