The Legal Brief

Colorado Passes New Sick Leave Law

July 16, 2020

By: Laura E. Beverage, Mark H. Dellinger, and

On Tuesday July 14, 2020, Colorado enacted an expansive new law regarding paid sick and family leave that will have impacts on employers across the state with both union and nonunion workforces. The law expands upon federal paid sick leave that was part of the early response from Congress to the pandemic. The law expands requirements for employers to offer paid sick leave, and the reasons employees are entitled to take leave during this or any future public health emergency. The law also contains significant enforcement procedures to prevent retaliation against employees for taking leave. All businesses with employees in Colorado need to be aware of this substantial change. A summary of the new law can be found here, and Jackson Kelly is continuously monitoring the enactment of the new law to support our clients in complying appropriately and understanding their new obligations.