Colorado Employee Handbook

When your company hires employees in Colorado, you are required to comply with federal, state, and local employment laws. There are a variety of human resources and labor policies in the workplace that differ by state. Through your employee handbook, employers can easily document and distribute the correct policies to their employees to comply with the laws of each state.

Creating your Colorado Employee Handbook is a useful way to explain important policies and procedures, mitigate legal risk, and introduce employees to the expectations and operating practices of the organization.

Mosey has compiled the relevant policies a company with employees in Colorado must consider.

Colorado Employee Handbook Policies

There are 14 state and local employee handbook policies in Colorado.

Wage and Hour

Colorado Minimum Wage Policy

The minimum wage in Colorado, effective January 1, 2025, is $14.81 per hour. Employees under 18 who are not emancipated may receive 85% of the minimum wage ($12.59 per hour). If you receive tips, Employer may apply a tip credit of up to $3.02 per hour and will ensure your total earnings meet or exceed $14.81 per hour.

Colorado Rest Break Policy

You are entitled to a 10-minute paid rest break for every four hours worked or major portion thereof. Breaks should be scheduled midway through work periods whenever possible and are fully compensated. You may choose to split a 10-minute break into two 5-minute breaks with written agreement, but skipping breaks must be voluntary and free from any pressure or coercion.

Colorado Lactation Break Policy

You are entitled to reasonable unpaid break time to express breast milk for up to two years after your child’s birth, with the option to use paid breaks if available. Employer will provide a room or other location in close proximity to the work area, other than a toilet stall, where you can express breast milk in privacy. Requests for accommodations will be met unless they impose an undue hardship on the business.

Colorado Overtime Pay Policy

You are entitled to overtime pay for hours worked beyond 12 hours in a workday or 40 hours in a workweek, with overtime rates calculated based on your regular pay, including all forms of compensation such as hourly rates, bonuses, and commissions.

Colorado Meal Break Policy

You are entitled to an uninterrupted, unpaid and duty-free meal period of at least 30 minutes when your shift exceeds five consecutive hours. Meal periods should, whenever possible, occur at least one hour after the start and one hour before the end of the shift.

Vacation, Sick, and Safe Leaves

Colorado Paid Sick Leave Policy

You are eligible to earn one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked, up to a maximum of 48 hours per year. Paid leave may be used as soon as it is accrued for personal or family health needs, issues related to domestic violence, grieving, evacuations, unexpected events, or child care during public health emergencies.

Leaves of Absence

Colorado Volunteer Emergency Responder Leave Policy

You are entitled to take up to 15 working days of job-protected leave per year to serve as a volunteer emergency responder for Civil Air Patrol and other volunteer organizations qualified by Colorado.

Colorado Voting Leave Policy

You are entitled to up to two hours of paid time off to vote if you would not otherwise have sufficient time to vote.

Colorado Military Service Leave Policy

Employees who are members of the Colorado National Guard or U.S. Reserve Forces are entitled to up to three weeks of military leave each calendar year for military training. During this leave, employees may use available paid leave or take unpaid leave if necessary.

If called to active service for state purposes, employees’ reemployment rights and benefits will remain intact.

Colorado Military Family Members Leave Policy

Employer provides eligible employees with up to 12 workweeks of FMLA leave for qualifying exigencies when their family member is on covered active duty or under an impending call to covered active duty. Employer provides eligible employees with up to 26 workweeks of leave during a single 12-month period to care for a covered servicemember with a serious injury or illness.

Colorado Jury Duty Leave Policy

Employees are entitled to job-protected leave to serve as jurors and will receive regular wages of up to $50 per day for the first three days of jury service, unless otherwise agreed upon with Employer. Unless directed otherwise by their manager, employees are expected to return to work after completing jury duty, even if only for a partial day.

Colorado Domestic Violence Leave Policy

You are entitled to up to three days of job-protected leave if you have worked for Employer for at least 12 months and are a victim of domestic abuse, stalking, sexual assault, or a related crime. This leave may be used to seek protection orders, obtain medical or counseling care, secure housing, or attend legal proceedings.

Colorado Family and Medical Leave Policy

You are entitled to up to 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave under Colorado’s Family & Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program. This leave can be taken continuously, intermittently, or on a reduced basis for reasons including caring for a new child, a family member with a serious health condition, your own serious health condition, making arrangements for a family member’s military deployment, or obtaining safe housing and legal assistance due to intimate partner violence, stalking, sexual assault, or sexual abuse.

Privacy

Colorado Social Media Privacy Policy

Generally, Employer is prohibited from accessing your personal social media accounts and will not discipline or terminate an employee for refusing to disclose their social media login information or for denying to provide access to their social media accounts.

Federal Employee Handbook Policies

Regardless of which states you have employees in, there are required federal policies that must be included in your employee handbook. In addition to any state-specific policies, your employee handbook for Colorado should contain the following federal policies.

• Anti-Harassment Policy
• Anti-Sexual Harassment Policy
• Anti-Retaliation Policy
• Equal Employment Opportunity Policy
• Reasonable Accommodation Policy

Handbook Policy Best Practices

In addition to the required federal policies, the following policies are best practices to include in your employee handbook.

• Prohibited Conduct Policy
• Violations Reporting Policy
• Workplace Violence Prevention Policy
• Weapons Policy
• Disciplinary Action Policy
• At-Will Employment
• Federal Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) Policy