Colorado expands paid sick leave

On June 2, Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed legislation that will expand the reasons that employees may take leave under the state’s paid sick leave law.

Effective August 7, 2023, eligible employees may take the paid sick leave for the following additional reasons:

• To grieve, attend funeral services or a memorial, or deal with financial and legal matters that arise after the death of a family member.
• To care for a family member whose school or place of care has been closed due to inclement weather, loss of power, loss of heating, loss of water, or other unexpected occurrence or event that results in the closure of the family member's school or place of care; or
• To evacuate the employee's place of residence due to inclement weather, loss of power, loss of heating, loss of water, or other unexpected occurrence or event that results in the need to evacuate the employee's residence.

Employees may already take the leave for the following reasons:

• The employee has a mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition; needs a medical diagnosis, care, or treatment related to such illness, injury, or condition; or needs to obtain preventive medical care.
• The employee needs to care for a family member who has a mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition; needs a medical diagnosis, care, or treatment related to such illness, injury, or condition; or needs to obtain preventive medical care.
• The employee or family member has been the victim of domestic abuse, sexual assault, or harassment and needs to be absent from work for purposes related to such crime.
• A public official has ordered the closure of the school or place of care of the employee’s child or of the employee’s place of business due to a public health emergency, necessitating the employee’s absence from work.

Key to remember: Employers with employees in Colorado must prepare for additional reasons for the state’s paid sick leave law.