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Colorado paid sick leave law

The short answer

Colorado Healthy Families and Workplaces Act (HFWA): employees accrue at least one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. (Colorado General Assembly, SB20-205 (Healthy Families and Workplaces Act) bill summary) Employees accrue up to 48 hours of HFWA paid sick leave per year (employers may provide more). (Colorado General Assembly, SB20-205 (Healthy Families and Workplaces Act) bill summary) HFWA paid sick leave began to accrue on January 1, 2021 for employers with 16 or more employees, and has applied to all employers since January 1, 2022. (Colorado General Assembly, SB20-205 (Healthy Families and Workplaces Act) bill summary)

Last verified Sep 24, 2026 · How we verify every rule

General information, not legal advice. This page is for general information only and isn’t legal, financial or tax advice. Laws vary by state and change; check the official source or talk to a qualified professional about your situation. Every rule on this page links to its official source.

Do you have to give paid sick leave?Yes, statewideVerified Sep 24, 2026 · 2 official sources

  • Accrual: Colorado Healthy Families and Workplaces Act (HFWA): employees accrue at least one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. (Colorado General Assembly, SB20-205 (Healthy Families and Workplaces Act) bill summary)

    “Starting January 1, 2021, for employers with 16 or more employees, and starting January 1, 2022, for all employers, the act requires employers to provide paid sick leave to their employees, accrued at one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to a maximum of 48 hours per year.”

    Colorado General Assembly, SB20-205 (Healthy Families and Workplaces Act) bill summary · leg.colorado.gov

    “For the minimum HFWA accrual rate of one hour of leave for every 30 hours worked, up to cap of 48 hours per benefits year (C.R.S. § 8-13.3-403(2)(a)),”

    7 CCR 1103-7, Rule 3.5.1 (Colorado Wage Protection Rules, effective February 1, 2026) · coloradosos.gov

    leg.colorado.gov · coloradosos.gov · verified Sep 24, 2026 · 2 official sources

  • Annual cap: Employees accrue up to 48 hours of HFWA paid sick leave per year (employers may provide more). (Colorado General Assembly, SB20-205 (Healthy Families and Workplaces Act) bill summary)

    “Starting January 1, 2021, for employers with 16 or more employees, and starting January 1, 2022, for all employers, the act requires employers to provide paid sick leave to their employees, accrued at one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to a maximum of 48 hours per year.”

    Colorado General Assembly, SB20-205 (Healthy Families and Workplaces Act) bill summary · leg.colorado.gov

    “For the minimum HFWA accrual rate of one hour of leave for every 30 hours worked, up to cap of 48 hours per benefits year (C.R.S. § 8-13.3-403(2)(a)),”

    7 CCR 1103-7, Rule 3.5.1 (Colorado Wage Protection Rules, effective February 1, 2026) · coloradosos.gov

    leg.colorado.gov · coloradosos.gov · verified Sep 24, 2026 · 2 official sources

  • Effective date: HFWA paid sick leave began to accrue on January 1, 2021 for employers with 16 or more employees, and has applied to all employers since January 1, 2022. (Colorado General Assembly, SB20-205 (Healthy Families and Workplaces Act) bill summary)

    “Starting January 1, 2021, for employers with 16 or more employees, and starting January 1, 2022, for all employers, the act requires employers to provide paid sick leave to their employees, accrued at one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to a maximum of 48 hours per year.”

    Colorado General Assembly, SB20-205 (Healthy Families and Workplaces Act) bill summary · leg.colorado.gov

    “3.5.1 Accrual of HFWA leave. Paid leave begins to accrue at the commencement of employment or on January 1, 2021, whichever is later.”

    7 CCR 1103-7, Rule 3.5.1 (Colorado Wage Protection Rules, effective February 1, 2026) · coloradosos.gov

    leg.colorado.gov · coloradosos.gov · verified Sep 24, 2026 · 2 official sources

What it means for an employer

  1. Put your sick leave policy in writing: accrual rate, yearly cap, carryover and how to request leave.
  2. Track accrued and used hours for each employee in payroll.
  3. Check the verified rules above for the employer size and employees covered.

The federal default

“There is currently no federal law guaranteeing access to paid sick leave, although many states and localities have passed paid sick leave laws.”

U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau: Paid leave · dol.gov

State rules can add to the federal default. The Colorado rules above are the ones we verified; for anything not covered, ask the state labor office.

Paid sick leave: Colorado and its neighbors

StatePaid sick leave
ColoradoYes, statewide
WyomingNot verified
NebraskaNot verified
KansasNot verified
OklahomaNot verified
New MexicoYes, statewide
ArizonaYes, statewide
UtahNot verified

Only verified rules are shown. "Not verified" means we have not checked that state's rule yet; open its rulebook for the official source.

Colorado employer rulebookEvery verified rule for the statePaid sick leave laws by stateOne row per state, with sources

Questions about Colorado paid sick leave law

Do you have to give paid sick leave in Colorado?

Accrual: Colorado Healthy Families and Workplaces Act (HFWA): employees accrue at least one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. (Colorado General Assembly, SB20-205 (Healthy Families and Workplaces Act) bill summary) Annual cap: Employees accrue up to 48 hours of HFWA paid sick leave per year (employers may provide more). (Colorado General Assembly, SB20-205 (Healthy Families and Workplaces Act) bill summary) Effective date: HFWA paid sick leave began to accrue on January 1, 2021 for employers with 16 or more employees, and has applied to all employers since January 1, 2022. (Colorado General Assembly, SB20-205 (Healthy Families and Workplaces Act) bill summary)

Sources (3)

Checked Sep 24, 2026 · How we verify every rule · Report an error