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HFWA stands for Healthy Families and Workplaces Act. In2021, all Colorado employers regardless of size were required to comply with the Public Health Emergency Leave. Additionally, Colorado employers with 16 or more employees were required to comply with the Paid Sick Leave requirements effective January 1, 2021. As of January 1, 2022, all Colorado employers must comply with all elements of HFWA.
No CO employers are exempt from HFWA as of January 1, 2022.
1 hour of Paid Sick Leave (PSL) is accrued for every 30worked. Up to 48 hours per year regardless of their employment status (part-time, temporary, seasonal, etc.).
Full-time employees are entitled to up to 80 hours of PHEL. However, those working less than full-time are entitled to two weeks’ worth of leave depending on hours they normally work in a two-week period.
PHEL is always paid out first, then PSL.
Yes, employers may offer more than a statute requires as long as it is consistently offered for the employee’s classification.
Yes, the employer can front load up to 48 hours at the beginning of the year. The advantage is that it relieves the burden of calculating the accrual. However, if the employee uses all of the frontloaded time and quits prior to the allotted time normally required to accrue the leave, the employer cannot recoup this amount.
· A mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition, including diagnosis or preventive care, that prevents them from working;
· Domestic abuse, sexual assault, or criminal harassment requiring them to seek health, relocation, legal, or other services;
· To care for a family member experiencing a condition related to bullets 1 or 2; or
During a PHE, where a public official has closed the employee's workplace, or where the employee's child's school or place of care has been closed.
Any unused accrued leave, up to 48 hours per benefit year, carries forward for use in a later year, but an employer need not allow use or accrual of over 48 hours in any one benefit year.
We hope this HFWA quiz helped sparked conversation and facilitate comprehension of HFWA requirements. For any questions, please reach out to us.
Lighthouse HR Support (LHRS) provides practical human resource information and guidance based upon our knowledge and experience in the industry and with our clients. LHRS services are not intended to be a substitute for legal advice. LHRS services are designed to provide general information to human resources and/or business professionals regarding human resource concerns commonly encountered. Given the changing nature of federal, state and local legislation and the changing nature of court decisions, LHRS cannot and will not guarantee that the information is completely current or accurate. LHRS services do not include or constitute legal, business, international, regulatory, insurance, tax or financial advice. Use of our services, whether by phone, email or in person shall indicate your acceptance of this knowledge.
