Paid Family Leave for Coloradans
An important new protection makes it a great day to have a family in Colorado, no matter what your family looks like. Colorado’s Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program (FAMLI) went into effect Jan. 1, 2024, meaning Colorado workers no longer have to choose between caring for themselves or their loved ones and earning a paycheck.
12 Weeks of Paid Leave
Approved by Colorado voters in 2020 (See: Proposition 118 Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program), FAMLI provides up to 12 weeks of job-protected, paid leave for Colorado workers who need time off for health and household reasons including to bond with a new child; care for a seriously ill family member; recover from one’s own serious health condition; attend to certain military needs; and to address their own or a family member’s safety due to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.
Extra Paid Leave For Growing Families with Health Challenges
Parents and their partners/families have access to an additional four weeks of paid leave for qualifying pregnancy and childbirth complications.
How FAMLI Is Funded
FAMLI is funded by both Colorado employers and workers who split the cost 50/50 by paying a premium based on 0.9% of a worker’s wages. The state of Colorado began collecting premiums from Colorado worker’s paychecks in January of 2023. Most Colorado workers will see a FAMLI wage deduction on their pay stubs. However, some employers may choose to cover their employees’ portion as an added benefit.
While private employers and local government employers can vote to opt out of the program, all workers are entitled to this protection. Private employers that opt for private plans must provide benefits that are equivalent or more generous than the new state program. Local governments that opt out are not required to have an equivalent paid leave plan in place but must notify their employees who do not receive a family and medical leave benefit of the option to buy into the state plan as an individual.
Who Can Take Paid Leave?
Most Colorado workers who have earned at least $2,500 in wages subject to FAMLI premiums are eligible to take paid leave. Click here for more information about eligibility requirements.
Why FAMLI is a Win for Colorado Women
FAMLI is a transformative policy that can provide immense benefits for all working families in Colorado, but especially for women and caregivers who studies show mainly shoulder the burden of caring for aging parents, children, and themselves.
- McKinsey & Company and LeanIn.org’s 2020 Women in the Workplace study found that caregiving responsibilities are a common reason why female employees cut back at work or leave work entirely.
- CBS reported three million American women left the workforce in 2021, citing an inability to adequately balance caregiving and work responsibilities.
- In 2021, A KFF (formerly Kaiser Health News) survey found one in 10 women caring for a family member prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and one in 10 women gained new caregiving responsibilities as a result of the pandemic.
See CFI’s 2013 Report on why family leave helps provide economic security for Colorado workers
See CFI’s 2020 Fact Sheet on why paid leave benefits all Colorado workers
CFI Fought for FAMLI
The launch of FAMLI marks the culmination of years of advocacy by the Colorado Fiscal Institute, our partners 9to5 Colorado and A Better Balance, and many other dedicated individuals and organizations that fought to ensure the measure addresses the needs of all Colorado workers.
Equitable implementation will require ensuring meaningful access in Colorado workers’ primary language, workers rights protections such as anti-retaliation safeguards, strong standards for employers opting for equivalent or more comprehensive private plans, and accountability throughout the claims, appeal, and investigation process.
We’ll continue to watch carefully to ensure the claims process and rollout of benefits is equitable and accessible to all working families. In particular, the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) and the FAMLI division must ensure access for marginalized workers and sectors that have been historically excluded from benefits like FAMLI, such as domestic, agricultural, and gig economy workers who may face barriers using the new benefit.
One of the most critical pieces will be ensuring workers know their rights and that communities are aware that the program is going into effect.
More Information
- To learn more about FAMLI, eligibility requirements or to apply for benefits, https://famli.colorado.gov/
- To help Colorado workers know their rights about FAMLI, please contact 9to5 Colorado [add link when approved]
- For a worker-focused know your rights training, contact edith@9to5.org.
