Colorado’s Healthy Families and Workplaces Act (HFWA) requires all employers to provide paid sick leave so employees can care for themselves or their families without losing income or job protection. It applies to nearly every worker in Colorado and sets clear standards for accrual, usage, and employer responsibility.
Quick Facts:
Accrual: 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked
Maximum: 48 hours per year (carryover allowed up to 48)
Applies to: All Colorado employers, regardless of size
Effective since: January 1, 2022
Law: Colorado Healthy Families and Workplaces Act (HFWA)
Colorado’s Healthy Families and Workplaces Act (HFWA) gives employees the right to earn paid sick leave, and it applies to nearly every employer in the state. The goal of this law is simple: to protect workers when they need time away for illness, caregiving, or safety reasons while setting clear expectations for employers.
Here’s what employers and employees should know about how HFWA works.
Who’s Covered
Since January 1, 2022, all employers with at least one employee in Colorado must comply with HFWA. This includes full-time, part-time, and temporary employees, regardless of company size.
Independent contractors are not covered.
If an employee leaves and is rehired within six months, any unused, previously accrued sick leave must be reinstated.
How Sick Leave Accrues
- Employees earn 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked.
- Employers must allow up to 48 hours per year to accrue, unless they choose to offer more.
- Frontloading the full 48 hours at the beginning of the year is allowed if it meets or exceeds the accrual requirement.
- Carryover is required, but employers only need to allow up to 48 hours of use in a single year.
When Sick Leave Can Be Used
HFWA allows employees to use paid sick leave for a wide range of situations.
Qualifying reasons include:
- An employee’s own illness, injury, or medical appointment.
- Caring for a family member with a health condition or preventive care needs.
- Seeking support or safety related to domestic abuse, sexual assault, or harassment.
- A workplace or child’s school closure due to a declared public health emergency.
Expanded qualifying reasons (effective August 7, 2023):
- Bereavement, including attending a funeral or managing related affairs.
- Childcare or school closures caused by weather or utility outages.
- Evacuation from an unsafe home due to weather or loss of heat, power, or water.
These additions mean employees can use leave not only for illness, but also for certain emergencies that disrupt daily life.
Pay, Documentation, and Protection
- Rate of pay: Leave must be paid at the employee’s regular hourly rate (excluding overtime, bonuses, or premiums).
- Documentation: Employers may request reasonable documentation only after an absence of four or more consecutive workdays.
- Job protection: Employees cannot be disciplined, terminated, or retaliated against for using accrued sick leave.
- Payouts: Unused sick leave doesn’t need to be paid when employment ends, but if the employee returns within six months, the unused balance must be reinstated.
Employer Responsibilities
To stay compliant, employers should:
- Update policies and handbooks to reflect HFWA accrual and qualifying uses.
- Post the required employee rights notice at worksites or share it electronically for remote teams.
- Keep accurate records of hours worked, leave accrued, and leave used for at least two years.
- Train supervisors to handle requests consistently and without retaliation.
- Review existing PTO policies—if they already meet or exceed HFWA requirements, you may not need a separate sick leave policy.
Why Awareness Matters
For many employees, HFWA offers their first access to job-protected paid time off. For employers, it means establishing consistent processes and ensuring accurate recordkeeping.
HFWA is designed for short-term absences such as doctor visits, minor illnesses, or temporary closures. It is separate from longer-term leave programs such as Colorado’s Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) or the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
LeaveAssist: A Resource for All Things Leave
At LeaveAssist, our focus is on helping employers manage extended and complex leaves of absence, such as those covered by FMLA or Colorado FAMLI.
While HFWA typically applies to short-term situations that can be managed internally, we believe employers benefit from having a trusted source for clear and compliant leave information.
Our blog is designed to be that resource—a reliable guide for understanding leave laws in Colorado and beyond.
If your organization needs help managing extended leaves, coordinating FMLA and FAMLI, or improving your leave communication process, reach out to us to learn how LeaveAssist can support your team.