What employers in Colorado must do

Checked November 9, 2026From the agencies that run each program

Short answer

Employers in Colorado must pay most workers at least $15.16 an hour, rising to $15.71 on January 1, 2027.

Colorado runs a paid leave program, Colorado Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI), funded by a premium of 0.88% of wages in 2026.

Colorado employers covered by Colorado SecureSavings that don’t offer a qualified retirement plan must register by their deadline.

The next employer deadline in Colorado is December 31, 2026: Annual maintenance fees due for employers with approved private plans.

Does your payroll handle Colorado’s programs? See the free state route and the 7 payroll systems with help docs that cover them.

Colorado requirements at a glance

Requirement	Status	What it means for you
Minimum wage	In effect	$15.16 an hour for most workers; $15.71 from January 1, 2027
Paid leave: Colorado FAMLI	In effect	Employers with one or more employees in Colorado: under C.R.S. 8-13.3-503, any employer that has employed at least one person on each working day of 20 or more calendar weeks in the current or prior year, or paid $1,500 or more in wages in any quarter of the prior year. Local governments can decline to participate.
Retirement mandate: Colorado SecureSavings	In effect	Colorado employers with 5 or more employees that have been in business at least 2 years and don’t offer a tax-qualified retirement plan. A business with 5+ employees but less than 2 years old doesn’t have to join until it reaches 2 years in business. Employers with 2 to 4 employees are exempt but may join voluntarily. The program sends each covered employer a notice with an Access Code and a registration deadline.

Paydays: Pay periods can be no longer than one month (or 30 days), and payday must be within 10 days after the pay period ends.
Final paycheck, fired: Immediately. If the payroll office isn’t open, within 6 hours after it next opens (24 hours if payroll is handled off-site).
Final paycheck, quit: By the next regular payday.
Meal breaks: Uninterrupted, duty-free 30-minute meal break when a shift is over 5 hours in a row. If that isn’t practical, the employee may eat on duty, on paid time.
Rest breaks: Paid 10-minute rest break for every 4 hours worked (or most of 4 hours).
Overtime: Time and a half after 40 hours in a week, 12 hours in a day, or 12 hours in a row, whichever pays more.
New hire reporting: Within 20 days of hire, to the Colorado State Directory of New Hires. Service providers must also be reported, since May 2025: independent contractors paid at least the amount set in 26 U.S.C. 6041 (the state form, revised 2026, shows $600 or more), and rideshare or delivery workers using a transportation network company’s digital platform.

From the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment and the U.S. Department of Labor’s state tables, checked November 8, 2026.

October 6, 2026 · Rate announced
Colorado Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) premium drops to 0.86% for 2027
The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) set the 2027 Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) premium at 0.86% of wages, down from 0.88%, split evenly between employer and employee on wages up to $192,300. Employers with fewer than 10 employees still pay only the employee half.
July 1, 2026 · Took effect
Colorado Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) maximum weekly benefit rises to $1,448.02
The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) set the state average weekly wage for Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) benefits at $1,608.91, effective July 1, 2026. That puts the maximum weekly benefit at $1,448.02, or 90% of the state average weekly wage.