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In August 2023, Colorado expanded employees’ rights under Colorado’s paid sick leave law. The new amendments to the Colorado Healthy Families and Workplace Act (“HFWA”), which originally passed in 2022, allows employees additional uses of paid sick leave.

Already, HFWA permitted employees to use paid sick leave for the following reasons:

•  Inability to work due to a mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition;
• To obtain preventive medical care (including vaccination), or medical diagnosis/care/treatment;
• Needs due to domestic abuse, sexual assault or criminal harassment, including medical attention, mental health care or other counseling, legal or other victim services, or relocation;
• To care for a family member who needs the sort of care listed above; or
• The need for leave during a public health emergency when a public official closed the employee’s workplace or the school or place of care of the employee’s child.

Effective August 7, 2023, employees may now also take paid sick leave to:

• Care for a family member whose school or place of care has been closed due to inclement weather, loss of power, loss of heating, loss of water, or any other unexpected occurrence or event that results in the closure of the family member’s school or place of care;
• Grieve, attend funeral services or a memorial, or deal with financial and legal matters that arise after the death of a family member; or
• Evacuate the employee’s place of residence due to inclement weather, loss of power, loss of heating, loss of water, or any other unexpected occurrence or event that results in the need to evacuate the employee’s residence.

Colorado is the most recent state to expand its paid sick leave program. Employers should be sure to regularly check for updates pertaining to sick leave programs and other employment laws in their home state.

Brody and Associates regularly advises management on complying with the latest local, state and federal employment laws.  If we can be of assistance in this area, please contact us at info@brodyandassociates.com or 203.454.0560.