Colorado Worker Rights
Colorado has strong wage protections: daily overtime, paid rest breaks, paid sick leave, a state paid family leave program, and criminal penalties for wage theft.
- Colorado
Pay
- Minimum wage: above the federal rate and adjusted every January. Denver and some other cities set higher local rates.
- Overtime: 1.5x over 40 hours a week, over 12 hours in a workday, or over 12 consecutive hours.
- Final pay: immediately if you’re fired; by the next regular payday if you quit.
- Pay transparency: the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act requires pay ranges in job postings.
Breaks and leave
- Breaks: a paid 10-minute rest break for every 4 hours worked, and a 30-minute meal period for shifts over 5 hours.
- Paid sick leave: 1 hour for every 30 hours worked, up to 48 hours a year.
- FAMLI: a state program that pays partial wages for family and medical leave.
Unions and right-to-work
Colorado is not a right-to-work state, so a union contract can require covered workers to pay at least a fee for representation. Private-sector workers have the right to organize under federal law. See Your Right to Organize.
Where to file
- Unpaid wages and overtime: Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, Division of Labor Standards and Statistics.
- Discrimination and harassment: Colorado Civil Rights Division, or the U.S. EEOC.
- Safety: Federal OSHA covers private employers. See Federal OSHA States.
- Work injuries: report the injury to your employer right away, in writing, and follow up with Colorado’s workers’ compensation agency. See Workers’ Compensation.
Check current rules: this is a summary. Wage rates and labor laws change often, usually on January 1 or July 1, and cities and counties can add their own rules. Confirm details with the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment before acting. Federal protections apply too. See Where to Get Help.
Standards & references
Last updated: