We’re reaching out with an update and reminder on some updates to Colorado employment law that do or will affect you and that are significantly different from existing law:
1. Firstly, and newly, proposition 118, which allows for 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave funded through a payroll tax paid by employers and employees has been approved. An additional four weeks of leave are allowed for pregnancy or childbirth complications. The first premiums will be paid beginning on January 1, 2023, and benefits will begin to be available on January 1, 2024. Under Proposition 118, employers cannot take disciplinary or retaliatory actions against employees for requesting or using paid leave. During the next two years, prior to the beginning of the premium payments, we will update you on this mandate which affects employers with 10 or more employees. We will need to hear more from the CO DOL prior to changing any policies or reaching out to employees regarding their rights or any applicable waiting periods.
2. A reminder – Colorado employers can no longer ask prospective employees about their criminal history. The state’s “ban the box” legislation, went into effect September of 2019 for employers with 11 or more workers. Come September 2021, it will apply to all businesses in Colorado. This law prohibits a checkbox on employment applications that ask applicants to reveal whether they have been convicted of a felony. Dubbed the “Colorado Chance to Compete Act,” the bill also bans employers from stating in job postings that people with a criminal history can’t apply. As of Sept. 1, the law applies to companies with 11 or more workers.
3. Equal pay for Equal Work Act:
Starting January 1, 2021, Colorado’s Equal Pay for Equal Work Act (SB 19-085) will prohibit all employers from discriminating because of sex (including gender identity) — alone or with another protected status — by paying less for substantially similar work in terms of skill, effort and responsibility. Every employer with any employees in the state will have to comply with the law.
Highlights of the Act
The law aims to increase pay equity and transparency, imposes new notice and recordkeeping requirements, and encourages companies to regularly self-audit their compensation practices. Employees are protected against sex-based pay discrimination for work requiring similar skill, effort and responsibility. The law permits pay differences arising from:
A seniority system
A merit system
A system that measures earnings by quantity or quality of production
The geographic location where the work is performed
Education, training, or experience reasonably related to the work
Travel that is a regular and necessary condition of the job
Employers can’t prevent employees from discussing their own compensation information with other employees or require employees to sign a waiver preventing them from discussing their compensation.
The law also prohibits employers from asking about job candidates’ wage history or relying on wage history to determine a wage rate. Employers can’t discriminate or retaliate against a prospective employee for failing to disclose wage history.
Job-Posting Notices and Recordkeeping:
New notice requirements will help current and prospective employees learn about job opportunities:
Employers will have to make reasonable efforts to “announce, post, or make known all opportunities for promotion” to all current employees on the same calendar day.
Each job-vacancy posting will have to disclose the hourly wage or salary, or the hourly wage or salary range, along with a general description of all benefits and other compensation offered.
Employees can report posting violations to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment within one year of learning of the violation.
Employers must keep records of job descriptions and wage history for each employee while employed and for two years after termination.
4. COMPS 36 will now reach almost all private employers in Colorado. Minimum guaranteed salary for exempt persons as of 1/1/2021 will be $40,500. You must either increase salary or change to non-exempt for applicable employees who are earning less than this amount.
The COMPS order also mandates that if a non-exempt employee is not authorized and permitted to take a 10-minute rest period as required under the Order, his or her employer must pay an additional 10 minutes of wages for each missed rest period. Two 5 minute breaks are permissible in lieu of the 10 minute breaks if they are actual breaks. This rule doesn’t apply to exempt employees.
5. Healthy Family and Workplaces Act:
All employers in Colorado with 16 or more employees, effective 1/1/2021, must offer paid sick leave pursuant to the following provisions:
All employees are eligible for sick leave. Employees who work less than part time including temporary or seasonal employees accrue .033 hours of sick leave for every hour worked.
Employees are allowed to use accrued sick leave when:
The employee or employee’s family member:
Has a mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition that prevents the employee from working
Seeks a doctor’s care or diagnosis
Needs to obtain preventative medical care
Seeks medical attention, victim services, mental health services, or legal services as a result of domestic abuse, sexual harassment, or harassment.
If a public official has ordered school or business closures due to a public health emergency
Documentation may be required if leave is four or more consecutive work days. Sick requests may be made in whatever manner is reasonable for the employee.
Employees may use sick leave in hourly increments.
A copy of the act in its entirety follows:
https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/2020a_205_signed.pdf
If you have 16 or more employees, we emailed you about this the end of August with the updated version of your handbook to comply with the new law, and are updating our system to flip the switch on 1/1/2021 to ensure your PTO tables are also in compliance. If we did not reach out to you it is because you had less than 16 employees in 2020, but you will be subject to the act as of 1/1/2022 (when it applies to all Colorado employers). You will hear from us near August of 2021 if you are an employer with less than 16 employees regarding the updates.
We realize these are a lot of significant changes. We are here to support and educate, so please don’t hesitate to reach out with your questions. We are thinking of you and hope you are staying safe and healthy.
IRS announces 2021 FSA Max
The IRS will not be increasing the maximum amount that can be contributed to a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) in 2021. The $2,750 max in 2020 will remain $2,750 in 2021. InTANDEM HR observes a “run off” period to enable participants to use remaining funds for two and a half-months following the end of the plan year. Look to use up your funds soon to avoid losing any available money!
DOL issues FFCRA Revisions
The DOL has instituted revisions to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). These revisions take effect September 16, 2020.
The revisions clarify workers’ rights and employers’ responsibilities under the FFCRA’s paid leave provisions.
Specifically, he revisions:
Reaffirm and provide additional explanation for the requirement that employees may take FFCRA leave only if work would otherwise be available to them.
Reaffirm and provide additional explanation for the requirement that an employee have employer approval to take FFCRA leave intermittently.
Revise the definition of “healthcare provider” to include only employees who meet the definition of that term under the Family and Medical Leave Act regulations or who are employed to provide diagnostic services, preventative services, treatment services or other services that are integrated with and necessary to the provision of patient care which, if not provided, would adversely impact patient care.
Clarify that employees must provide required documentation supporting their need for FFCRA leave to their employers as soon as practicable.
Correct an inconsistency regarding when employees may be required to provide notice of a need to take expanded family and medical leave to their employers.
The changes can be found in detail at:
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/09/16/2020-20351/paid-leave-under-the-families-first-coronavirus-response-act
Mask Mandate continued 30 more days
On September 12, Colorado Governor Jared Polis extended the statewide mask order through at least October 12, 2020. The mask order is being enforced. All employers must comply, and are being fined for each individual within a worksite who is not wearing a mask regardless of distancing indoors.
Excluded are:
People who are 10 years old and younger.
People who cannot medically tolerate a face covering.
We will update you if there are changes. Until then, please mask up!
Colorado Mask mandate remains in effect until at least September 14, 2020
Reminder, according to covid19.colorado.gov/:
Is it ever OK to remove my mask at work?
What if I’m alone in my office with the door closed?
If you are the only person in a room with the door closed, then you may remove your mask. If someone else enters the room, please put your mask back on. You must wear a mask in common areas like hallways, elevators, or breakrooms.
Sitting at my cubicle spaced 6 feet away from my closest neighbor?
You must wear a mask in any shared, indoor space that accommodates people outside your household. This includes spaces divided by physically distanced cubicles. We require masks in such settings because Colorado has recently experienced outbreaks in indoor, office-based settings. We continue to encourage employers to prioritize work from home.
In the elevator? Break room? Hallway?
You must wear a mask in common areas like hallways, elevators, or breakrooms. If a common space is used for consuming meals (i.e., break rooms), follow restaurant guidance for that setting.
Payroll Tax Delay Memorandum
On Saturday, the President issued an executive memorandum regarding a payroll tax delay. The
memorandum directs the Secretary of the Treasury to implement a delay of certain employees’
obligations to pay Social Security taxes. The payroll tax provision requires guidance to be issued by the
Department of Treasury. Until that guidance is issued, many of the details are unknown.
Below is a summary of the key provisions of the memorandum:
• The memorandum applies to the period September 1, 2020, through December 31, 2020.
• It is unclear whether employers are required to take advantage of the delay.
• The memorandum does not address what an employer should do if he decides to continue
withholding payroll taxes.
• The memorandum only applies to the 6.2 percent Social Security tax on employees.
• The memorandum only applies to employees generally earning less than $104,000
annually.
• The memorandum only provides a delay of the tax obligation, not forgiveness.
• No penalties or interest shall apply to those who use the delay.
• There is no relief with respect to employers’ withholding obligation.
It is important to keep in mind that Congress and the Trump Administration are still negotiating on a
potential COVID-19 relief measure, and that a compromise bill could supersede the President’s actions.
As this situation becomes clearer, we will update you on what to expect and what actions to take.
Governor Polis issues statewide Mask Mandate
On July 16th, CO Governor Polis issued an indoor space mandated mask wearing order.
For the purposes of this Executive Order, Public Indoor Space means any enclosed indoor area that is publicly or privately owned, managed, or operated to which individuals have access by right or by invitation, expressed or implied, and that is accessible to the public, serves as a place of employment, or is an entity providing services. Public
Indoor Space does not mean a person’s residence,
including a room in a motel or hotel or a residential room for students at an educational facility.
Executive Order D 2020 138 can be accessed here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/10Bf0QpW_l0ZPanPNIpysLGcJwIUc1cht/view
Supreme Court decision protects LGBTQ workers
On Monday, June 15th, 2020, the Supreme Court has solidified protection for LGBTQ employees, banning any employer in the United States from terminating or discriminating against an employee based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. The ruling includes these protections under Title VII of the federal Civil Rights Act. Though Colorado has protected our LGBTQ workers since 2008, up until Monday, it was legal in 29 other states to discriminate against workers due to their LGBTQ status.
Mandatory Sick Pay requirement in Colorado
On July 14, 2020, Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed into law the Healthy Family and Workplaces Act (Senate Bill 205), requiring employers in Colorado to begin accruing at least one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to 48 hours total. This new law requirement goes into effect for employers with 16 or more employees on January 1, 2021, and for all other covered employers (regardless of how many employees they employ) on January 1, 2022.
The law permits use of paid sick leave hours immediately, for personal employee illness or medical appointments including well visits, to care for family members, for leave associated with certain domestic abuse or sexual assault issues, and includes mental health.
The law applies to hourly, salaried, exempt, non-exempt, and even seasonal employees, mandates only limited notice and documentation requirements for sick leave requests, prohibits retaliation against employees requesting sick leave (including any reduction in pay or discipline for requesting or taking sick leave), and requires posted notices, imposes specific record-keeping requirements.
The law does not require accrued, unused sick leave hours be paid out upon separation.
A rehire provision mandates that employees who separate and are rehired must be given the bank of hours they had upon separation.
Numerous questions await clarification from the CDLE, such as:
1. Does my PTO policy comply with this new leave law?
2. If my company offers PTO and pays out accrued and unused balances upon separation, and an employee is rehired, how would I know what balance I must give them if they are rehired?
Now is the time to contemplate policy changes that will comply with the new law. As we hear more from the CDLE, we will reach out to each of our clients to ensure they are in compliance with the Healthy Family and Workplaces Act. Our software system is fully able to handle this paid sick leave mandate and has been doing so for many clients with employees who work in states with a similar paid sick leave requirement.
OSHA issues modified RTW Guide
OSHA has recently revised their return to work guidance for employers who are open during our current COVID pandemic. The new 27 page publication can be accessed here:
https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA4045.pdf
The previously issued 35 page guidance contains much similar content, but a few newly updated version puts a focus on:
- Conducting a thorough hazard assessment that examines the potential COVID-19 exposures for each job category and outlines protective measures.
- Clarifying that employers may perform daily temperature checks and health assessments of employees, so long as the checks are administered transparently and fairly and anyone performing the checks is protected from possible infection. However, asking employees to self-check at home may be more efficient, especially when paired with sick-leave policies that encourage workers to stay home if they feel ill. Temperature screening “may have limited utility on its own,” OSHA wrote. NOTE Colorado’s mandated RTW policies as well local jurisdiction’s requirements.
- Cloth face masks are recommended to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and cloth masks may count as administrative controls for keeping the workplace safe. However, OSHA reiterated that cloth face masks are not personal protective equipment (PPE) and so are not subject to requirements for training and fit testing. Cloth face masks cannot be used in place of more protective N95 masks, which are required as PPE in certain health care, construction and other settings.
OSHA’s guidance must be used in tandem with the state of Colorado’s requirements: