Employee handbook requirements in Colorado (2026)
A compliant Colorado employee handbook layers Colorado-specific policies on top of the
federal baseline. Colorado is one of the more demanding states for employers,
with significant state-law obligations beyond the federal floor.
Below are the 7 Colorado-specific requirements in our library, plus the federal baseline that also applies.
High-obligation state
7 Colorado-specific items
110 federal baseline items
Colorado-specific handbook requirements
Policies driven by Colorado state law that a handbook should address.
Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act
Pay Transparency
Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act (EPEWA) requires all employers with even one Colorado employee to include pay range, bonus/commission/promotion opportunities, and benefits in job postings. Significant amendments: SB-23-105 (eff. Jan 1, 2024) added application closing deadline requirement, post-selection notification within 30 days, and 9-month acting/interim exception. Jan 1, 2025 amendment: must also disclose bonus structures, commission plans, and potential promotion timelines; pay history records retained 10 years; fines $500-$20,000 per violation; statute of limitations extended to 6 years.
Authority: CO Rev. Stat. § 8-5-101 et seq. (Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act / EPEWA); CDLE EPEWA INFO Sheet #1; SB 23-105 (2024 amendments, eff. Jan 1, 2025)
Colorado Paid Sick Leave (HFWA — 2021)
Paid Sick Leave
Colorado Paid Sick Leave under the Healthy Families and Workplaces Act (HFWA). Effective January 1, 2021 for 16+ employees; January 1, 2022 for all employers regardless of size. Accrual: 1 hour per 30 hours worked. Annual cap: 48 hours (CORRECTED from prior 40-hour entry). All private employers must provide paid leave regardless of size (the 10-employee threshold is obsolete since 2022).
Authority: CO Rev. Stat. §§ 8-13.3-401 et seq. (Health Families and Workplaces Act / HFWA); SB 20-205; 7 CCR 1103-8 (HFWA rules); CDLE HFWA guidance
Colorado FAMLI (Paid Family and Medical Leave — 2024)
FMLA / Family Leave
CO state-administered PFML insurance: up to 12 weeks paid leave per year (16 weeks for pregnancy-related conditions). Benefits ≈ 90% of wages for lower earners; up to state average weekly wage cap. Premiums shared employee/employer (~0.9% of wages).
Authority: CO Revised Statutes §§ 8-13.3-501 et seq. (Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Act, FAMLI, 2020); CDLE FAMLI Division rules, 7 CCR 1107-4; CO SB 23-017 (NICU/serious complication extension, eff. Jan 1, 2026); CDLE guidance on intermittent leave and employer obligations
Colorado Daily Overtime (After 12 Hours)
Overtime
Colorado COMPS Order: 1.5× for hours over 12 in a workday; 1.5× for hours over 12 consecutive hours regardless of workday boundaries; weekly 40-hr federal threshold also applies. Daily OT kicks in at 12 hrs (vs. CA at 8 hrs).
Authority: CO Rev. Stat. § 8-6-106; COMPS Order #39, 7 CCR 1103-1, Rule 4.1.1 (daily OT after 12 hrs; OT after 12 consecutive hrs)
Colorado Final Pay — Immediate Involuntary
Pay / Payroll
Colorado requires immediate payment of final wages at time of involuntary termination (within 6 hours if payroll processed on-site; within 24 hours if accounting is at different location). Voluntary resignation: next regular payday.
Authority: CO Rev. Stat. § 8-4-109 (final pay — immediate if involuntary discharge; next payday if voluntary with notice); CDLE COMPS Order #38; CDLE wage claim guidance
Colorado Exempt Salary Threshold (COMPS Order 2026 — Above Federal)
Employee Classification
Colorado's COMPS (Colorado Overtime and Minimum Pay Standards) Order sets an exempt salary threshold above the federal FLSA minimum. 2026 threshold: $1,111.23/week (approximately $57,784/year) for EAP exemptions. There is no employer-size split. The CO threshold adjusts annually. Employees earning below the CO threshold are non-exempt under Colorado law even if they meet the federal salary test. Colorado also sets a separate higher threshold for the administrative and executive exemptions in some circumstances — confirm current COMPS Order for the applicable year.
Authority: 7 CCR 1103-1 (COMPS Order #40, as updated for 2026); CO CDLE (Colorado Department of Labor and Employment) guidance
CO Compensation & Benefits Disclosure (Equal Pay for Equal Work Act)
Required
Pay Transparency Notice
Colorado employers must disclose the hourly or salary compensation (or range), a general description of bonuses/benefits, and the application deadline in each job posting.
Authority: CO Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, C.R.S. 8-5-201
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Federal requirements that also apply in Colorado
110 federal baseline policies span these areas — every Pacta handbook includes them.
Assignment / Placement Agreement · 10
DOT / FMCSA Compliance · 10
Arbitration Agreement · 8
Code of Conduct · 6
Benefits · 5
Confidentiality · 5
Offer Letter · 5
Employee Classification · 4
Pay / Payroll · 4
Safety / Workers' Comp · 4
Separation / Final Pay · 4
Introduction / At-Will · 3
Timekeeping · 3
Accommodation (Disability) · 2
Assignment Lifecycle · 2
Drug-Free / Alcohol · 2
EEO / Protected Classes · 2
Expense Reimbursement · 2
Harassment · 2
Hiring / Onboarding · 2
Remote Work · 2
Social Media / Recording · 2
Three-Party Relationship · 2
AI Tools · 1
Arbitration · 1
Bereavement · 1
Driving / Vehicles · 1
Emergency Procedures · 1
Employee Records · 1
FMLA / Family Leave · 1
Gifts / Anti-Bribery · 1
Jury Duty Leave · 1
Lactation / Nursing Mothers · 1
Meal / Rest Breaks · 1
Military Leave · 1
Overtime · 1
Paid Sick Leave · 1
Pay Transparency · 1
Pay Transparency Notice · 1
Pregnancy / Parental Leave · 1
Salary Basis / Safe Harbor · 1
Voting Leave · 1
Colorado handbook FAQ
Does Colorado require employers to have an employee handbook?
No U.S. state requires an employee handbook outright. But Colorado requires that a number of employment policies be provided to employees in writing, and a handbook is the standard, defensible way to do that. This page is informational only and is not legal advice.
What does a Colorado employee handbook need to include?
A compliant handbook layers Colorado-specific policies on top of the federal baseline (equal-opportunity, at-will, leave, anti-harassment, pay practices and more). The Colorado-specific items are listed on this page; the exact set depends on your headcount, industry, and the localities you operate in.
How do I create a compliant Colorado handbook?
Pacta's handbook generator builds a federal base plus a Colorado state addendum tailored to your company, then returns a formatted draft you can edit. Every draft must be reviewed by qualified employment counsel before you distribute it to employees.
Handbook requirements in other states
This page is general information about Colorado employment-policy requirements, not legal advice,
and may not reflect the most current law. AI-generated handbooks must be reviewed and approved by qualified
employment counsel licensed in the applicable jurisdiction(s) before distribution to employees.