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Colorado Enacts New Preferential Hiring Law for Veterans Posted on: July 30, 2021 In: Labor & Employment
On June 23, 2021, Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed a Veterans’ Hiring Preference law that will allow employers to show preference to veterans in hiring decisions in the Centennial State. Under the new law, C.R.S. § 8-1-153, private employers may enact a Veterans’ Preference Hiring Policy in which they prefer eligible veterans and eligible spouses of veterans over other applicants as long as the veteran or spouse is as qualified as other applicants.
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colorado, veterans, hiring, human resources, employment law
Colorado Supreme Court Holds Employees Cannot Forfeit Vacation Pay Offered By Employer Posted on: July 23, 2021 In: Labor & Employment
In the last year, Colorado has, not surprisingly, experienced a dramatic increase in employment-related laws, rules, and regulations. Most recently, in June 2021, the Colorado Supreme Court issued a long-awaited ruling in the Nieto v. Clark’s Market matter, which concerns the forfeiture of vacation pay under the Colorado Wage Claim Act (CWCA). The court held that employers cannot implement policies that require employees to forfeit vacation pay that’s already been earned, even if they contract otherwise.
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colorado, vacation pay, cwca, payroll, employee benefits
Growing Nationwide Emphasis on Pay Transparency: What Employers Need to Know Posted on: July 20, 2021 In: Labor & Employment
Now, more than ever, employers are faced with a nationwide outcry for greater transparency around pay equity and pay transparency, both from employees and potential customers. The Biden Administration certainly echoes these sentiments, and has expressed a desire to pass new pay equity and transparency laws on the federal level. However, numerous states and local governments are not inclined to wait for the federal government to act and have instead begun to pass their own pay equity and transparency laws.
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pay transparency, payroll, equal pay, maryland, colorado, connecticut, california
Dear Employers, Read This to Avoid a Hairy Situation: Hairstyles Protected Under Colorado Anti-Discrimination Laws Posted on: March 23, 2021 In: Labor & Employment
Employers in the Centennial State should take note that Colorado has joined a growing list of states in enacting the “Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act of 2020,” also known as the “CROWN Act of 2020.” Under Colorado’s CROWN Act, employers may be held liable for racial discrimination based on an employee’s hair texture, hair type, or a protective hairstyle commonly or historically associated with race.
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colorado, crown act, discrimination, hairstyle, dress code
Colorado’s Healthy Families and Workplaces Act: What Employers Need to Know Posted on: March 17, 2021 In: Labor & Employment
Though the COVID-19 vaccine lurks on the horizon for the general public, the pandemic slogs on for most of the general population. As of January 1, 2021, the second of three phases of Colorado’s Healthy Families and Workplaces Act is underway, which requires employers with 16+ employees to provide paid sick leave based on hours worked. Exempt employees also receive paid sick leave depending on normal work week hours. Phase three, beginning January 1, 2022, will expand coverage to employers of any size.
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colorado, paid leave, sick leave, family leave, covid-19
Paid Family Leave Is Coming to Colorado - It May Not Be Long Before It Comes to Your State Posted on: March 09, 2021 In: Labor & Employment
On November 3, 2020, Colorado passed the Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Act. The Act will bring about a series of changes that will roll out year to year. The first occurs on January 1, 2023, when each employer must remit a payroll tax to the fund to provide for the benefits. Benefits will become available to employees beginning January 1, 2024. The Act provides Colorado employees with some coverage not seen in the similar federal program known as the Family Medical Leave Act.
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colorado, paid leave, family leave, medical leave, fmla, payroll
Colorado Temporarily Requires Employers to Provide Sick Leave While Awaiting COVID-19 Testing Posted on: March 12, 2020 In: Labor & Employment
On March 11, 2020, the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) issued emergency rules, referred to as Colorado Health Emergency Leave with Pay (Colorado HELP) Rules, requiring employers in certain industries to provide four days of paid sick leave to employees with flu-like symptoms while awaiting test results for COVID-19.
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coronavirus, covid-19, colorado, paid time off, sick leave, human resources
Colorado’s Equal Pay for Equal Work Act: What Employers Need to Know Before 2021 Posted on: June 18, 2019 In: Labor & Employment
On Wednesday, May 23, 2019, Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed into law Senate Bill 19 085 (also known as the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act), which imposes new, stringent obligations on Colorado employers as to hiring practices, promotion procedures, and record-keeping requirements. Importantly, this new law becomes effective on January 1, 2021.
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colorado, equal pay, compensation, hiring, employment law
In Colorado, Employers May Assert Concurrent Claims for Civil Theft & Breach of Contract Against Employees Posted on: June 13, 2019 In: Labor & Employment
The Colorado Supreme Court recently resolved a philosophical split within the lower courts as to whether claimants are barred from pursuing both civil theft and breach of contract claims in the same litigation, and answered in the negative. The ruling has broad implication across the spectrum of employment litigation throughout the state.
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colorado, economic loss rule, civil theft, breach of contract, trade secrets, employers
Colorado Joins the Growing Number of States That ‘Ban the Box’ Posted on: April 30, 2019 In: Labor & Employment
On April 12, 2019, Colorado’s House Bill 1025 – known as the “Ban the Box” law – cleared the state legislature and moved to the governor’s desk for final signature. In doing so, Colorado joins the growing number of states that have passed legislation aimed at removing the check box that asks if applicants have a criminal record from hiring applications. Colorado becomes the 12th state to get behind this initiative, in addition to many municipalities that have placed limitations on criminal background inquir
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colorado, ban the box, employment application, criminal background checks, employment law