Beginning June 9, 2023, Colorado employers will no longer be required to provide employees with COVID-19-related public health emergency (PHE) leave. Pursuant to the Colorado Healthy Families and Workplaces Act, employers have had to provide such leave since January 1, 2021. The expiration of PHE leave follows the expiration of the federal COVID-19 public health emergency declaration on May 11, 2023, as well as the expiration of Colorado’s COVID-19 Disaster Recovery Order on April 27, 2023.
Please note that although COVID-19-related PHE leave is set to expire, Colorado employers must continue to provide accrued paid sick leave to eligible employees for a wide range of health and safety needs, as required by the Colorado Healthy Families and Workplaces Act. Qualifying reasons for accrued paid sick leave include the following:
- Any mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition that prevents work;
- Diagnosis, care, or treatment of such conditions;
- Preventive care (including vaccination);
- Needs due to suffering domestic violence, sexual abuse, or criminal harassment; or caring for family with such conditions or needs.
Click here for more information on this topic from the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment.
