On July 14, 2020, Governor Jared Polis signed into law SB20-205, the Healthy Families and Workplaces Act (“HFWA”). The HFWA provides new leave requirements employers must follow, some of which were effective for all employers in 2021 and some of which will go into effect for employers with 15 or fewer employees on January 1, 2022.
Specifically, the HFWA provisions specific to public health emergencies applied to all employers, regardless of size, as of January 1, 2021. However, concerning other non-public health emergency provisions, the HFWA contained an exemption based on employer size: employers with 15 or fewer employees were not subject to the HFWA’s more general provisions throughout 2021.
As of January 1, 2022, all provisions of the HFWA will apply to all Colorado employers, regardless of size. Employers should note that compliance will require action beginning immediately on January 1, 2022. For more information on the HFWA, see our previous HFWA publication.
Contact the Woods Aitken Labor & Employment Law Practice Group to see what HFWA compliance will look like for you. We encourage you to subscribe to our Labor & Employment E-Briefs to keep up with the latest HR news, tips, and updates.