Colorado’s new paid family leave program helps more than 135,000 hardworking Coloradans in its first year
Colorado’s voter approved Family and Medical Leave Insurance program sends $687 million in benefits to eligible Colorado workers in 2024
(DENVER) — Colorado’s Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) Division helped successfully provide and process more than 135,000 paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) claims in its first year of full operation. The FAMLI Division, part of the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, announced Friday that the voter approved program distributed roughly $687 million in 2024 after benefits became available on January 1, 2024.
“Paid family leave is a proven way to strengthen the workforce and help businesses recruit and retain talent through a cost-efficient insurance program,” said Tracy Marshall, director of the FAMLI Division. “Coloradans wanted a program that makes us all more resilient, is there for them during life’s stressful events, all while being easy to access, and I’m happy to report that we’ve delivered.”
Colorado is the first (and so far only) state to enact a paid family leave program through a voter approved referendum. Workers and employers began contributing premiums to the insurance fund in 2023, setting up the funds needed to financially support workers dealing with a serious health condition, caring for a sick family member, or bonding with a new addition to the family.
Colorado also stands alone in having an online portal for health care providers to certify claims without filing physical paperwork, plus an online “HR Benefits Dashboard” for employers to track the statuses of their employees on FAMLI leave at a glance.
“It was just a breath of fresh air to just be able to have a service that you pay into that actually comes through and helps you in your time of need,” said Marissa Poppens, a Denver woman who used FAMLI benefits to recover from a health condition. Watch Marissa’s story and others on the Family Journeys page.
As of January 1, 2025, $687,746,050 has been distributed in FAMLI benefits.
Here are some more statistics about the first year of FAMLI benefits:
- 51.7 days = average leave duration for Colorado workers taking continuous leave
- 80,500 = FAMLI applications submitted to care for one’s own serious health condition
- 61,000 = FAMLI applications submitted to bond with a new child
- $914 = average weekly benefit payment
- 96.35% = FAMLI claimants who filed their claims using the State’s My FAMLI+ online portal
FAMLI statistics are updated in real time on the FAMLI By The Numbers page.
FAMLI benefits are calculated on a sliding scale using the individual's average weekly wage from the previous five calendar quarters in relation to the average weekly wage for the state of Colorado. Workers can get an estimate of their potential benefit payments on our online Premium and Benefits calculator.
For more details, check out famli.colorado.gov to find how-to videos, user guides, webinar recordings and FAQs to help navigate the program.
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