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 August 14, 2025
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This is an official communication from the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment's Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) Division. |
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August Spotlight: How Paid Leave Advances Health Equity in Colorado
Health doesn’t begin in a doctor’s office. It begins at home, in our workplaces, in our communities, and in whether we can afford to show up for one another when it matters most.
That’s the core belief behind the FAMLI program. It’s also the promise of health equity: that everyone — regardless of who they are, where they live, or where they work — has the time, income, and community it takes to thrive.
Early this month, FAMLI’s Executive Director Tracy Marshall said it best:
“A person’s health doesn’t begin at the clinic or end with a discharge summary. It’s shaped by factors far beyond the walls of any medical facility.”
In theory, health equity means removing barriers that prevent people from reaching their full health potential. In everyday life, that looks like never having to choose between a paycheck and chemotherapy. It means never having to choose between bonding with your new baby and going back to work after only one week.
It also means not getting lost in paperwork because it isn’t in your native language, or because you’re not familiar with digital tools.
That’s why FAMLI has played a directing role in drafting Colorado’s Health Equity Strategic Plan — because paid leave directly impacts nearly every determinant of health.
Read more about paid leave and health equity in our blog post.
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 AARP-NAC Report Finds 45% Increase in Americans Providing Care
According to AARP’s Caregiving in the U.S. 2025 report, 63 million Americans — nearly 1 in 4 adults — are now family caregivers. That’s a 45% increase in just ten years.
Their burden is heavier than ever:
- Over 40% are providing high-intensity or complex medical care at home.
- Only 22% have received any formal training.
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1 in 5 caregivers now report fair or poor health themselves.
- Nearly 30% of caregivers under 50 are part of the sandwich generation — juggling children and aging loved ones at the same time.
As a health care provider, you’ve seen it firsthand. Patients arrive with unspoken caregivers in tow: siblings managing meds, partners juggling appointments, adult children coordinating discharge plans between work shifts. You provide care for one, but two are at risk.
You can help change that.
Let your patients and their caregivers know: FAMLI is for caregiving, too. By simply asking “Who’s helping you at home?” or “Do you have support in place while you recover?” you open the door to FAMLI resources that can protect both your patient’s health and their caregiver’s stability.
Now more than ever, it’s crucial you:
🗣️ Start the conversation.
🧰 Prescribe recovery time.
📣 Guide patients and their caregivers to the FAMLI resources that can help them best.
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Take Our Survey to Make FAMLI Better!
The FAMLI team is always working to make the program better — and the health care provider experience is a key priority as we do so.
We want to understand your experience with My FAMLI+ — how you currently use the platform, how easy it is to use, and how we might improve your experience.
Your feedback below will help determine what and how we prioritize potential enhancements that serve your clients, your businesses, and your employees best.
Thank you for taking the time to help us help you!
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 Know Your FAMLI: Pregnancy Complications Deadline
When your patient experiences pregnancy or childbirth complications, FAMLI provides up to four extra weeks of paid leave on top of the standard 12 weeks. This allows your patient to focus on recovery from their own serious health condition without losing precious bonding time with their baby.
What You Need to Know
- This additional time applies only to health conditions caused by pregnancy or childbirth complications.
- Your medical documentation is required to confirm eligibility.
- One four-week extension is available per pregnancy or childbirth event — even in the case of multiples.
- Conditions that develop more than six months after the pregnancy ends are generally not considered related to the pregnancy or childbirth, and won’t qualify for extra weeks.
If a Claim Is Denied
Patients can request a reconsideration if they believe their situation meets the criteria. Your detailed documentation can make the difference in a successful appeal.
Your Role Matters
Your timely, accurate certification helps ensure patients get the recovery time they need — without sacrificing bonding time during an important stage for both parent and child.
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 Vital Signs
 Taking care of our communities starts when we get the time to care for ourselves. And last month, you helped 8,231 Coloradans take the time they needed to rest, recover, and return to work, ready to thrive.
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 Reference Shelf
Help your patients understand their paid-leave options! Find printable guidebooks, handouts, and posters for your office, or digital resources to include online below — as well as user guides to make your FAMLI experience as easy as possible.
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