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October 29, 2025

This is an official communication of Colorado's Department of Labor and Employment.

The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE)’s Compliance Quarterly provides employers with important reminders, upcoming deadlines and engagement opportunities relevant to the labor laws enforced by CDLE’s regulatory divisions. Update your subscriber preferences and make sure your colleagues are subscribed by sharing this link. 

Need to Know

We Moved!

The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment moved its Denver headquarters from 633 17th St. in Denver across the street to 707 17th St. 

We are now accepting mail at our new address: 707 17th St., Suite 150 Denver, CO 80202. We expect to begin serving customers in our new space starting November 3, 2025. In-person appointments won’t be available through October 31 during this transition. In the meantime, you can still get the support you need through our call centers and various self-service resources listed from each division below and available on our website at cdle.colorado.gov.

Rules & Regs

Upcoming Deadlines & Effective Dates

Division of Labor Standards and Statistics (DLSS)

• New Colorado Minimum Wage effective January 1, 2026: The 2026 statewide minimum wage will be $15.16, up 2.36% from $14.81 in 2025. Local minimum wages are published on cdle.colorado.gov/dlss.

Division of Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI)

• FAMLI quarterly wage reports, premium payments and quarterly private plan reports are due October 31, 2025. If you need assistance, please see FAMLI’s collection of how-to-videos, user guides, file specifications, and sample templates for help.
• Self-employed individuals: upload your 2024 tax transcripts by December 1, 2025 in the My FAMLI+ Employer Portal. If the tax transcript and W-2 have not been shared with FAMLI by December 1, 2025, your account eligibility will be set to NULL, which prevents benefits from being paid.
• New Lower FAMLI Premium Rate effect January 1, 2026: Starting in January, the FAMLI premium rate drops to 0.88% of wages. Employers and third party payroll administrators need to adjust payroll deductions accordingly.
• New IRS Rules Begin January 1, 2026: Beginning in 2026, the IRS will require employers with 10 or more employees to cover their portion of Social Security and Medicare taxes (FICA) and federal unemployment taxes (FUTA) on certain FAMLI medical leave benefits. Read FAMLI’s special edition newsletter for more details.
• Neonatal Care Leave available starting January 1, 2026: Parents of newborns receiving critical care in a hospital may be eligible for up to 12 additional weeks of FAMLI leave starting in January. Private plans will need to be updated to reflect this addition. 

Division of Unemployment Insurance (UI)

• UI quarterly wage detail reports and premium payments are due Friday, October 31, 2025. Reports must include monthly employee data. Visit the UI Division’s Wage Reporting page for more information and resources.
• Accounts with delinquent quarterly wage reports are subject to a $50 penalty for each delinquent report. (Newly liable employers are subject to a $10 penalty.)
• Past-due premium or penalty payments are subject to interest charged at a rate of 1.5% per month, or any portion of a month. Learn more on UI’s Interest and Penalties page.

Division of Workers’ Compensation (DOWC)

• DOWC Rule 18 has been adopted and will be effective on January 1, 2026. Starting in January, the DOWC will require all providers (excluding interpreters) submitting 25 or more workers’ compensation bills per month to submit electronic medical bills. Likewise, all payers (excluding self-insured employers) must accept these electronic medical bills in a HIPAA-compliant 837 format. The DOWC hosted a webinar to discuss preparations for the 2026 E-Billing requirements. View the E-Billing webinar.

Division of Oil & Public Safety (OPS)

• The fees for the Amusement Rides & Devices program are changing. Effective January 1, 2026, the operator fee will increase from $600 to $700 per operator, and the ride fee will increase from $180 to $220 per ride in accordance with the fee table in the Amusement Ride regulations and on the Application Information webpage. 

Upcoming Rulemaking Dates

Division of Labor Standards and Statistics (DLSS)

• On November 4, 2025 at 9 a.m.,  DLSS will hold a virtual, public rulemaking hearing prior to the adoption of the Division’s proposed rules. The written comment deadline for the proposed rules is Thursday, November 6, 2025 at 12 p.m.
• Several existing rule sets are being amended including the Publication and Yearly Calculation of Adjusted Labor Compensation Order; Wage Protection Rules; Colorado Whistleblower, Anti-Retaliation, Non-Interference, and Notice-Giving Rule; The Agricultural Labor Conditions Act Rules; and the Colorado Overtime Minimum Pay Standards Order.
• New rules are being proposed for Colorado Youth Employment Standards Rules and the Appeals’ Standing Order for Administrative Procedure Act Review.
• For details on the rulemaking process, the full text of the proposed rules, the proposed statement of basis and purpose that accompanies these rules, and the form to submit comments on these rules, visit the DLSS Rulemaking page.

Division of Workers’ Compensation (DOWC)

• Recent legislation, HB25-1300, known as "Workers' Compensation Benefits Proof of Entitlement," goes into effect on January 1, 2028. This legislation will affect nearly all employers in Colorado. Although rulemaking has not been initiated, the DOWC is holding multiple 90-minute public meetings on Zoom to discuss important topics and hear from stakeholders. The next one is on November 5, 2025 at 4 p.m.You must register for the DOWC stakeholder meetings in advance to attend.

Division of Oil & Public Safety (OPS)

• There will be public hearings for regulation updates to both the Boiler and Conveyance programs. Both hearings will be held on Wednesday, November 5, 2025. Details on the proposed amendments and how to participate in the public hearings are available at the links below:
  • Conveyance Regulations Public Hearing (7 C.C.R. 1101-8)
    November 5, 2025 at 1 p.m. 
  • Boiler Regulations Public Hearing (7 C.C.R. 1101-5)
    November 5, 2025 at 2 p.m.

Compliance Assistance

Division of Unemployment Insurance (UI)

• Sign up for a free workshop and learn more about Colorado’s unemployment insurance laws. Learn more and R.S.V.P. for an upcoming workshop on the Understanding Unemployment Insurance page.

Division of Workers’ Compensation (DOWC)

• The DOWC is eager to help employers meet workers’ compensation requirements. Email the DOWC at cdle_dowc_communications@state.co.us if you have questions or are interested in scheduling a training session for you and/or your employees.

Tech Updates 

Division of Unemployment Insurance (UI)

• Out-of-state wage credit processing: The Division is currently reviewing out-of-state wage credit requests submitted as of Q1 2025. Wage Credits will only be reviewed if the adjusted wages were reported to CO within the last six quarters, the credits are equal to or less than the respective state’s chargeable wage base, and the the adjusted wages are verifiable within the Interstate Connection Network (ICON) system. 
  
  • Requests that do not meet the above criteria will be denied. See How to Manage Out-of-State Wage Credits for more information and instructions.

Division of Workers’ Compensation (DOWC)

• DOWC is modernizing its claims management system with a new system called CoComp. CoComp aims to create an easy-to-use, transparent and efficient system for workers' compensation activities in Colorado. Please email the DOWC at cdle_dowc_communications@state.co.us with questions or feedback.

Nice to Know

Upcoming Engagement Opportunities

CDLE’s Quarterly Compliance Live Webinar

The next Compliance Quarterly Live Webinar will be held over Zoom on Tuesday, November 18, 2025 at 11a.m. Division leaders will review the updates above and answer as many questions as possible. Register in advance on Zoom. 

Division of Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI)

• How satisfied are your My FAMLI+ Employer experience? Take this one-minute survey to help us make your next interaction even easier:

Division of Unemployment Insurance (UI)

• Share your thoughts on UI reporting processes and requirements in the Q3 UI Quarterly Reporting Survey:

Division of Workers’ Compensation (DOWC)

• The Colorado Workers’ Compensation Educational Conference (CWCEC) returns to the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs from March 9-11, 2026. This year’s theme, “The Next Frontier: Innovating Our Future,” highlights modernization, progress, and efficiency in the system. 

Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR)

• October 30, 2025 at 1 - 2 p.m.
  Skills-First Hiring: Erica Romero of the Pikes Peak Workforce Center shares how to find the best talent by focusing on what truly matters.

Highlights

Introducing Workforce Colorado

Last month we celebrated the unification of Colorado’s public workforce system under a new brand: Workforce Colorado. The new Workforce Colorado brand showcases the powerful collaboration between state and local partners working together to build Colorado’s economic future. Through its statewide network of 50+ workforce centers and the newly modernized Connecting Colorado labor exchange, Workforce Colorado connects job seekers with employment, helps employers find qualified workers, delivers business support services and serves as Colorado's skills development hub. Get the support your business needs by connecting with a business services representative at your local workforce center and creating an employer account in Connecting Colorado.

Celebrating 80 Years of National Disability Employment Awareness Month

Held annually in October, National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) is a time to recognize the value and talent American workers with disabilities add to our workplaces and economy and highlight their achievements both past and present. CDLE’s Division of Vocational Rehabilitation challenges employers to commit to hiring and retaining individuals with disabilities by recognizing this untapped talent pool is key to achieving a stronger Colorado economy for all. Employers can participate in the NDEAM challenge throughout the year. 

Resources & Toolkits

Division of Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI)

• File specifications and file templates for wage reporting for third party administrators (TPAs) are published on FAMLI’s TPA page.
• User guides and how-to videos for employers are published on the My FAMLI+ Employer page. 
• User guides and how-to videos for the appeals process are published on FAMLI’s appeals page. 
• FAMLI also has various tools to help employers communicate with staff available in the toolkit and marketing kit. 

Division of Labor Standards and Statistics (DLSS)

• The DLSS Labor Law Guidance & Education webpage includes multiple forms of published guidance for Colorado employers and employees:
  • INFOs: (Interpretive Notices and Formal Opinions) — the Division’s approved notices, opinions, and explanations on various labor law topics.
  • KNOWLEDGEs: (Knowledge for Workers on Labor Law is Empowering & Drives Good Employment) — one-page summaries for employees on their labor rights.
  • Labor Law Videos: These are short educational videos about Colorado labor laws, including “Break Times,” “Final Pay,” and “What are Impermissible Deductions. " Many more educational labor law videos are coming soon.
  • Other published labor law guidance that includes public notices, reports, and other releases from DLSS

Division of Unemployment Insurance (UI)

• UI wage reporting requirements, information and resources are available on the Unemployment Insurance Wage Reporting page.
• UI premium rates and employer liability information is available on the UI Premiums page.  
• CO employers can find more information and resources to manage their online MyUI Employer+ account on the Employer Resources page.
  • Information and resources for TPAs managing employer UI accounts are available on the TPA Toolkit page.

Division of Workers’ Compensation (DOWC)

• The DOWC’s Premium Cost Containment (PCC) Program provides free support for employers to lower costs and improve safety. Prioritizing workplace safety can help prevent accidents, foster a positive work environment, and attract top talent. Additionally, PCC-certified employers receive up to 10% off their workers’ compensation premiums. The PCC Program team is ready to help employers prevent injuries and save money.

Division of Oil & Public Safety (OPS)

• The Petroleum Program has finalized several updates to various report formats including the Remediation Combined Report. These can be found on the OPS Petroleum page under “What’s New?”