Colorado Expands Paid Sick Leave Uses to Include Bereavement and Evacuation

What Changed

Colorado enacted Senate Bill 23-017 (SB 17), which expands the permitted uses of paid sick leave under the Healthy Families and Workplaces Act (HFWA). Signed by Governor Polis on June 2, 2023, the law adds three new reasons employees may use their accrued paid sick leave:

1. Bereavement: To grieve, attend funeral services or a memorial, or deal with financial and legal matters arising after the death of a family member

2. Care for a family member whose school or place of care has closed due to inclement weather, loss of power, heating, or water, or other unexpected events

3. Evacuation from the employee's residence due to inclement weather, loss of power, loss of heating, loss of water, or other unexpected events

The existing permitted uses of HFWA leave (illness, medical care, domestic violence, public health emergencies) remain unchanged.

Who Is Affected

All Colorado employers subject to the HFWA — employers with 16 or more employees must provide 48 hours of paid sick leave annually, and employers with fewer than 16 employees must provide 48 hours of leave (which may be unpaid for the first year of employment).

Where It Applies

Colorado statewide.

When It Takes Effect

August 7, 2023.

Why It Matters

Colorado continues to expand the HFWA beyond its original scope. The addition of bereavement leave is particularly notable — many employers do not offer a separate bereavement leave benefit, and Colorado employees can now use their accrued sick leave for this purpose without employer pushback. The evacuation and school/care closure provisions reflect Colorado's practical realities (wildfire season, severe weather).

Employers should update their sick leave policies to reflect these new permitted uses and ensure managers understand that employees cannot be denied sick leave for these reasons.

The Humareso Take

Colorado keeps expanding the HFWA, and we think the bereavement addition is the most impactful for employers. If you do not currently offer standalone bereavement leave, your Colorado employees now have a state-backed right to use their sick leave for it. Update your policies, let your managers know, and move on. The evacuation and school closure provisions are common-sense additions that reflect real-life situations Colorado workers face.

Recommended Action Steps

1. Update your Colorado sick leave policy to include bereavement, family care during closures, and evacuation as permitted uses.

2. Revise your employee handbook to reflect the expanded HFWA provisions.

3. Train managers to approve sick leave requests for bereavement, school closures, and evacuations.

4. Review your leave tracking system to ensure it can accommodate the new leave categories.

5. Contact your Humareso representative for updated HFWA policy language.