Written by a parent, not a doctor. Nothing here is medical advice.

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Colorado program

Paid sick leave, whatever the employer's size

Colorado's paid sick-leave law lets covered workers use earned paid hours to care for an ill child.

What it is

Colorado's paid sick-leave law lets covered workers use earned paid hours to care for an ill child.

A clinic day may fit paid sick leave without using a long block of family leave. Colorado's law reaches employers of all sizes. Your available balance depends on what you have earned and the employer's policy.

Eligibility rules
  • Every employer, whatever its size, including state, county, city and school districts. Federal jobs are outside the state law. (one bullet)
  • Care for a family member's mental or physical illness, injury or health condition is an allowed use.
What you get
  • Paid time you earn for your own illness or care of an ill child.
  • One hour earned per 30 hours worked, up to the required annual limit.
What the help includes
  • Employees earn at least one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to the 48 hours employers must provide each year. Up to 48 unused hours carry forward; an employer can generally limit required use to 48 hours in a year. A more generous employer policy may give you more.
  • Earned leave can be used as it accrues. A more protective local law still applies.
If you decide to apply
  1. Ask payroll for your earned sick-leave balance and explain which care dates you want recorded as sick leave.
  2. Keep a copy of your request and, if documentation is needed, ask the clinic about appointment confirmation.

Employer payroll or benefits office · Official page ↗

After you ask
  • The employer records the absence under the leave policy. Payroll can distinguish sick leave from FAMLI and FMLA for the same dates.
Good to know

The hours build up as you work, one per 30 hours, so a new job starts with a small balance. Your employer may give more than the law's 48.

Other details
  • The employer may request reasonable documentation after four or more consecutive scheduled workdays of sick leave. The employer—not the health plan—should explain what is needed, and the clinic can help document the need without disclosing unnecessary medical detail.
  • HFWA leave can cover caring for an ill child. The hours available depend on what you have earned, carried over and already used. FAMLI is separate; an employer cannot require you to exhaust sick leave first, and payroll can explain any agreement to use employer pay to supplement FAMLI.
Official sources
Ask your social worker

“Could I use earned sick leave for treatment visits, and would that affect other leave or pay I might need later? Could you help me check my balance and how to request it?”

Why I’m asking: I want to use short periods away from work carefully while keeping pay for clinic days.

More background and detailed requirements
Additional program information and published rules

Who does what

The three parts, side by side. The agency decides; nobody on this page does.

You

Ask for the days to be recorded as paid sick leave and keep the request in writing.

Your social worker

The employer must give the leave.

The care team

The clinic can confirm appointment dates.

Who decides
The employer, under state law.
Ask HR
“I am using paid sick leave under Colorado law to care for my child. Please record these days as paid sick leave.”

How to apply

First step: Tell the employer in writing that the clinic days are paid sick leave under Colorado law.

  1. Ask the employer in writing to record clinic days as paid sick leave.
  2. Ask whether the employer's own policy gives more than 48 hours.

Where it starts: Ask the employer to record the absence as paid sick leave.

What to gather

  • The clinic schedule

How long: It builds up as you work and can be used as soon as it is earned.

What a yes looks like

The days appear on your payslip as paid.

What a no looks like, and the next move

Put the request in writing and keep the reply; the state labour division handles complaints.

Watch out

  • Forty-eight hours is the floor, not the ceiling. Ask what your employer allows.
  • The federal government is not covered by this law.

If they say no, quote this: Colorado Revised Statutes 8-13.3-403: each employee earns at least one hour of paid sick leave for every thirty hours worked.

The numbers and the rules

The arcane layer, kept on purpose. Checked September 11, 2026.

What it is worth

One paid sick-leave hour accrues for every 30 hours worked, up to the usual 48-hour annual requirement, including care for an ill child.

  • $30 — Paid sick-leave hours earned per hours worked
  • $48/year — Maximum annual accrual/use employers must generally provide under HFWA; available hours depend on accrual, carryover and use

Legal protection: Every employer is covered, whatever its size, since January 1, 2022 · State, county, city and school-district employers are included; the federal government is not · A more protective local law is not overridden

What it costs the family: Nothing.

The eligibility facts, as published

Employment
Employed by a Colorado employer
Reason
Caring for a family member with a mental or physical illness, injury or health condition

The trap: Forty-eight hours is the statutory floor, not a ceiling: employers may allow more, and a city ordinance that is more protective is not overridden. Ask what your own employer's policy actually says.

Where I read this

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