Colorado passes expansive paid family leave program

Voters on Tuesday in Colorado approved one of the most progressive state-run paid family and medical leave programs in the country.
 
Under Proposition 118, Colorado will require that employers provide workers with 12 weeks of paid time off if an employee needs to take care of a sick loved one, recover from an illness or care for a newborn. The paid time off would be extended to 16 weeks in the event of childbirth or pregnancy complications. The program is for all workers, including people who are self-employed and gig workers who drive for Uber or food-delivery companies. 

Businesses with less than 10 employees would be exempt from participating, though workers could still choose to pay premiums and be covered. Businesses that already provide a similar paid family and medical leave benefit could also opt out. 

The program will be funded through a 0.9% payroll tax evenly split between employees and employers. The lowest-income workers would receive the most support under the graduated scale system, receiving up to 90% of their normal weekly income.

The measure was opposed by many business advocacy groups in Colorado, including the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, which cited the challenging economic times brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Colorado is the ninth state to establish such a program, following such other states as California, Massachusetts, and New York. Colorado is the first state to do so through a ballot measure, which could pave the way for advocates to use a similar tack in other states.