The state’s paid family leave program starts in January but not in the way you might expect. Plus: Readers share their job worries, Colorado jobs, and more!
family leave
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: Thank you, Colorado, for approving paid family and medical leave
Running a childcare and learning center for 130 children makes me hyper-aware of the struggle so many families are going through to care for loved ones while still showing up for work during these uncertain times. That’s why I’m celebrating that Colorado is in the midst of standing up our own Paid Family and Medical […]
Posted inElection 2020, News, Politics and Government
Colorado voters approve creation of paid family leave program
Voters accomplished Tuesday what Colorado Democrats could not for the past six years at the state legislature: a statewide paid-leave program for workers who want time off to have a baby or care for a sick loved one. The ballot measure passed by 57% to 43% according to unofficial returns. The Associated Press called the […]
Posted inBusiness, Coloradans, COVID, Health, News, Politics and Government
Proposition 118 explained: Paid-leave measure would give Colorado workers time off but cost big money
Eight months into a pandemic, Colorado voters will decide an issue made even more relevant by current circumstances. Should Colorado create a state-run family leave program that would allow all workers — from waitresses and mechanics to accountants and engineers — to take paid time off when they have a serious illness, need to care […]
Posted inBusiness, Health, News, Politics and Government
Eight states have programs that give workers paid time off. Does that help or hurt Colorado’s chances?
About 35,000 workers in New Jersey are taking paid time off each year to stay home with a new baby or care for a sick relative under that state’s paid family leave law, a program popular enough that lawmakers voted to bump up the max weekly benefit to $881 this year and extend it to […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: A strong paid family leave policy will help rebuild Colorado’s economy
Today, we celebrate Colorado dads from Denver to Pueblo to Grand Junction. No doubt fathers everywhere will receive some well-deserved gratitude, spend time with family and friends, and maybe even enjoy a delicious meal from the grill. But what about tomorrow and the day after? Tomorrow we’ll stop celebrating, and go right back to the […]
Posted inBusiness, COVID, Health, Politics and Government
Colorado lawmakers focus on essential workers amid coronavirus, push to make paid sick leave a right for all
To lift public health restrictions and reopen Colorado, Democratic lawmakers say the first step is to protect essential workers like Mirja McDade in the retail and service industries. McDade’s past jobs in the restaurant industry didn’t include paid sick time, so she worked regardless of her health. “The food industry is probably the worst as […]
Posted inBusiness, COVID, News, Politics and Government
Coronavirus put an end to Colorado’s paid family leave bill. But there’s a lot more to the story.
Gov. Jared Polis made it clear he wanted any government-mandated family-leave program in Colorado to use the private market, a setup that would require businesses to buy insurance to cover employee time off for a new baby or illness. Then he didn’t have time to deal with it. That’s one major reason the proposal — […]
Posted inBusiness, COVID, News
Unemployment claims skyrocket as thousands of Coloradans lose their jobs
On Sunday, John Cumalat told his seven employees at Cannon Mine Coffee that they were out of a job. But he didn’t close the Lafayette shop as the new coronavirus spread across Colorado. He just wanted to make sure his staff would be able to collect some sort of payment by filing for unemployment if COVID-19, […]
Posted inBusiness, COVID, News, Politics and Government, Technology
A plea by Colorado tech firms for a faster response to coronavirus goes national
Just after Colorado identified its first case of coronavirus 12 days ago, Denver companies Ibotta and Guild Education were telling employees to work from home. As more cases were identified locally, a growing group of technology executives began maneuvering behind the scenes. They were concerned that efforts to prevent COVID-19’s spread to vulnerable communities wasn’t […]