Paid leave and a higher unemployment insurance expense, as well as higher minimum wages are among policies that take effect Jan. 1.
minimum wage
Posted inNews
What’s Working: Here’s how Colorado plans to dole out $104.7 million to small businesses
Colorado’s unemployment rate fell for the sixth straight month to 3.3% in July, the lowest (again) since the pandemic began but not quite down to its pre-pandemic low of 2.8%. However, a state economist thinks we’ll get back to that low rate, despite talk of recession, by the end of the year. But first, last […]
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What’s behind next year’s 9% minimum wage increase in Denver and Colorado
At The Preservery, a neighborhood eatery in Denver’s RiNo neighborhood, the cost of food and other expenses has gone up at least 20% since the pandemic. Rent is higher. There are also additional costs to boost job openings online, which has “for sure” added 60% to recruitment expenses, said co-owner Whitney Ariss. But faced with […]
Posted inNews
What’s Working: Colorado sees rise in business closures while new business creations go flat
The lowest-paid workers in Denver are getting a 9% pay raise on Jan. 1. When it takes effect, the city’s minimum wage of $17.29 will be one of the highest in the nation — higher than Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., New York City and Chicago. But more on the minimum in a bit. […]
Posted inBusiness, Economy, News
What’s Working: Follow the money to find where more Colorado jobs are
If you hear about a company that has raised a bunch of money from investors, be on the lookout for lots of job openings. That’s the case at tech-climate startup Project Canary, which recently announced it raised $111 million from investors. It was the second round of investment (its first round last year was much […]
Posted inNews, Outdoors, Outsider
Federal appeals court sides with rafting outfitters, who do not have to pay guides $15 an hour
Rafting companies do not have to comply with a presidential order to pay guides at least $15 an hour, a federal appeals court ruled Thursday. The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals gave Duke Bradford, the owner of Chaffee County’s Arkansas Valley Adventure and the Colorado River Outfitters Association, a reprieve in their lawsuit to block […]
Posted inBusiness, Economy, News, Outdoors, Politics and Government
Judge rejects Colorado rafting outfitters’ lawsuit protesting mandatory minimum wage for guides
A federal judge has rejected a lawsuit filed by Colorado rafting companies seeking to block a new rule that raised the minimum wage for federal contractors to $15 an hour. “We will appeal and continue to press forward,” said Duke Bradford, the owner of Arkansas Valley Adventures who joined the Colorado River Outfitters Association in […]
Posted inNews, Outdoors, Outsider
Colorado rafting company sues federal government over minimum-pay rule for guides
Colorado’s rafting industry, typically pretty sleepy this time of year, sparked to life this week after a longtime outfitter sued President Joe Biden and the Department of Labor over a new rule spiking the minimum wage for federal contractors to $15 an hour. “This is not about minimum wage. We already pay our guides way […]
Posted inNews, Politics and Government
Colorado state workers to get pay raises for the next three years
Colorado’s roughly 30,000 state workers are slated to get pay raises in each of the next three years under a labor agreement signed Thursday morning by Gov. Jared Polis and the union representing state employees Polis said the benefits guaranteed in the agreement with Colorado WINS will help “ensure that we can attract great people […]
Posted inBusiness, Health, News, Politics and Government
Colorado farmworker rights and wages bills signed into law, along with other measures aiding immigrants
By James Anderson, The Associated Press Thousands of immigrant farmworkers in Colorado will soon have state minimum wage, overtime and labor organizing rights under Senate Bill 87, signed into law Friday by Democratic Gov. Jared Polis. Polis also signed into law a measure to create a state fund to help indigent immigrants get legal representation […]