Everything Colorado employers need to know about FAMLI notification requirements, including posting, delivery timelines, and Private Plan rules.
Think of this as your small-business cheat code.
Colorado’s FAMLI program was designed to give employers a simple, affordable way to offer paid leave, without adding complicated paperwork.
If you run a small or mid-sized business, you already wear a lot of hats. You might not have a full HR department — and that’s okay! FAMLI’s notification requirements are intentionally simple. Once you put these basics in place, you won’t have to think about them again.
Here are five easy ways to keep your business covered:
- Share FAMLI’s Required Program Notice with every new employee. Important: Sharing your own internal summary or an employee handbook excerpt is not enough. Employers must provide the official Required Program Notice itself.
- Post the Program Notice in a visible location. The FAMLI Program Notice must be displayed in a prominent workplace location where employees can easily see it. It must be posted in:
- English
- Spanish
- Any language spoken by at least 5% of your workforce. The FAMLI Toolkit currently has 17 translations.
- Notify Your Remote Employees. If your business has remote employees or no physical workplace, you must share the notice via email, or post it in a conspicuous place on your intranet or another app-based platform.
- Provide individual notice when a qualifying event occurs. If you learn that an employee is experiencing a life event that may qualify for FAMLI — such as the birth of a child, or serious health condition — you must provide the Required Program Notice to that employee within five days. This ensures employees receive timely information about their options when it matters most.
- Follow Your Private Plan Requirements. Employers with an approved Private Plan must post notices that include details specific to that plan, including benefits, eligibility, contributions, and appeal rights. These notices must also be individually delivered to employees who may be experiencing a qualifying life event.
Taking a few minutes to put these steps in place now ensures your employees know their rights — and helps protect your business. Employers who do not meet FAMLI’s notification requirements may face penalties of up to $500 per violation.
Once your notification system is set up, it becomes part of your normal onboarding and workplace practices, giving you one less thing to manage alone when life happens.
FAMLI was designed to support Colorado workers and employers. Put the infrastructure in place once, and move forward with confidence.