(DENVER) – Colorado workers who have been waiting for a statewide solution for paid family and medical leave are getting the program they voted to create this week. The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment’s Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) Division announced today that the state’s first FAMLI claims will start tomorrow and payments will be heading to workers next week, so they can temporarily step away from their jobs. Starting tomorrow, paid FAMLI leave can be used for life events such as welcoming a new child, managing a serious health condition or caring for a loved one with a serious health condition.
Colorado is the first state to set up a paid-leave program through a public vote, instead of through the legislative branch. FAMLI opened Colorado’s application portal (called My FAMLI+) in late November to allow workers who need leave right at the beginning of 2024 to get their claims filed in advance.
“We’re proud to have built a claims application system that makes it as simple as possible for Colorado workers to access this important benefit,” said FAMLI Division Director Tracy Marshall. “Most Coloradans have been paying FAMLI premiums for a year now, and we’re excited to have reached the important milestone of issuing our first set of benefit payments.”
As of Dec. 31, Colorado has seen 5,213 claims filed. Of those, 3,262 have been approved pending their leave start date.
- 68.00% of claims were to bond with a new child.
- 25.03% of claims were to manage a serious health condition.
- 6.02% of claims were to assist a loved one facing a serious health condition.
- 0.74% of claims were to address their own health and safety needs following sexual assault, domestic partner violence, harassment, or stalking.
- 0.19% of claims were to address needs arising out of a family member's active duty military service.
The first set of approved wage-replacement benefit payments will be distributed the week of Jan. 8. Claimants can choose to receive their payments directly to a banking account or on a reloading debit card. Anyone who filed a claim in advance needs to log into their My FAMLI+ account to let the Division know their leave has officially begun before they will receive their first benefit payment.
As a reminder, anyone working for an employer that is using an approved private insurance plan should talk to their employers about applying for benefits with that plan instead of filing a claim through the State’s My FAMLI+ portal.
To help everyone navigate the process and get their questions answered about applying for FAMLI benefits, the FAMLI Division has two upcoming statewide virtual town halls in English and Spanish:
- January 10:
- English:11 a.m. - 12 p.m.
- Spanish: 3 - 4 p.m.
- February 1:
- English: 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.
- Spanish: 3 - 4 p.m.
Zoom registration and YouTube streaming details are available here.
For more details, check out famli.colorado.gov to find how-to videos, user guides, webinar recordings and FAQs to help navigate the program.
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