Bereavement Leave in Colorado
No state law requires bereavement leave in Colorado
Colorado does not have a standalone bereavement leave law. However, under the Healthy Families and Workplaces Act (effective August 2023), all employers must provide paid sick leave that employees can use to attend a funeral or memorial service, grieve a family member, or handle financial and legal matters related to a death. Employees accrue one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to 48 hours per year.
What are your options?
While Colorado has no dedicated bereavement leave law, you can use your accrued paid sick leave under the Healthy Families and Workplaces Act to attend funerals, grieve, and handle death-related matters. You may also use PTO or vacation time if your employer offers it.
Bereavement leave in Colorado: what you need to know
Colorado does not have a standalone bereavement leave law, but the state's Healthy Families and Workplaces Act (HFWA) provides paid sick leave that can be used for bereavement-related purposes. Under HFWA, employees earn one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to 48 hours per year. The law explicitly covers leave needed to grieve, attend funeral services, or deal with financial and legal matters after a family member's death.
This makes Colorado one of the most bereavement-friendly states among those without a dedicated bereavement law. The HFWA's explicit inclusion of bereavement as a covered use means Colorado workers have a legal right to use accrued sick time for these purposes, which is more protection than workers in most other states without a specific bereavement statute receive.
Colorado's economy is driven by technology (the Denver-Boulder tech corridor), aerospace and defense, outdoor recreation and tourism, energy (both traditional oil and gas and renewable), agriculture, and a significant federal government presence. The Denver metro area's competitive job market means most employers offer bereavement leave beyond what HFWA requires, typically 3 to 5 paid days for immediate family.
Colorado's FAMLI program (Family and Medical Leave Insurance), which provides paid family and medical leave, does not specifically cover bereavement. However, if grief leads to a serious health condition, FAMLI benefits may be available. Colorado workers have multiple layers of leave protection that, while not specifically labeled as bereavement leave, can provide meaningful support during a loss.
Colorado state employees have additional leave provisions under the state personnel system. Many state agencies provide separate bereavement leave in addition to the HFWA sick leave entitlement. University of Colorado and Colorado State University employees have their own leave policies that typically include specific bereavement provisions.
Colorado's outdoor recreation industry employs many seasonal and part-time workers who may not have accumulated significant paid leave balances. Ski resorts, river outfitters, and outdoor recreation companies often operate with lean staffing during peak seasons, making bereavement leave requests more complicated. The HFWA's paid sick leave accrual applies to seasonal workers based on hours worked, but if you have not worked enough hours to build a meaningful balance, the practical coverage may be limited.
More Colorado workplace laws
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Frequently asked questions about bereavement leave in Colorado
Yes. Colorado's Healthy Families and Workplaces Act explicitly lists grieving, attending funeral services, and dealing with financial and legal matters after a death as covered uses for paid sick leave. This is a legal right, not dependent on employer discretion.
Colorado employees earn one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to 48 hours per year. Employers can provide more. If you have recently started a job and have not yet accrued enough time, the available balance may be limited.
FAMLI does not specifically list bereavement as a qualifying reason. However, if grief results in a serious health condition that prevents you from working, you may qualify for FAMLI benefits. This requires medical documentation and is not guaranteed.
Most mid-size and large employers in the Denver metro area offer paid bereavement leave as a separate benefit beyond HFWA sick leave. The typical range is 3 to 5 days for immediate family. Denver's competitive job market has pushed many employers to offer generous leave packages.
If your employer denies you the right to use accrued HFWA sick leave for bereavement, they may be violating state law. You can file a complaint with the Colorado Division of Labor Standards and Statistics. Keep documentation of your request and the employer's response.