Labor & Employment

The act changes the repeal date of the employment support and job retention services program (program) in the division of employment and training (division) in the department of labor and employment (department) from September 1, 2029, to July 1, 2026.     The state treasurer is required to transfer all unexpended and unencumbered money in the employment support and job retention services program cash fund (fund) to the general fund on June 30, 2026.     Pursuant to section 3 of the act, the appropriations made in the annual general appropriation act for the 2026-27 state fiscal year to the department for use by the division are adjusted as follows:The general fund appropriation for the fund is decreased by $250,000; andThe reappropriated funds appropriation from the fund is decreased by $250,000.     A reduction of an appropriation in the annual general appropriation act for the 2026-27 state fiscal year is not required pursuant to section 3 of the act if one of the following conditions is satisfied:The amount of the general fund appropriation to the department for use by the division for the fund is less than $250,000;The amount of the reappropriated funds appropriation from the fund to the department for use by the division for the program is less than $250,000; orThe annual general appropriation act for the 2026-27 state fiscal year does not include an appropriation to the department for use by the division for the fund or the program.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

In current law , the 'Colorado Employment Security Act' excludes services performed by certain individuals engaged in the trade or business of delivering or distributing newspapers or shopping news from the definition of 'employment' . The bill adds the same exclusion to the 'Workers' Compensation Act of Colorado', the 'Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Act', and provisions concerning wages repeals that exclusion and adds clarifying language regarding how the independent contractor test should be applied to determine whether such individuals are employees. The bill adds the same clarifying language to the provisions concerning wages.(Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.)(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

Beginning January 1, 2027, the act requires an agricultural employer to pay certain agricultural employees overtime pay for time worked in excess of 56 hours in a workweek. The act also increases penalties for an agricultural employer who commits wage theft and repeals the authority of the director of the division of labor standards and statistics to adopt rules concerning overtime pay for agricultural employees.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act prohibits the department of health care policy and financing (department) from making a wage enhancement supplemental payment to an eligible nursing home provider regardless of when the services were provided. The act reduces the 2025-26 state fiscal year appropriation to the department for medical and long-term care services for medicaid eligible individuals by $4,359,961.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)