Time Off & Leave
The State of Colorado currently offers employees a comprehensive leave program that includes, but is not limited to annual, sick, holiday, family medical, and military leave.
Employees earn annual and sick leave at varying accrual rates, based on years of service. Full-time employees begin earning annual leave at an accrual rate of 8 hours per month and sick leave at 6.66 hours per month. Leave for a part-time employee is earned on a pro-rated basis. See the Colorado Division of Human Resources Time Off & Leave Website for up-to-date information.
Holidays:
Twelve Legal holidays are observed. Permanent full-time employees are granted up to eight hours of paid leave for each holiday (pro-rated for part-time employees). See the Colorado Division of Human Resources Time Off & Leave Website for a complete listing of observed holidays.
If an employee works an alternate schedule, arrangements must be made to cover the extra hours. You must be on payroll when the holiday is observed in order to receive pay.
If a holiday is observed on the first regularly scheduled workday of the month you are hired, you will be granted leave, provided you work all other scheduled workdays of the month.
Appointing authorities may adopt alternate holiday schedules depending on the operating schedules of their departments. When an alternate holiday schedule is adopted, the alternate holidays take the place of the legal holidays for all purposes of the holiday leave provisions. A department head has the discretion to grant Cesar Chavez Day (March 31) in lieu of another holiday in the same fiscal year.
Bereavement Leave:
Permanent employees are eligible for up to forty (40) hours of paid leave for the death of a family member or other person. This leave is prorated for part-time employees.
Effective August 7, 2023, the Colorado Healthy Families and Workplaces Act (HFWA) permits accrued sick leave to be used for bereavement (including financial and legal matters). Accrued sick leave may also be used for weather, loss of power/water/heat, or other unexpected event which causes the employee to evacuate their place of residence or care for a family member whose place of residence/care was closed.
Jury Leave:
Jury leave provides paid leave for all employees. Temporary employees receive paid leave for a maximum of 3 days.
Family Medical Leave(FMLA):
Colorado Division of Human Resources Family Medical Leave Act Page
Employees may have the need to take time off for their own or a family member's serious health condition. The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) entitles eligible employees to take unpaid, job- protected leave for specified family and medical reasons. Under the FMLA, eligible employees are entitled up to 480 hours of family medical leave (FML) and state family medical leave up to another 40 hours based on a rolling 12-month period measured backward from the date the employee begins using FMLA leave. The amount of leave is prorated for part-time employees based on their regular schedule.
As of July 1, 2022, the first 160 hours of Family Medical Leave is paid by the state. Paid Family Medical Leave FAQ
Eligibility
Permanent employees with at least 12 months of total state service
Temporary employees with at least 12 months of total state service who have also worked at least 1,250 hours within the 12 months prior to the date leave will begin.
Qualifying for FMLA
FML and state family medical leave are granted for the following reasons:
Birth of a child and must be completed within one year of the birth.
Placement and care of an adopted or foster child and must be completed within one year of the placement.
Serious health condition of a parent, child, or spouse.
Employee's own serious health condition.
Active duty (military) family leave for a member of the Armed Forces (including the National Guard or Reserves) deployed to a foreign country.
Military caregiver leave for a spouse, parent, or child or next of kin who suffered a serious injury or illness in the line of duty while on active duty.
Pay During a Family Medical Leave
All other types of paid leave including but not limited to State Paid Family Leave, Sick Leave, Annual Leave, Short-Term Disability and Workers' Compensation run concurrently with FML and state family medical leave and do not extend the time to which the employee is entitled.
The employee will use all accrued paid leave subject to the conditions for use of that leave before being placed on unpaid leave.
Paid Family Medical Leave
Paid family medical leave provides permanent full-time employees up to 160 hours of paid leave (prorated for permanent part-time employees) per rolling twelve month period when they are eligible and qualify for unpaid, job protected FML.
Short-Term Disability and Long-Term Disability
To help protect your income in the event of a disability, the State provides eligible employees with Short-Term Disability (STD) insurance, and the option to purchase Long-Term Disability (LTD) Insurance. You are automatically enrolled into the Short-Term Disability Insurance plan and coverage is effective the first day of the month following your date of hire.
STD pays up to 60% of your weekly pre-disability covered compensation, up to a maximum STD weekly benefit payment of $3,000 per week, for up to 150 days during any 12 month period, following the required STD benefit waiting period, which is 30 calendar days. Short-term disability benefits are considered taxable income.
Contact the Human Resources office to apply for short-term disability benefits. You may also view the Colorado Division of Human Resources Disability Benefits page. If you apply for short-term disability, you MUST inform the Human Resources office for leave tracking and payroll purposes.
Using Family Medical Leave
As with any type of leave, advance notice and approval is expected, except in emergencies. If your need for leave is foreseeable and you do not provide timely notice, the start of your Family Medical Leave may be delayed.
Because Family Medical Leave is a federal law, you may not elect to waive your rights under Family Medical Leave.
Applying for Family Medical Leave
To apply for Family Medical Leave, please contact the Human Resources department: DNR_HR_EmployeeLeave@state.co.us
Administrative Leave at DNR
Administrative leave is paid time off that is granted at the discretion of the appointing authority for purposes that the appointing authority determines are for the good of the state. For up-to-date information about administrative leave, see the Colorado Division of Human Resources Time Off & Leave Website.
Divisions should consult Human Resources prior to granting administrative leave, except when there are provisions for granting administrative leave for employee recognition in Divisions’ incentive plans.
Administrative leave must be granted for the following:
1. Two hours to participate in general elections if the employee does not have three hours of unscheduled work time during the hours the polls are open
2. Up to two days per fiscal year for organ, tissue, or bone donation for transplants
3. To serve as an uncompensated election judge unless a supervisor determines that the employee’s attendance on Election Day is essential. The employee must provide evidence of service
4. Up to 15 days in a fiscal year when qualified volunteers or members of the Civil Air Patrol are directed to serve during a declared local disaster, provided the employee returns the next scheduled workday once relieved from the volunteer service
See the Colorado Division of Human Resources Time Off & Leave Website for up-to-date information
Leave for Work-Related Illness or Injury
See DNR's Risk Management web page on Workers' Compensation
DNR Leave Bank
Permanent employees may be eligible for the DNR leave bank if they have a minimum of 12 months of State service and have exhausted all accrued annual and sick leave. The leave bank is not meant as a substitute for other temporary benefits such as short-term disability benefits. The approval of a request is at the sole discretion of the DNR Executive Director. Denial of a request to receive annual leave cannot be grieved or appealed.
To apply, complete the application form. Please note, your supervisor and Division appointing authority must approve the application before it is sent to HR.
Helpful Documents and Forms
Poster - Paid Leave and Whistleblower Information, 2022
DNR Leave Sharing Administrative Order
FMLA Forms/Notices
FMLA - Certification of Health Care Provider for Employee's Serious Health Condition
FMLA - Certification of Health Care Provider for Family Member's Serious Health Condition
Leave Fitness-To-Return Certification.pdf
Leave Bank Withdrawal Application
Negative Sick Leave, Employee Authorization Form
Short Term Disability Make Whole, Employee Leave Request Form