Colorado HR guidance for practitioners.
Pick a topic below to see the federal rule, the CO statute, and the practitioner steps Ask HR AI walks you through in a session.
Colorado at a glance
- Report lookback: 7 years (FCRA default). Colorado follows the FCRA seven-year window; recently sealed records under SB 21-271 must be suppressed.
- Ban-the-box: Statewide (CRS §8-2-130). The Chance to Compete Act removed the criminal-history question from initial applications statewide effective Sept 1, 2019 (all private employers Sept 1, 2021).
- Salary history: Banned (Equal Pay for Equal Work Act). Employers may not seek wage-history information. All postings must include compensation, benefits, and application deadline.
- Cannabis: Recreational legal; safety-sensitive carve-out. Coats v. Dish Network upheld zero-tolerance policies. Off-duty use is not a protected activity for employment purposes despite Amendment 64.
Colorado topics
FCRA adverse action in Colorado
The two-step FCRA adverse action process: pre-adverse notice with a copy of the report and Summary of Rights, a reasonable waiting period, and the final adverse action notice.
Read the CO guideBan-the-Box and Fair Chance hiring in Colorado
When employers may ask about criminal history, individualized assessment requirements, and the state and city ordinances that add rules on top of federal EEOC guidance.
Read the CO guideWage and hour in Colorado
FLSA exempt vs non-exempt classification, overtime rules, meal and rest breaks, off-the-clock work, and state daily-overtime rules that overlay the federal floor.
Read the CO guideLeaves and accommodations in Colorado
Coordinating FMLA, ADA reasonable accommodation, workers' comp, pregnancy accommodation, and state paid family and medical leave programs.
Read the CO guideDrug testing and marijuana in Colorado
Pre-employment, reasonable-suspicion, and post-accident drug testing across states with off-duty cannabis protections and safety-sensitive carve-outs.
Read the CO guidePay transparency and pay equity in Colorado
State and city pay range disclosure laws, pay equity analyses, and how to respond to an applicant's compensation question.
Read the CO guideHarassment prevention and training in Colorado
Mandatory sexual harassment training in CA, NY, IL, CT, DE, ME, WA — plus prevention policies, complaint channels, and Faragher/Ellerth defenses.
Read the CO guideBackground check basics for HR in Colorado
What a compliant employment background check includes, FCRA disclosure and authorization, and how to interpret common report components.
Read the CO guideRelated SafestHires resources for Colorado
- Colorado background-check rules — the underlying state-screening reference.
- Colorado FACIS healthcare screening — Medicaid exclusion and licensing boards.
- All states — jump to another state.