Doctor's-Note & Sick-Leave Laws in Colorado

Colorado has a statewide paid-sick-leave law, the Healthy Families and Workplaces Act (HFWA), which applies to all employers regardless of size. Most employees accrue one hour of paid leave per 30 hours worked, up to 48 hours a year. The law limits documentation: an employer may request reasonable proof only for absences of four or more consecutive workdays, and may not require disclosure of health details.

How sick leave works in Colorado

Colorado has a statewide paid-sick-leave law, the Healthy Families and Workplaces Act (HFWA), codified at C.R.S. § 8-13.3-401 and following. It applies to all employers regardless of size. Most employees accrue one hour of paid leave for every 30 hours worked, up to 48 hours per year, and can use it for their own illness, to care for a family member, and for certain other covered reasons.

When a doctor’s note can be required

HFWA sets the documentation threshold at four consecutive workdays. According to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment’s official guidance, documentation may be required only for absences of four or more consecutive workdays the employee would ordinarily have worked; requiring documentation for shorter leave is not permitted. The guidance also provides that an employer may not require disclosure of details about health or safety information, and that an employee’s own written statement can suffice where no provider document is reasonably available. A verifiable note from a licensed physician confirming the dates — without disclosing a diagnosis — fits these rules.

The specifics above are summarized at a high level. See the linked primary sources for exact current requirements, and treat anything time-sensitive as something to confirm with the state agency or an employment attorney.