Colorado Paid Family Leave Contribution Rates 2026
Colorado runs Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI), funded by a payroll contribution of 0.88% of wages.
2026 rate card
- Total contribution rate
- 0.88%
- Employer share
- 50%
- 0.44% of wages
- Employee share
- 50%
- 0.44% of wages
- Wage cap
- $184,500
- Per employee, per year
- Maximum employee contribution
- None
- Small-employer relief
- Under 10
- Reduced to 0.44%
Last verified August 18, 2026Source: Colorado Department of Labor and Employment
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Estimates only. Confirm current rates with your state agency before filing or budgeting.
Who must contribute
- The 0.88% premium is split evenly: 0.44% employer, 0.44% employee.
- Employers with fewer than 10 employees nationwide do not pay the employer share, but must still withhold and remit the employee’s 0.44%.
- Headcount is counted nationwide, not just Colorado employees.
- Wages are subject to premium up to the federal Social Security wage cap ($184,500 for 2026).
- An employer may choose to pay the employee share as a benefit.
- Approved private plans may be substituted for the state plan.
How the headcount is counted: Colorado counts your employees nationwide, not just those working in Colorado. A company with 8 people in Colorado and 60 elsewhere is not a small employer here.
What employees receive
- Maximum weekly benefit
- $1,448.02
- Maximum weeks
- 12 weeks
- Per benefit year, combined where programs stack
- Wage replacement
- Up to 90% of wages
Benefit amounts are what an employee on leave receives. They are set separately from the contribution rate and are usually re-published each year against the state average weekly wage — often on a different cycle to the premium.
Private plan option
Colorado permits an employer to substitute an approved private or voluntary plan for the state plan. The plan must be at least as generous as the statutory one and must be approved by Colorado Department of Labor and Employment before it takes effect. If you run an approved private plan, the state premiums above do not apply — your carrier sets the cost instead. How to decide between the two.
Key dates
- 1 January
- New rates take effect. Update payroll before the first pay run of the year.
- Quarterly
- Wage reports and premium payments are due to Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, generally by the last day of the month following each quarter.
- Autumn
- Next year’s rate is announced. This page is re-checked against the agency in November and updated in December.
Common questions
What is the Colorado paid family leave rate for 2026?
The Colorado Family and Medical Leave Insurance contribution is 0.88% of wages for 2026. The employer pays 50% of that and the employee pays 50%.
How much does an employer pay for paid family leave in Colorado?
The employer pays 0.44% of subject wages — 50% of the 0.88% total. On $1,000,000 of Colorado payroll, that is about $4,400 a year, before any wage cap is applied.
Is there a wage cap on Colorado paid leave contributions?
Yes. Only the first $184,500 of each employee's annual wages is subject to the premium in 2026. The cap applies per employee, so a high earner stops contributing partway through the year while everyone else keeps going.
Are small employers exempt from Colorado paid family leave?
Colorado reduces the cost below 10 employees rather than exempting you outright. Employers under that size pay 0.44% in total, all of which can be withheld from employees — the employer share falls to zero. The headcount is counted nationwide, not just in Colorado.
What is the maximum Colorado paid leave benefit?
Up to $1,448.02 a week, for up to 12 weeks in a benefit year. Wage replacement is up to 90% of wages, so lower earners replace a larger proportion of their pay than higher earners.
Can we use a private plan instead of the Colorado state plan?
Yes. Colorado Department of Labor and Employment can approve a private or voluntary plan that is at least as generous as the state program. Once approved, you stop paying the state premium and pay your carrier instead. Approval is not automatic and it is not retroactive, so the state rate applies until the plan is in force.
Estimates only. Confirm current rates with your state agency before filing or budgeting.
Last verified August 18, 2026Source: Colorado Department of Labor and Employment
Maintained by Treesera Technologies, Payroll and compliance calculators. How these rates are sourced.
Employing in more than one state?
Colorado is one of 14 jurisdictions with a paid leave premium, and no two use the same rate, split or cap. Calculate the combined cost in one place.
Calculate the combined cost