June Spotlight: Another National First: Colorado’s paid leave for parents of infants who need neonatal intensive care |
A newborn in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is one of the most emotional, exhausting moments a parent can face — and in that moment, no one should have to ask: Can I afford to miss work? |
Thanks to a new law signed by Gov. Jared Polis, Colorado parents won’t have to. In January of 2026, Colorado is set to become the first state in the country to support parents with newborns receiving intensive care with additional paid leave — meaning even more Coloradans won’t have to choose between a paycheck and being present. |
This new type of leave — known as Neonatal Care Leave — will allow parents to take up to 12 additional weeks of paid time off while their newborns are in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. That means: |
- Parents can be by their baby’s side during critical early days and weeks without fearing a loss of income, and
- Still take the full 12 weeks of bonding leave offered by FAMLI after their child is discharged.
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The new law doesn’t only address the needs of new parents. The measure also lowers premiums for all Colorado workers and employers, from 0.9% of wages to 0.88% of wages, starting in 2026. |
The reduction makes coverage even more affordable for Colorado workers to take the time they need during critical life events — and for employers to help them do so. |
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Your Leave Benefits Made Easier: Recent Appeals Enhancements |
The FAMLI team is working to make sure the entire program continuously improves — and the claimant experience is a key priority as we do so. Enhancements made this month focused especially on the appeals process. Highlights include: |
- The claim start and end date fields visible to claimants on various screens will be renamed to requested start/end date for clarity.
- Claimants viewing their determination details in the benefits portal will now see the appeal grace period displayed as 49 days.
- Users with an existing My FAMLI+ account who create an appeals account will now go straight to the appeals dashboard, skipping the unnecessary registration screen.
- When an appeal is initiated from the benefits portal, the appeal type, determination date, and relevant claim and eligibility IDs will be automatically imported into the appeals intake form.
- Claimants who submit an appeal after being redirected from the benefits portal will now see a banner confirming they are in their appeals account and their appeal has been submitted.
- Designated Representatives can select their preferred correspondence language on the Your Details page during claim filing.
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FAMLI benefits cross $1 billion threshold |
Here’s another FAMLI development this month you should know about. The FAMLI Division has now returned more than $1 billion in benefits to Colorado workers who needed to temporarily step away from work! |
It’s an exciting milestone, coming less than five years after Colorado voters decided to create a new type of insurance for workers who need wage replacement when life events require them to take a leave of absence. The premiums paid by Colorado businesses and workers make it possible, and we’re thrilled to see how many are benefitting. |
Here are some details about the benefits paid so far: |
- $905 = Average weekly payment
- 121,461 = workers who have taken FAMLI leave to care for themselves
- 85,378 = workers who have taken FAMLI leave to bond with a new child
- 33,389 = workers who have taken FAMLI leave to care for a relative
- 51.03 days = average leave duration
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“This is one area we all need to desperately come together, work together, and benefit together. There aren't very many of us that have the finances to be away from work for very long for our own health care, much less someone else’s. We all chip in a little, and everyone gets what they need. Colorado FAMLI helps fill the void.” |
That’s from Wayne, who took FAMLI leave to recover from an emergency surgery. |
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FAMLI is now on INSTA! Be sure to follow us and engage with the account at @coloradofamli. And don’t forget, we’re also on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. |
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Colorado Division of Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) 633 17th Street, Denver, CO 80202-3660 Unsubscribe |
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