How to Apply for FMLA In Colorado In 6 Easy Steps

Welcoming a new child into your family is a very exciting time, but making sure you have enough parental leave can be stressful. Many Colorado residents use the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to get the precious time with their families that they deserve.

The FMLA is a federal law that ensures workers with babies less than one-year-old receive up to 12 weeks off of work to be home taking care of their children. There is a lot of important information to be aware of if you're considering applying for . Luckily, DoNotPay is here to explain everything you need to know.

Who is Eligible for Parental Leave in Colorado?

While some states have laws mandating paid parental leave, Colorado does not. This means that if you're having a baby as a Colorado resident, you might not receive pay while at home with your child. However, for many workers, your right to have your job protected while you spend time with your child is guaranteed under the FMLA.

It's also important to note that many places of employment offer paid maternity or paternity leave, even though it is not required by Colorado state law. Be sure and determine what benefits your workplace offers before you apply for .

What is FMLA?

The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 is a federal labor law that protects workers from losing their jobs and health insurance while on a break from work. Only certain types of workers are eligible for FMLA leave.

In Colorado, eligible workers can apply for FMLA leave to ensure they have adequate time at home to care for their new child and will still have their job waiting for them later. If you have a child that was born within the past year, or if you have adopted a child, or received a new foster care child, you might be eligible for FMLA leave in Colorado.

Can I get Paid While on FMLA?

No, you will not be paid while on FMLA leave. The Family and Medical Leave Act guarantees certain eligible workers in Colorado up to 12 weeks off of work to care for a new baby, but it does not come with any payments. Instead, it ensures your workplace will not permanently replace you while you're home with your family, and also that you do not lose your health insurance benefits.

Who is Eligible for FMLA?

In addition to having had a new baby within the past year, Colorado residents also need to meet a few other criteria to be approved for FMLA leave:

You must have worked for your current employer for at least 12 months.
During the past 12 months, you must have worked a minimum of 1,250 hours.
You must work for a company that employs 50 or more workers within 75 miles of the job site.

How to Request FMLA Leave by Yourself

If you're ready to handle this situation alone, here are the steps you will need to follow to apply for FMLA leave in Colorado:

Ensure you meet all eligibility criteria for FMLA.
Locate the correct forms, and print them out.
Find the forms your employer will need to fill out and ensure they do so.
Take the Certification of Health Care Provider forms to your doctor and have them complete them.
Submit the completed forms.

How to Get Parental Leave With DoNotPay

If you don't want to deal with the hassle and stress of resolving FMLA leave by yourself, DoNotPay can help you quickly and successfully apply. The process just takes a few steps and we will handle most of it on your behalf.

Tell us which state you work in (if you work in CA, NY, NJ, MA, WA, or DC, your state has a paid family leave program).
Choose whether you want us to apply to the program for you or contact your employer with your leave request. If you want to apply for the program, we will walk you through the questions on the form and mail the application form for you.
If you want us to contact your employer, enter your leave details, including the starting date, number of weeks of leave, and how many weeks of paid leave you are requesting (for example, you may take a 12 week leave, but only request 8 weeks of paid leave to make the request reasonable).
Indicate whether you are the birth parent or not (birth parents have a few additional legal protections).
Enter the name of your company and the person to address this request to.
Select whether you want us to email the request to your employer on your behalf.