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Before initiating the distribution of pay stubs to your employees and contractors in Colorado, it's crucial to familiarize yourself with the pertinent laws and regulations governing employers in the state. .

This guide will outline the essential guidelines for managing payroll and issuing pay stubs in accordance with Colorado's legal framework.

colorado

Pay stub regulations in Colorado

1. Are pay stubs required by law in Colorado?

Employers in Colorado must provide their employees with pay stubs every payday.

2. How often do you need a pay stub in Colorado?

Employers are required to pay employees no greater duration than one calendar month or thirty days, whichever is longer. As pay stubs are mandatory in Colorado, you will need to provide pay stubs every time you pay your employees.

3. What information can be included on a pay stub in Colorado?

The following information must be included in employee pay stubs or pay statements:

  • Gross wages earned for the specific pay period, not gross wages for the year-to-date
  • Withholdings and deductions
  • Net wages
  • Pay period
  • Employee information such as name, last 4 digits of social security number, and address
  • Employer information such as name, employer identification number (EIN), and address

4. Does Colorado have a state income tax?

Yes, state income taxes are applicable to employees in the state of Colorado.

5. Are there any other taxes applicable to Colorado?

Yes. Employers need to withhold family leave insurance tax from employee’s pay in addition to federal taxes.

Information needed to generate pay stubs

To provide employees with accurate pay stubs, the information below is required.

  • Gross salary month-to-date
  • Annual withholding allowance amount
  • The employee’s exemption status from state withholding
  • Employee’s filing status and additional state withholding amount

Colorado wage and hour laws

Employers are required to provide minimum wage, overtime pay, meal and rest breaks, and paid time-off benefits to all non-exempt employees.

The law covers the following:

  • Minimum wage
  • Overtime pay
  • Meal breaks
  • Rest breaks
  • Paid time off and leave

Minimum wage

The state of Colorado has set a minimum wage for employees and employers are required to pay at least the minimum wage set.

For 2024, the minimum wage to be paid for employees in Colorado is $14.42 per hour.

Overtime pay

According to the Colorado Overtime and Minimum Pay Standards Order (COMPS), employees who work more than

  • 40 hours a workweek
  • 12 hours in a workday
  • Any 12 consecutive work hours should be paid an overtime pay of 1.5 times the regular pay rate.

Meal breaks

Employers should give at least 30 minutes of meal breaks to employees if their shift exceeds 5 hours

Rest breaks

Based on the Colorado wage and hour law, here is the detailed breakdown of rest breaks:

If an employee workedEmployers should offer rest breaks of
2 or fewer hours0
2 to 6 hours1
6 to 10 hours2
10 to 14 hours3
14 to 18 hours4
18 to 22 hours5
Over 22 hours6

Paid time off and leave

Employers in Colorado need to provide required and non-required leaves for their employees.

Required LeaveNon-Required leave
UnpaidPaid or Unpaid
One hour of sick leave per 30 hours worked, up to 48 hours in a yearBereavement leave
Jury duty leaveVacation time
Voting timeHoliday leave
Military leave of 15 days
Domestic violence or sexual assault leave up to 3 days

Colorado State payroll taxes 2024

In Colorado, payroll taxes are categorized into various types, including:

  • Colorado Personal Income Tax(PIT)
  • Colorado State Unemployment Insurance (UI)
  • Colorado Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML)

Colorado Personal Income Tax(PIT)

In Colorado, state personal income tax rates vary depending on an individual's filing status and income level. These filing statuses include Single, Married Filing Separately, Married Filing Jointly, and Head of Household.

For the Taxable Year 2024, the Colorado individual income tax rate is set at 4.40%.

Colorado State Unemployment Insurance (UI)

The State Unemployment Tax Act (SUTA) in Colorado was established to assist individuals encountering unemployment by facilitating the provision of unemployment benefits. This legislation empowers the state to gather the necessary funds to administer unemployment insurance benefits to qualified individuals who find themselves without employment.

In Colorado, SUTA (State Unemployment Tax Act) rates span from 0.81% to 12.34%. For the year 2024, the wage base is set at $23,800.

Colorado Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML)

Both employers and their employees share responsibility for funding the FAMLI (Family and Medical Leave Insurance) program, with an option to split the cost equally at 50/50. Premiums are calculated at 0.9% of the employee's wage, with 0.45% contributed by the employer and 0.45% by the employee. Alternatively, employers have the flexibility to cover the entire premium amount, offering it as an additional benefit to their employees. These premiums are applicable to wages up to the Federal Social Security Wage Cap, which stands at $168,600 for earnings in 2024.

New Jersey payroll tax filing

Report of New hire Employees

All employers must report all newly hired employees to the Colorado State Directory of New Hires within 20 days from their initial date of employment.

Report of New hire Independent Contractors

Service recipients, similar to employers, are obliged to report service providers, who are independent contractors, under similar requirements. Independent contractors, also known as self-employed or contract employees, should be reported to the Colorado State Directory of New Hires by service recipients within 20 days from their initial date of work, provided they have furnished their Social Security Number for tax purposes. However, reporting is not required if they have provided a Federal tax ID (FEIN).

How to report employees and independent contractors new hire in Colorado?

In Colorado, there are various options for submitting new hire information, offering flexibility in the reporting process.

OnlineMailFax
Employees and independent contractors New Hire ReportAddress Information:
P.O. Box 13089
Sacramento, CO 95813
Email: CDHS_FSREmployerServices@state.co.us
Direct Phone: 303-297-2849
Public Phone: 800-696-1468
Fax 1: 303-297-2595

Colorado personal income tax filing

For Colorado's personal income tax, the deadline is April 15, 2024. If you can't file by then, you get a six-month extension, but no extension for tax due. To avoid penalties, pay 90% of the tax by April 15th, and the rest with interest. Pay through Revenue Online or use the Extension Payment (Form DR 0158-I). After paying 90%, you have until October 16th to file your Colorado Income Tax Return ( Form DR 0104).

The Colorado Quarterly Premium and Wage Reports

As per Colorado Unemployment Insurance (UI) Law, businesses must submit quarterly reports within the month following the end of each calendar quarter. These wage reports are mandatory for compliance with state regulations. Employers have the option to report their wages through MyUI Employer+. If currently filing reports via paper, they must register for a MyUI Employer+ account and transition to online filing.

Reporting PeriodDue Date
Quarter 1(January, February, March)April 30
Quarter 2(April, May, June)July 31
Quarter 3(July, August, September)October 31
Quarter 4(October, November, December)January 31

Have all the information handy?

With SecurePayStubs, you can calculate accurate federal and Colorado state taxes for your employees and generate pay stubs securely.

Create a paystub now

Processing payroll manually is complex

As a business owner who runs payroll manually, you will need to keep up with ever-changing payroll laws. You already have a lot on your plate and you might not want to get into the complex process of pay stub generation.

SecurePayStubs offers a convenient solution for generating pay stubs for both employees and independent contractors, ensuring accuracy in federal and Colorado state tax calculations. With our paystub generator, you can swiftly create pay stubs in under 2 minutes. Enter the basic employee and employer information, select a pay stub template for free, and let SecurePayStubs calculate the applicable payroll taxes accurately.

Spend less time generating pay stubs and more on your business growth.

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This article has been updated from its original publication date of April 9, 2024.