SB20-170 Summary

• Expands the definition of "immediate family" under Colorado employment security law to include siblings under age 18 (for whom the claimant stands in loco parentis) and siblings incapable of self-care due to disability or long-term illness.

• Removes the requirement that workers claiming unemployment benefits due to domestic violence must provide written documentation; workers may now qualify based on reasonable belief that continued employment would jeopardize safety.

• Defines "severance allowance" as employer payments designated as severance, paid upon separation from employment, and intended to compensate for time not working; excludes payments designed to induce workers to waive rights against the employer.

• Requires benefits for individuals receiving a severance allowance to be postponed for a number of weeks equal to the allowance divided by usual weekly wage, with postponement beginning the week the payment is received.

• Directs fines from employee misclassification enforcement actions to be transferred to the Unemployment Revenue Fund and authorizes the director to fund Department of Law enforcement actions through that fund.