Division Authority and Coverage | Department of Labor & Employment

Authority & Coverage Quick Links

Before investigating a complaint, the Division must determine whether it has the authority or coverage to investigate. You can use the list below to jump ahead to the type of complaint you are inquiring about to learn more about whether the Division has authority/coverage in certain types of investigations.

Unpaid Wages (including sick pay)

Yes, the Division may investigate.

The Division may have the authority to assist you with the following complaints for unpaid wages of $7,500 or less:

For more information on the topics below, please take a look at the INFOs mentioned in parenthesis on our INFOs & Other Published Guidance page.

Other unpaid wages (INFO #1: COMPS Order)
Final Wages (INFO #1: COMPS Order)
Work performed not paid (INFO #1: COMPS Order)
Overtime (INFO #1: COMPS Order)
Minimum wage (INFO #1: COMPS Order and INFO #2: Division Wage Claim Investigation Process)
Meal periods worked, but not paid (INFO #4: Meal and Rest Periods)
Rest periods not provided (INFO #4: Meal and Rest Periods)
Commissions (INFO #3D: Commissions and Bonuses)
Bonuses (INFO #3D: Commissions and Bonuses)
Vacation pay/paid time off (PTO) not paid upon separation (INFO #3E: Payment of Earned Vacation upon Separation of Employment)
Deductions not permitted by law (INFO #16: Deductions from, and Credits Toward, Employee Pay)
Bounced paycheck (INFO #1: COMPS Order)
Employer retention of tips or invalid tip sharing/pooling (INFO #3: "Wages" and "Compensation" under Colorado Wage Law)
Sick pay (Healthy Families and Workplaces Act - including for state/local government employees) (INFOs 6A-6C: Paid Leave under HFWA)

By clicking on the "I agree and would like to create an account" button below, I certify that I have read and understood the information above, and that I believe the Division of Labor Standards and Statistics has the authority to investigate my claim. After creating an account using the button below, you can access the complaint form to submit your claim.

I agree and would like to create an account

For more information about the Division’s wage complaint process, see "INFO #2: The Division Wage Claim Investigation, Appeals, and Enforcement Process", which can be found on our INFOs and & Other Public Guidance Page.

NOTE: Complaints for unpaid wages may not be filed anonymously.

No, the Division cannot investigate.

You may not file a claim with the Division if:

Your complaint is for wages in excess of $7,500
Your job was entirely outside the State of Colorado (in most cases)
You worked (and were correctly classified) as an independent contractor
Your complaint for wages is for work performed as a state or local government employee UNLESS you are claiming sick pay under the Healthy Families and Workplaces Act. (Visit our INFOs & Other Published Guidance page to view INFOs #6, 6A, 6B, and/or 6C and 2)
Your complaint is for wages earned more than two years ago (unless the employer's failure to pay was willful, then the wages must have been earned in the last three years)
Your complaint is for expense reimbursement
You have filed a lawsuit or taken other action in a court of law against the employer regarding the events involved in this dispute
Your employer filed for bankruptcy, unless exceptions apply
You were paid less than another employee (or employees) who were doing the same or similar work as yours because of your sex (gender identity), or on the basis of sex in combination with another protected status (e.g., race, religion, age, disability)
Your complaint is about discrimination based on race, religion, sexual orientation, familial status, sex, marital status, disability, national origin, and/or ancestry
Your tax documents are incorrect or missing or for inaccurate tax exemptions

See additional information regarding these exclusions from coverage and related exceptions.

You may email questions to the Division at cdle_labor_standards@state.co.us.

If you would like to discuss any of the above concerns with the Division, please contact our call center at 303-318-8441 or toll free at 1-888-390-7936.

Retaliation and Whistleblower Violations

Yes, the Division may investigate.

The Division may have the authority to assist you with the following complaints:

Agricultural Labor Rights: you were retaliated against for using rights or protections for agricultural workers (such as service provider access, housing requirements, or limits on certain tool use), or making a complaint about or helping with an investigation related to those rights; or were prevented from using those rights. (Visit our INFOs & Other Public Guidance page to view INFOs #12 - 12D for more information).
Healthy Families and Workplace Act (HFWA): you were retaliated against for using or trying to use or defend rights to sick leave, telling another employee about or helping them use sick leave, or making a complaint about or helping with an investigation related to these rights; or were prevented from using those rights. (Visit our INFOs & Other Public Guidance page to view INFO #6B: Paid Leave under the Healthy Families and Workplaces Act ("HFWA") for more information.)
Public Health Emergency Whistleblower (PHEW) Law: at the workplace, you were retaliated against for wearing your own personal protection equipment, raising a concern about a health and safety threat or law not being followed, or making a complaint about or helping with an investigation related to these rights; or were prevented from using those rights. (Visit our INFOs & Other Public Guidance page to view INFO #5:Retaliation for Inference Against Exercising Labor Rights for more information.)
Wages: you were retaliated against for making or filing a wage complaint about or helping with an investigation.Other: you were retaliated against for using or defending rights or protections under a law enforced by the Division not covered above.

I agree and would like to create an account

No, the Division cannot investigate.

You may not file a claim with the Division if:

You have filed a lawsuit or taken other action in a court of law against the employer regarding the events involved in this dispute
Your complaint is about discrimination or retaliation based on race, religion, sexual orientation, familial status, sex, marital status, disability, national origin, and/or ancestry

You may email questions to the Division at cdle_labor_standards@state.co.us.

If you would like to discuss the situation with the Division, please contact our call center at 303-318-8441 or toll free at 1-888-390-7936.

Equal Pay for Equal Work Act Violations

Yes, the Division may investigate.

The Division may have the authority, under Part 1 of the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act (EPEWA) to assist you with the following complaints:

You or someone else was paid less than someone of a different gender for substantially similar work.
You or someone else was paid less than another employee based on gender and another protected status, such as disability, race, or religion.
Your employer (1) asked about an applicant’s pay history or relied on pay history to determine an employee’s wage rate; (2) discriminated or retaliated against a prospective employee for not disclosing their pay history; (3) prohibited employees from discussing pay; (4) required an employee to sign a document that prohibited the employee from discussing pay; (5) retaliated against an employee for using their rights under the Equal Pay Act, including by filing a complaint with this Division; or (6) retaliated against an employee for discussing pay.

Locate the complaint form under the Unequal Pay Complaints Section of our Demands, Complaints, Responses, and Settlements page.

The Division may also have the authority, under Part 2 of the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act (EPEWA) to assist you with the following complaints about job posting transparency:

An employer published job postings for work to be performed in the state of Colorado without compensation or benefit information, information, or information about how and when to apply to the job.
An employer failed to provide written notice of job opportunities to its Colorado employees.
An employer provided written notice of job opportunities to its Colorado employees, but the notice(s) did not contain compensation or benefit information or information about how and when to apply to the job.
An employer failed to keep records of job descriptions or wage rate history.
An employer failed to timely provide information about a new hire to the employees that will regularly work with the new hire.
An employer failed to disclose the requirements for career progression to those who are eligible.

If one or more of the above situations relating to transparency apply to you, you may file a complaint with the Division.

At this time, the Division’s complaint form for possible violations of Part 2 of the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act (EPEWA) is a PDF form. You can either: 1) save the form to your computer, complete it, then email it to the Division, or 2) print the form, complete it, then mail or fax it to the Division. The complaint form is called the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, Part 2 Complaint Form. Additional instructions are on the form.

Locate the complaint forms for Unequal Pay (Part 1) and Pay Transparency (Part 2) at the Equal Pay and Pay Transparency webpage.

No, the Division may not investigate.

You may not file a claim with the Division if:

Your complaint alleges you were paid less than another employee (or employees) who were doing the same or similar work as yours because of your race, religion, age, disability - unless you believe the difference in pay was because of your gender and one of these factors. Such pay discrimination is prohibited by other laws, and complaints may be submitted to the Colorado Civil Rights Division and can also be filed in the appropriate civil court.

You may email questions to the Division at cdle_labor_standards@state.co.us.

If you would like to discuss the situation with the Division, please contact our call center at 303-318-8441 or toll free at 1-888-390-7936.

Agricultural Worker Rights Violations

Yes, the Division May Investigate.

The Division may have the authority to assist you with the following complaints:

The employer did not pay the correct minimum wage, or did not pay overtime as required (Visit our INFOS & Other Public Guidance page to view INFO #12A: Overtime & Minimum Wage Order Obligations for Agricultural Employment).
The employer did not provide rest periods, meal periods, or key service provider access as required (Visit our INFOS & Other Public Guidance page to view INFO #12B: Agricultural Employee Rest Periods, Meal Periods, and Service Provider Access). This includes complaints by key service providers.
The employer violated agricultural labor conditions requirements, such as heat safety rules, short-handled tool or hand-weeding/thinning rules, or public health emergency rules for agriculture (Visit our INFOS & Other Public Guidance page to view INFO #12C: Labor Conditions for Agricultural Work).
The employer retaliated against you, as an agricultural worker or person with a covered relationship with an agricultural worker, for seeking or asserting rights that are protected under the Agricultural Labor Rights and Responsibilities Act (Visit our INFOS & Other Public Guidance page to view INFO #12D: Enforcement: Scope of Coverage; Notice of Rights; Protected Activity & Retaliation; Complaints & Remedies).
The employer did not display the "Agricultural Labor Rights and Responsibilities Poster," and/or required posters and pamphlets related to a Public Health Emergency (Visit our INFOS & Other Public Guidance page to view INFOs #12C: Labor Conditions for Agricultural Work and 12D: Enforcement: Scope of Coverage; Notice of Rights; Protected Activity & Retaliation; Complaints & Remedies).

I agree and would like to create an account

No, the Division may not investigate.

You may not file a claim with the Division if:

Your complaint is for wages in excess of $7,500
Your job was entirely outside the State of Colorado (in most cases)
You have filed a lawsuit or taken other legal action against the employer regarding the events involved in this dispute

You may email questions to the Division at cdle_labor_standards@state.co.us.

If you would like to discuss the situation with the Division, please contact our call center at 303-318-8441 or toll free at 1-888-390-7936.

Other non-monetary violations of labor law

Yes, the Division may investigate.

The Division may have the authority to assist you with the following complaints:

Itemized pay statements were not provided by the employer
You were paid your wages, but not timely
Meal periods were not provided as required by law

I agree and would like to create an account

You may file an anonymous complaint regarding one or more of the topics in this section using the Labor Standards Complaint Form (Printable) on the Division's Complaint Form Page. At this time anonymous complaints cannot be submitted online and you may not submit an anonymous claim for wages. Please note that if you are filing an anonymous complaint, you cannot provide any personally identifiable information on the complaint form.

No, the Division cannot investigate.

You may not file a claim with the Division if:

You have filed a lawsuit or taken other legal action against the employer regarding the events involved in this dispute
Your complaint is about discrimination based on race, religion, sexual orientation, familial status, sex, marital status, disability, national origin, and/or ancestry

You may email questions to the Division at cdle_labor_standards@state.co.us.

If you would like to discuss the situation with the Division, please contact our call center at 303-318-8441 or toll free at 1-888-390-7936.

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