For Immediate Release
Date: September 14, 2020
Contact: Office of Government, Policy and Public Relations - cdle_pr@state.co.us
Public Comment Now Open on Colorado’s 2021 Minimum Wage, Other New Legislation
DENVER - The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment’s (CDLE) Division of Labor Standards and Statistics (DLSS) announced today the proposed new Colorado minimum wage, currently at $12.00, will adjust for inflation on January 1, 2021 to $12.32, as required by the Colorado Constitution. In 2006, Colorado voters approved a ballot measure tying the annual minimum wage to inflation, except for 2017-20, when it rose by larger amounts due to a 2016 ballot measure raising the minimum wage to $12.00 by 2020.
DLSS executes the constitutionally mandated minimum wage adjustment in the Colorado Overtime and Minimum Pay Standards Order (“COMPS Order”), published by September 30th as a proposed rule with a public hearing on November 2nd, and a comment period continuing through November 5th. Final rules will be adopted by November 10th to be effective January 1st.
The rulemaking schedule will also apply to other DLSS rulemakings mandated by recently enacted laws on paid sick days, whistleblowing and PPE use, and equal pay requirements. As required by Colorado law, the public may provide comments on any of these matters between now and November 5th, in writing or at a public hearing (by remote means) on November 2nd. Comments may be submitted to the Division of Labor Standards and Statistics at michael.primo@state.co.us.
Minimum wage calculation
Inflation for Colorado is calculated and published by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, and it rose 2.7% from the first half of 2019 to the first half of 2020, the mid-year comparison method Colorado has always used to set and notify Coloradans in advance of the coming year’s minimum wage a 2.7% increase to the minimum wage yields $12.32, or $9.30 for workers receiving enough in tips to total at least $12.32, because the Colorado law allows a $3.02 lower wage for workers receiving enough tips for total pay to meet or exceed the full minimum wage.
Below is the Colorado minimum wage for the past decade and 2021
