Colorado
Overview
Please review the information below as well as the information on the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity page and then return to the workplace harassment prevention course tab.
Harassment and discrimination based on a protected characteristic are prohibited under both federal and state law. The federal government and most state governments have agencies that help employers and employees understand these legal requirements and ensure compliance with the laws.
Protected Characteristics
Harassment or discrimination based on any characteristic set forth below is prohibited under state law in Colorado.
Colorado
- age (40 years or older)
- ancestry
- color
- creed
- disability
- gender identity
- gender expression
- marital status
- marriage to a co-worker (applies in limited circumstances)
- national origin
- race (including hair that is part of the cultural identification of an ethnic group or that is a physical characteristic of an ethnic group such as braids, locks, or twists)
- religion
- sex (including pregnancy, physical recovery from childbirth and related medical conditions)
- sexual orientation
- Wage Transparency Act (sharing and comparing wage information with coworkers)
Applicable Laws
Colorado
The primary state law prohibiting employment discrimination, including harassment, is the Colorado Fair Employment Practices Act.
Harassment is Prohibited
“Harassment” is a form of discrimination that is unlawful under federal and Colorado law.
Harassment is any unwelcome and offensive conduct (including conduct or verbal, written, pictorial, or visual communication) directed at a person or a group because of that person or group’s membership in, or perceived membership in, a protected class.
Conduct or communication does not have to be severe or pervasive to constitute unlawful harassment.
Filing a Claim in Colorado
An employment discrimination or harassment claim may be filed with the Colorado Civil Rights Division, and/or the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, depending on the employer’s size and the protected characteristic on which the claim is based. More information on federal law prohibiting employment discrimination and harassment is available on the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity page.
Retaliation Prohibited
Employer retaliation against an employee who files a discrimination or harassment complaint or is involved in the complaint process is unlawful.
The information contained on this page is for informational purposes only.
It does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice.