Colorado FAMLI Act for Caregivers: Paid Leave to Care for an Aging Parent

Colorado Pays You to Take Leave and Care for Your Parent

Most adult children don't know this program exists. Colorado's Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) Act provides up to 12 weeks of paid, job-protected leave for workers who need to care for a family member with a serious health condition. That includes an aging parent who needs help after a hospitalization, a fall, a dementia diagnosis, or any other qualifying medical event.

FAMLI isn't Medicaid. It doesn't pay for a caregiver to come to your parent's home. It replaces a portion of your paycheck while you step away from work to provide the care yourself — or to coordinate the care infrastructure (CMA intake, Medicaid applications, home modifications, agency interviews) that most families struggle to manage while holding down a full-time job.

How FAMLI Benefits Work in 2026

Duration: Up to 12 weeks of paid leave per benefit year.

Benefit amount: Partial wage replacement, capped at $1,448.02 per week in 2026 (based on a State Average Weekly Wage of $1,608.91).

Job protection: FAMLI provides job-protected leave for eligible workers.

Premiums: FAMLI is funded through payroll premiums paid by employers and employees.

Who Qualifies

To file a FAMLI claim for caregiving, you need:

1. Meet FAMLI's wage eligibility requirement in Colorado during the base period
2. A qualifying family member with a serious health condition. "Family member" includes a parent, and "serious health condition" covers any illness, injury, or condition that involves continuing treatment or incapacity — hospitalization, progressive dementia, a major fall requiring rehabilitation, chronic conditions requiring regular medical visits
3. A healthcare provider certification documenting the parent's condition and your need to provide care or be present for treatment

Self-employed workers can opt into FAMLI coverage under the program's enrollment rules. Confirm your eligibility with the FAMLI Division before filing.

How to Apply

1. Create an account on the Colorado FAMLI Division portal (famli.colorado.gov)
2. Submit a claim with your employment information and the reason for leave
3. Get the healthcare provider certification completed by your parent's doctor (the form is available on the FAMLI portal)
4. Wait for approval: Monitor your claim in the FAMLI Division portal for the decision
5. Receive payments: Once approved, payments begin under the program's payment schedule

You don't need to take all 12 weeks at once. FAMLI allows intermittent leave — taking days or partial days as needed — which works well for families managing ongoing medical appointments, CMA meetings, and waiver application paperwork alongside a regular work schedule.

When FAMLI Makes the Most Difference

The Medicaid application timeline is the sweet spot. From the moment your parent needs care to the day the EBD waiver starts paying for services, 60 to 90 days typically pass. During that window, someone needs to:

• Get the PMIP signed by the parent's doctor
• Contact the regional CMA and complete the intake assessment
• Compile five years of bank statements for the financial application
• File through Colorado PEAK
• Respond to county verification requests within 7 calendar days (missing this deadline triggers automatic denial)
• Coordinate interim care — possibly private-pay at $32 to $45 per hour

FAMLI replaces your income while you handle all of this instead of trying to manage it in evenings and weekends.

FAMLI Doesn't Replace Medicaid — It Bridges to It

FAMLI covers your lost wages. Medicaid covers your parent's care costs. They work in sequence: use FAMLI to take the time needed to set up the waiver, CDASS enrollment, and care schedule, then return to work once the system is funding your parent's in-home support.

The Aging in Place in Colorado guide maps out exactly which applications and paperwork need to happen during that bridge period, with a document tracker and timeline planner built for Colorado's current CMA system.

See more Colorado guides →