Colorado
For Colorado, deadline after firing/layoff is due and payable immediately; deadline after quitting is due and payable upon the next regular payday; penalty for late payment is for non-willful violations, the penalty is double the wages owed or $1,000 (whichever is greater); statute or source is 8-4-109, recorded from its source on 2026-08-31.
- State
- Colorado our reading
- Deadline after firing/layoff
- due and payable immediately verified
- Deadline after quitting
- due and payable upon the next regular payday verified
- Penalty for late payment
- for non-willful violations, the penalty is double the wages owed or $1,000 (whichever is greater) our reading
- Statute or source
- 8-4-109 our reading
Values marked our reading are our classification of what the source says — the source does not print them in those words. The quote below is the evidence for each one; judge it yourself.
What the source says
When an interruption in the employer-employee relationship by volition of the employer occurs, the wages or compensation for labor or service earned, vested, determinable, and unpaid at the time of such discharge is due and payable immediately.
— cdle.colorado.gov, retrieved 2026-08-31
Where each value comes from
This source states these in separate places, so each value is shown with the passage that states it.
Deadline after quitting
When an employee quits or resigns such employee’s employment, the wages or compensation shall become due and payable upon the next regular payday.
Penalty for late payment
In or after 2023, the penalties depend on two considerations. (1) Whether the violation is “willful” (defined on p.2): (a) for non-willful violations, the penalty is double the wages owed or $1,000 (whichever is greater)
Statute or source
8-4-109. Termination of employment — payments required — civil penalties — payments to surviving spouse or heir.
— all from cdle.colorado.gov, retrieved 2026-08-31
Sources
- cdle.colorado.govhttps://cdle.colorado.gov/sites/cdle/files/colorado_wage_act_revised_august_6,_2025_for_posting.pdf
- cdle.colorado.govhttps://cdle.colorado.gov/sites/cdle/files/INFO%20%233A%20Timing%20of%20Wage%20Payments,%20&%20Required%20Record-Keeping%2007.11.2023%20accessible.pdf
- cdle.colorado.govhttps://cdle.colorado.gov/sites/cdle/files/INFO%20%232B%20Orders%20of%20Wages,%20Penalties,%20Fines,%20and%20Consequences%20for%20Non-Compliance%2008.01.2023%20accessible.pdf