Pay Transparency/Colorado
Colorado Pay Transparency Law 2026
Whether pay ranges belong in job postings here, who is covered, and what non-compliance costs. Every requirement below is checked against the statute and the enforcing agency.
Required, All Employers
Yes: the most demanding posting law of the states we track (Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, as amended by SB 23-105)
| Covered employers | One employee in Colorado; no headcount minimum. |
|---|---|
| What postings must include | Three things in every job-opportunity notice: (1) the compensation or a genuinely expected range, (2) a general description of bonuses and benefits, and (3) how and when to apply; including the date the application window is anticipated to close. The deadline requirement is unique to Colorado. |
| Disclosure on request | Colorado's model is posting-based; the disclosure duties attach to job-opportunity notices (internal and external). |
| Promotion / internal notice | Yes, two-sided: job opportunities must generally be announced to employees before selection, and within 30 days after a selected candidate starts, employees who will regularly work with them must get a post-selection notice (name, prior title if internal, new title, how to express interest in similar roles). "Career progressions" based on objective, predefined criteria are exempt; any managerial discretion removes the exemption. |
| Remote positions | Covers any remote job that could be performed from Colorado; adding "Colorado applicants will not be considered" to a listing does not exempt it (CDLE INFO #9A). Narrow exception until July 1, 2029: employers with no Colorado site and under 15 Colorado staff needn't send job-opportunity notices for jobs performable only outside Colorado. |
| Pay-data reporting | No state pay-data reporting regime. |
| Penalties & enforcement | $500–$10,000 per violation, enforced by CDLE (investigation is mandatory on complaint). No private right of action for posting violations. Note: a doubled "$20,000" figure circulates in some summaries; the statute says $10,000. |
Questions employers ask
Who is covered by Colorado's pay transparency law?
Any employer with at least one Colorado employee; there is no headcount minimum. Employers with no Colorado employees at the time of a hiring decision aren't covered for that decision.
Does Colorado require an application deadline in job postings?
Yes: every job-opportunity posting must state the date the application window is anticipated to close, along with compensation and a general description of benefits. Colorado is the only state we track that requires the deadline.
Can employers exclude Colorado applicants from remote postings to avoid the law?
No. The state's guidance (CDLE INFO #9A) rejects that workaround: what matters is whether the job could be performed from Colorado, not who the employer says it will consider.
What is Colorado's post-selection notice requirement?
Within 30 days after a selected candidate begins the role, employees who will regularly work with them must be told the candidate's name, former title if internal, new title, and how to express interest in similar future opportunities.
Sources and caveats
Get notified when Colorado changes its rules
State employment law changes, in plain English, with what to do about them.
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