Colorado workers cannot sue their employer for a work-related injury or illness, in most cases. This is because workers' compensation—which is available to most Coloradoans (but not all)—is an "exclusive remedy," meaning that injured workers cannot pursue legal action against their employer if they are eligible for workers' compensation benefits. However, there are certain exceptions to this rule such as in cases of gross negligence, malicious conduct, when an employer doesn't have workers' compensation insurance OR if an employer retaliated against the employee for filing a workers' compensation claim by firing them. While Colorado is an at-will employment state—meaning an employer can fire a worker at any time without notice, including during the process of a workers' compensation claim—it is against the law to fire an employee in retaliation for filing an injury claim. There must be another legitimate reason for terminating the employee.