2023 Colorado Revised Statutes › Title 8 - LABOR AND INDUSTRY (§§ 8-1-101 — 8-88-207) › LABOR III - EMPLOYMENT SECURITY (§§ 8-70-101 — 8-82-105) › Article 73 - BENEFITS - ELIGIBILITY - DISQUALIFICATION (§§ 8-73-101 — 8-73-116) › Section 8-73-107 - Eligibility conditions - penalty - notice to revisor of statutes - repeal

(1)
Any unemployed individual shall be eligible to receive benefits with respect to any week only if the division finds that:
(a)
(I)
He or she has registered for work at and thereafter has continued to report at an employment office in accordance with such regulations as the director of the division may prescribe; except that the director of the division, by regulation, may waive or alter either or both of the requirements of this subparagraph (I) as to individuals attached to regular jobs and as to such other types of cases or situations with respect to which the director of the division finds that compliance with such requirements would be oppressive, or would be inconsistent with the purposes of articles
70
to
82
of this title, but that no such regulation shall conflict with section
8-73-101
.
(II)
Without in any way limiting the authority of the director of the division to waive or alter the requirements of subparagraph (I) of this paragraph (a), during the period of the national economic recession that began in 2008, in order to assist unemployed individuals in being available for appropriate jobs and to assist employers in having available trained employees, the director of the division shall waive or alter such requirements so that individuals attached to regular jobs do not have to comply with the requirements of subparagraph (I) of this paragraph (a) for a period of twenty-six weeks.
(b)
He has made a claim for benefits in accordance with the provisions of section
8-74-101
;
(c)
(I)
The individual is able to work and is available for all work deemed suitable pursuant to the provisions of section
8-73-108
, and, with respect thereto:
(A)
Decisions of the division regarding the ability of the claimant to work, the availability of the claimant for work, and the claimant's active search for work may be appealed by the claimant or by any employer whose account may be charged with any benefits paid pursuant to such decision, if the appeal is received within twenty calendar days, as defined in section
8-70-103 (5)
, after the date on the notice of any such decision;
(B)
A potentially chargeable employer may protest on the basis of inability to work, nonavailability for work, or failure to search for work within fifteen calendar days after the date on which he discovers such a condition to exist, within thirty days after the date on which payment was made for the week during which the claimant is alleged to have been unable to work or unavailable for work, or within sixty calendar days after the mailing date of the report of quarterly benefit charges, whichever comes first;
(C)
No individual shall be considered available for work during any week in which he has no reasonable expectation of securing employment in his usual occupation or in an occupation for which he is reasonably qualified as a result of his movement to an area;
(D)
No individual shall be denied benefits because of nonavailability or failure to make an active search for work solely due to his compliance with a summons to report for jury duty. Remuneration received in connection with such duty shall not be considered wages, as defined in section
8-70-141 (1)(a)
, and the individual's weekly benefit amount shall not be reduced as prescribed in section
8-73-102 (4)
.
(E)
If an individual left employment because of health-related reasons, the division may require a written medical statement issued by a licensed practicing physician or licensed practicing physician assistant authorized under section
12-240-107 (6)
addressing any matters related to health.
(II)
Nothing in this paragraph (c) shall prevent the division from reviewing and redetermining any decision at any time if the redetermination is based upon facts not known to the division at the time of its original decision.
(d)
(I)
The individual has been either totally or partially unemployed for a waiting period of one week. No benefits are payable for the waiting period. No week shall be counted as a week of unemployment for the purposes of this subsection (1)(d):
(A)
Unless it occurs within the benefit year, which includes the week with respect to which the individual claims payment of benefits;
(B)
If benefits have been paid with respect to the week;
(C)
Unless the individual was eligible for benefits with respect to the week under the provisions of sections
8-73-107
to
8-73-112
;
(D)
Unless total wages earned for the week are less than the weekly benefit amount.
(II)
This subsection (1)(d) will be repealed if the balance of the unemployment compensation fund reaches at least one billion dollars. The director of the division shall notify the revisor of statutes in writing of the date on which the condition specified in this subsection (1)(d)(II) has occurred by e-mailing the notice to revisorofstatutes.ga@coleg.gov. This subsection (1)(d) is repealed, effective upon the date identified in the notice on which the balance of the unemployment compensation fund reached at least one billion dollars or, if the notice does not specify that date, upon the date of the notice to the revisor of statutes.
(e)
The individual has during his or her base period been paid wages for insured work equal to not less than forty times such individual's weekly benefit amount or two thousand five hundred dollars, whichever is greater. For the purposes of this paragraph (e), wages shall be counted as "wages for insured work" for benefit purposes with respect to any benefit year only if such benefit year comes subsequent to the date on which the employing unit by whom such wages were paid has satisfied the conditions of sections
8-70-113
,
8-76-104
, and
8-76-107
with respect to becoming an employer.
(f)
His total wages earned for the week are less than his weekly benefit amount;
(g)
(I)
He or she is actively seeking work. In determining whether the claimant is actively seeking work, the division, taking notice of the customary methods of obtaining work in the claimant's usual occupation, or any occupation for which he or she is reasonably qualified, and the current condition of the labor market, shall consider, but shall not be limited to a consideration of, whether, during said week, the claimant followed a course of action that was reasonably designed to result in his or her prompt reemployment in suitable work.
(II)
This paragraph (g) shall not apply to a person determined eligible to receive benefits pursuant to section
8-73-108 (4)(r)(I)
for the first fifteen business days after a claim for benefits is filed if compliance with this paragraph (g) would:
(A)
Make it more difficult for the person to escape domestic abuse; or
(B)
Unfairly penalize a person who is or has been a victim of domestic abuse or is at further risk of domestic abuse.
(h)
The individual has furnished the division with separation and other reports containing the information deemed necessary by the division to determine the individual's eligibility for benefits, but this provision shall not apply if the individual proves to the satisfaction of the division that he or she had good cause for failing to furnish such reports. The eligibility of any individual shall not be affected by the refusal or failure of an employer to furnish reports concerning separation and employment as required by articles
70
to
82
of this title and the rules pursuant thereto, and the division shall determine the eligibility of such individual upon the basis of such information it may obtain; and any employer who fails or refuses to furnish reports concerning separation and employment shall cease to be an interested party to the separation issue directly related to determinations made in accordance with section
8-73-108 (4) and (5)(e)
. For each instance of failure to furnish the division with such reports, the employer, unless good cause to the contrary is shown to the satisfaction of the division, may be assessed a penalty of twenty-five dollars, which shall be collected in the same manner as premiums due under articles
70
to
82
of this title.
(i)
It is not, in whole or in part, within a period during which the worker is not working due to a disciplinary suspension as provided in the contract of employment;
(j)
Such individual is not absent from work due to an authorized and approved voluntary leave of absence.
(2)
An individual who has received compensation during the individual's benefit year is required to have worked for an employer as defined in section
8-70-113
since the beginning of such year and to have earned at least two thousand dollars as remuneration for such employment in order to qualify for compensation in the next benefit year.
(3)
For the purpose of this subsection (3), "educational institution" includes the Colorado school for the deaf and the blind; except that such term does not include a headstart program that is not a part of a school administered by a board of education because such headstart employees are not subject to the same employment conditions as other employees of the school. Compensation is payable on the basis of services to which sections
8-70-119
,
8-70-125
, and
8-70-125.5
apply in the same amount, on the same terms, and subject to the same conditions as compensation payable on the basis of other services subject to articles
70
to
82
of this title; except that:
(a)
With respect to services in an instructional, research, or principal administrative capacity for an educational institution, compensation shall not be payable based on such services for any week commencing during the period between two successive academic years or terms (or when an agreement provides instead for a similar period between two regular but not successive terms, during such period) to any individual if such individual performs such services in the first of such academic years or terms and if there is a contract or reasonable assurance that such individual will perform services in any such capacity for any educational institution in the second of such academic years or terms;
(b)
With respect to services in any other capacity, for an educational institution compensation payable on the basis of such services shall be denied to any individual for any week which commences during a period between two successive academic years or terms or periods described in paragraph (c) of this subsection (3) if such individual performs such services in the first of such academic years, terms, or periods and there is a reasonable assurance that such individual will perform such services in the second of such academic years, terms, or periods; except that, if compensation is denied to any individual for any week under this paragraph (b) and such individual was not offered, an opportunity to perform such services for the educational institution for the second of such academic years, terms, or periods, such individual shall be entitled to a retroactive payment of the compensation for each week for which the individual filed a timely claim for compensation and for which compensation was denied solely by reason of this paragraph (b);
(c)
With respect to any services described in paragraph (a) or (b) of this subsection (3), compensation payable on the basis of such services shall be denied to any individual for any week which commences during an established and customary vacation period or holiday recess if such individual performs such services in the period immediately before such vacation period or holiday recess and if there is a reasonable assurance that such individual will perform such services in the period immediately following such vacation period or holiday recess;
(d)
With respect to any services described in paragraph (a) or (b) of this subsection (3), compensation payable on the basis of services in any such capacity shall be denied as specified in paragraph (a), (b), or (c) of this subsection (3) to any individual who performed such services in an educational institution while in the employ of an educational service agency. For the purpose of this paragraph (d), the term "educational service agency" means a governmental agency or governmental entity, such as that created by the "Boards of Cooperative Services Act of 1965", article
5
of title
22
, C.R.S., which is established and operated exclusively for the purpose of providing such services to one or more educational institutions.
(e)
With respect to any services described in paragraph (a) of this subsection (3), compensation payable on the basis of such services shall be denied to any individual for any week during a period of paid or unpaid sabbatical or other voluntary leave provided for in the individual's contract if such individual performs such services in the academic year or term immediately preceding the beginning of sabbatical or other voluntary leave and if there is a contract or reasonable assurance that such individual will perform such services in the academic year or term following the end of the sabbatical or other voluntary leave;
(f)
With respect to services to which section
8-70-140
applies, if such services are provided to or on behalf of an educational institution, benefits shall not be payable under the same circumstances and subject to the same terms and conditions as described in paragraphs (a) to (d) of this subsection (3).
(4)
(a)
Notwithstanding any other provision in this section, no otherwise eligible individual shall be denied benefits for any week because he is in training with the approval of the division, nor shall such individual be denied benefits by reason of the application of provisions in paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of this section relating to availability for work, the provisions of paragraph (g) of subsection (1) of this section relating to active search for work, or the provisions of section
8-73-108
relating to failure to apply for, or a refusal to accept, suitable work with respect to any week in which he is in training with the approval of the division.
(b)
(Deleted by amendment, L. 98, p. 89, § 3, effective March 23, 1998.)
(5)
Repealed.
(6)
Benefits shall not be paid to any individual on the basis of any services, substantially all of which consist of participating in sports or athletic events or training or preparing to so participate, for any week which commences during the period between two successive sport seasons (or similar periods) if such individual performed such services in the first of such seasons (or similar periods) and there is a reasonable assurance that such individual will perform such services in the latter of such seasons (or similar periods).
(7)
(a)
Benefits shall not be payable on the basis of services performed by an alien unless such alien is an individual who was lawfully admitted for permanent residence at the time such services were performed, or was lawfully present for purposes of performing such services, or was permanently residing in the United States under color of law at the time such services were performed. For purposes of the "Colorado Employment Security Act":
(I)
An alien shall be considered to be "lawfully admitted for permanent residence" only if the alien has been granted status under section 101 of the "Immigration and Nationality Act",
8 U.S.C. sec. 1101 (a)(20)
;
(II)
An alien shall be considered to be "lawfully present for purposes of performing services" only if the alien is an alien who possesses work authorization or has been lawfully admitted to temporary residence under section 245 (a) or section 210 of the "Immigration and Nationality Act",
8 U.S.C. sec. 1255(a)
and
8 U.S.C. sec. 1160
, respectively;
(III)
An alien shall be considered to be "permanently residing in the United States under color of law" only if the alien is:
(A)
An alien admitted as a refugee under section 207 of the "Immigration and Nationality Act",
8 U.S.C. sec. 1157
, in effect after March 31, 1980;
(B)
An alien granted asylum by the attorney general of the United States under section 208 of the "Immigration and Nationality Act",
8 U.S.C. sec. 1158
;
(C)
An alien granted a parole into the United States for an indefinite period under section 212 (d)(5)(B) of the "Immigration and Nationality Act",
8 U.S.C. sec. 1182 (d)(5)(B)
;
(D)
An alien granted the status as a conditional entrant refugee under section 203 (a)(7) of the "Immigration and Nationality Act",
8 U.S.C. sec. 1153 (a)(7)
, in effect prior to March 31, 1980; or
(E)
An alien who has been formally granted deferred action status by the immigration and naturalization service, or any successor agency.
(b)
Any data or information required of individuals applying for benefits to determine whether benefits are not payable to them because of their alien status shall be uniformly required from all applicants for benefits.
(c)
In the case of an individual whose application for benefits would otherwise be approved, no determination that benefits to such individual are not payable because of his alien status shall be made except upon a preponderance of the evidence.
Amended by 2022 Ch. 224, § 3, eff. 5/25/2022.
Amended by 2019 Ch. 136, § 25, eff. 10/1/2019.
Amended by 2016 Ch. 204, § 4, eff. 8/10/2016.
L. 36, 3rd Ex. Sess.: p. 18, § 4. L. 37: p. 1254, § 2. CSA: C. 167A, § 4. L. 39: p. 570, § 2. L. 41: p. 765, § 4. L. 43: p. 601, § 2. L. 45: p. 712, § 1. L. 47: p. 886, § 2. L. 49: p. 722, § 2. L. 51: p. 807, § 2. L. 53: p. 623, §§ 2-4. CRS 53: § 82-4-8. L. 55: p. 533, § 1. C.R.S. 1963: § 82-4-7. L. 65: p. 832, § 4. L. 71: p. 932, § 7. L. 73: p. 959, § 7. L. 75: (3) amended, p. 322, § 3, effective June 20. L. 76: (3) amended, p. 360, § 2, effective April 20; (3) amended, p. 339, § 11, effective October 1. L. 77: (5), (6), and (7) added, p. 463, § 14, effective July 1; (3) repealed, p. 471, § 27, effective 1/1/1978. L. 79: (1)(c) and (7)(a) R&RE, (1)(d)(I) amended, (3) RC&RE, and (5) repealed, pp. 346, 347, 356, §§ 7, 8, 9, 25, effective September 30. L. 81: (1)(h) amended, p. 492, § 6, effective July 1; (3) amended, p. 511, § 1, effective July 1. L. 82: (1)(e) and (2) amended, p. 236, § 3, effective July 1. L. 83: (3)(b) amended, p. 436, § 5, effective April 12. L. 84: (2) R&RE, p. 317, § 6, effective July 1; (3)(e) amended, p. 323, § 1, effective July 1. L. 85: (3)(e) amended, p. 1358, § 4, effective June 28; (1)(h) and (7)(a) amended, p. 366, § 3, effective July 1. L. 86: (1)(a) amended, p. 489, § 89, effective July 1; (3)(f) added and IP(7)(a) amended, p. 542, §§ 4, 5, effective July 1. L. 87: (4) amended, p. 406, § 1, effective May 16. L. 89: (1)(h) and (2) amended, p. 425, § 3, effective July 1. L. 90: (1)(c)(I)(A), (1)(c)(I)(D), (1)(e), (2), IP(3) and (3)(f) amended, p. 603, § 6, effective April 3; (7)(a) amended, p. 609, § 7, effective April 16. L. 92: (1)(c)(I)(B) and (1)(h) amended, p. 1793, § 2, effective April 10. L. 98: IP(1)(d), (2), and (4)(b) amended, p. 89, § 3, effective March 23. L. 99: (1)(e) amended, p. 634, § 1, effective August 4; (1)(c)(I)(E) and (1)(j) added, p. 396, §§ 1, 2, effective August 15. L. 2001: IP(3) amended, p. 1548, § 4, effective 12/21/2000. L. 2005: (1)(g) amended, p. 319, § 1, effective August 8. L. 2007: IP(1)(c)(I) and (1)(c)(I)(A) amended, p. 802, § 2, effective August 3. L. 2009: (1)(a) amended, (SB 09-178), ch. 1220, p. 1220, § 1, effective May 18; (1)(h) amended, (HB 09-1363), ch. 1883, p. 1883, § 10, effective July 1. L. 2011: (7)(a)(III)(E) amended, (HB 11-1303), ch. 1149, p. 1149, § 5, effective August 10. L. 2016: (1)(c)(I)(E) amended, (SB 16-158), ch. 720, p. 720, § 4, effective August 10. L. 2019: (1)(c)(I)(E) amended, (HB 19-1172), ch. 1648, p. 1648, § 25, effective October 1.
The federal "Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2001", Pub.L. 106-554 , which became law on December 21, 2000, required all states to amend their laws regarding how Indian tribes are treated for unemployment insurance purposes. The 2001 act amending the introductory portion to subsection (3) provided for an effective date of December 21, 2000. (See L. 2001, p. 1550.)
For the legislative declaration in SB 16-158, see section 1 of chapter 204, Session Laws of Colorado 2016.