Beginning in January 2024, CU Denver employees will have more options when it comes to taking family leave.
CU is launching the FAMLI program because of a state law that Colorado voters passed in 2020. Beginning in 2024, the law established a state insurance program that would supplement the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The law allows employers to offer a self-funded and self-administered paid family leave program with benefits that meet or exceed the state’s program. CU system’s Employee Services Office worked to create an implementation plan. CU Denver’s Human Resources team, and those at other CU campuses, are coordinating to be ready for launch.
The CU FAMLI program will provide all eligible employees a portion of their weekly salary (up to $1,100 per week) for as many as 12 weeks of leave, to care for themselves or a family member (with an additional four weeks of leave for complications during pregnancy or childbirth).
Individuals can use FAMLI leave to take time away from work to:
- Care for a new child, including adopted and fostered children.
- Care for themselves or a family member if they have a serious health condition.
- Make arrangements for a family member’s military deployment.
- Address the immediate safety needs and impact of domestic violence and/or sexual assault.
You become eligible to receive partial wage replacement on the first day of employment. This includes student employees.
Because FAMLI coverage only replaces a percentage of an employee’s wages, you will have the option to use accrued sick leave or vacation leave to make up the difference. In addition, FAMLI provides job protection and legal protections against retaliation after 180 days of employment. CU FAMLI works concurrently with many of our leave programs including FMLA, paid parental leave, and sick and vacation leave, depending on the need for leave.
This new benefit has resulted in a centralized process led by the system central Employee Benefits Office and not within CU Denver. However, we will remain in close partnership and will collaborate with this new team to ensure you receive great service.
How It Works
CU anticipates the application for FAMLI to be available in mid to late November. The application will be posted on the FAMLI website. A leave coordinator will reach out to the application submitter to discuss the various leave benefits available and how they work based on their specific situation. As a reminder, benefits won’t begin until January 2024.
To use this benefit and get your questions answered, you will work with the leave coordinators through the system office, just as you do now for health benefits. The information is kept confidential, and you must meet certain criteria to activate the benefit. If you have specific questions about how this new program could apply to an upcoming life-changing event, email leave@cu.edu.
To learn more about FAMLI, we encourage you to attend one of several virtual information sessions being held this month through next year. Some sessions are open to all employees and some are designed for supervisors. Click on a preferred date to sign up and get the link.
Open Sessions
- Nov. 29, 2023, 10 – 11 a.m.
- Dec. 7, 2023, 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
- Dec. 11, 2023, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
- Dec. 22, 2023, 1 – 2 p.m.
- Jan. 3, 2024, 3 – 4 p.m.
- Jan. 10, 2024, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
- Jan. 18, 2024, 8:30 – 9:30 a.m.
- Jan. 22, 2024, noon – 1 p.m.
- Feb. 2, 2024, 9 – 10 a.m.
Supervisor Sessions
- Dec. 4, 2023, 8:30 – 9:30 a.m.
- Dec. 19, 2023, 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
- Jan. 5, 2024, 9 – 10 a.m.
- Jan. 16, 2024, 3 – 4 p.m.
- Jan. 31, 2024, noon – 1 p.m.
(To register for a session above, right click the link and select “open in new tab.”)
Can’t make one of these sessions? Watch a video that describes the new program here.