Governance and Intergovernmental Relations Committee Meeting – January 20, 2026

The committee received a briefing from the Office of Human Resources (OHR) on changes to Career Service Rule 10 (paid leave) and the Care Hours program. Most changes aligned with state and federal law. No public testimony was heard. No votes were taken; the briefing was informational.

Discussion Items

• Rule 10 (Paid Leave) Updates: OHR Director Heather Britton and Manager Marilyn Carroll presented revisions effective August 2025. Changes included:
  • Removing the shared-living-expense requirement for domestic partner eligibility (to match the Colorado Healthy Families and Workplaces Act).
  • Streamlining immediate family definitions (removing duplicative in-law references; adding sibling’s child and miscarriage as covered for bereavement leave).
  • Clarifying that PTO can be used for school/workplace closures due to inclement weather, loss of power/heating/water, and for evacuations (matching state law).
  • Adding Indigenous Peoples’ Day as a paid holiday.
  • Adjusting comp time payout from April to January.
  • Updating military leave to match federal law.
• Care Hours (Paid Family Leave) Changes:
  • Renamed from “Care Bank” to “Care Hours.”
  • Removed probation-based eligibility; employees now must have one year of service and qualify for FMLA to use Care Hours. This change affected 128 employees in 2023, 98 in 2024, and 46 in 2025 who had used Care Hours with less than one year of service.
  • Clarified that Care Hours cannot count toward overtime, allowing employees using Care Hours to work more than 40 hours in a week.
  • Aligned dependent definitions with Rule 12 (which references Colorado FCA, including significant personal bond). OHR confirmed no reduction in eligible dependents.
• Council Questions:
  • Council Member Parody expressed concern that removing the specific “significant personal bond” language from Rule 10 might narrow eligibility, even though Rule 12 incorporates Colorado FCA. OHR stated the definitions overlap and no coverage was lost.
  • Council Member Torres questioned the shift from 6‑month to 1‑year eligibility for Care Hours, noting that some employees complete probation at 6 months but must wait for the benefit. OHR explained that probationary periods vary (0–12 months) and aligning with FMLA’s 1‑year requirement provides consistency. They noted employees with less than 1 year still qualify for unpaid job-protected leave under ADA and donated leave (Care Bank).
  • Council Member Flynn requested additional data on the average number of Care Hours used, the range, and the highest individual usage. OHR agreed to provide it.

Key Outcomes

• No votes or formal decisions were taken. The committee received the briefing for informational purposes.
• OHR will provide supplemental statistics on Care Hours usage (average hours, range, maximum).
• The meeting adjourned without further action.