Employers Take Note: Employees Can Now Start Applying for 2024 FAMLI Benefits

Benefits from Colorado’s Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program become available on January 1, 2024, but employees can already submit applications for anticipated leave in FAMLI’s online portal, My FAMLI+.  This means there are certain things that employers should be aware of and steps that should be taken to make sure the company is ready for its first FAMLI application. 

Now that employees can begin applying for benefits, employers will also begin to receive notification when an employee applies for benefits.  FAMLI will notify employers during certain points in the claim filing process, including: 

• When one of their employees has filed a FAMLI claim, even if the necessary documentation is not yet received; 
• When the claim filing is complete (the claimant has provided all necessary documentation for eligibility review); 
• When the claim has been fully processed;  
• When absence hours have been reported (this is specific to Reduced Schedule Leave or Intermittent Leave claims); and 
• When a FAMLI decision is appealed.

As of now, these notifications will be sent via mailed letters, but employers will be able to access their employees’ FAMLI claim information electronically in the My FAMLI+ Employer portal sometime in early 2024. 

To ensure these notifications are received, both employers and third-party administrators should make sure appropriate contact information for a designated Benefits Manager is in the My FAMLI+ Employer portal.  This designated contact will be the person who receives documentation when an employee applies for benefits. If there is no designated individual, documentation will be sent through traditional mail to the main mailing address on file for the company. By designating a contact person, and making sure that person is on the lookout, employers can be sure that important information about upcoming FAMLI leave does not fall through the cracks. 

There will be more steps for employers to take as FAMLI benefits become available, but in the meantime, employers should watch for notifications informing them that employees have applied for benefits and make sure any other leave policies the company may have are updated to appropriately address coordination with this newest Colorado employee benefit.