Layoff Assistance and Workforce Reductions

If you are an employer who has reduced your workforce, your employees may be eligible for unemployment benefits. You can help expedite benefits to your workers by sharing the Colorado Unemployment Helpful Hints Fact Sheet and encouraging your workers to apply online. They will need their income information (including tips) and work history.

Layoff Alternatives

If you are only reducing hours, you may be eligible for the Work-Share Program, which provides an alternative to laying off employees by allowing them to keep working, but with fewer hours. While an employee is working fewer hours, they may be eligible to collect part of their regular unemployment benefits.

Requirements and qualifications for employers

• You must have reduced the normal weekly work hours by at least 10 percent, but by no more than 40 percent.
• The reduction must affect at least two out of all employees in the business, or a minimum of two employees in a certain unit.
• You must have paid as much in premiums as the DOL paid your former employees in unemployment insurance benefits. A rate notice to employers from the DOL was mailed in November.

For more details, download the Employer Fact Sheet or visit the Work Share page.

Sources

• https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdle/unemployment
• https://www.irs.gov