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Colorado Overtime Requirements

active

Colorado requires overtime pay at 1.5 times the regular rate for hours worked over 40 in a workweek (weekly overtime) and for hours worked over 12 in a single workday (daily overtime). Colorado is one of the few states that mandates both daily and weekly overtime. The COMPS Order (Colorado Overtime and Minimum Pay Standards) governs these requirements.

Jurisdiction
CO (state)
Law Type
Overtime
Status
active
Citation
C.R.S. § 8-12-103
Regulatory Citation
COMPS Order #39, 7 CCR 1103-1
Effective Date
1963-01-01
Last Amended
2024-01-01
Last Verified
2026-01-15
Record Updated
2026-01-15

Applicability

Employer Size
1+ employees
Employee Types
non-exempt
Age Groups
adult, 16-17, 14-15

Requirements

Weekly Overtime Threshold Hours
40
Daily Overtime Threshold Hours
12
Overtime Multiplier
1.5
Daily Overtime
Threshold Hours
12
Multiplier
1.5
Description
Employees must be paid 1.5x their regular rate for all hours worked beyond 12 in a single workday.
Weekly Overtime
Threshold Hours
40
Multiplier
1.5
Description
Employees must be paid 1.5x their regular rate for all hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek.
No Double Counting
Hours that trigger daily overtime credit against weekly overtime obligations. An employer does not owe both daily and weekly overtime for the same hours.
Salary Threshold
Description
Colorado uses the COMPS Order salary threshold for white-collar exemptions, which is tied to the state minimum wage and may differ from the federal threshold.
Note
The salary threshold is recalculated annually based on the Colorado minimum wage.
Exemptions
Bona fide executive, administrative, and professional employees meeting the COMPS Order salary threshold, Certain highly compensated employees, Certain agricultural employees, Elected officials and their staffs, Certain domestic service workers

Penalties

Employers who fail to pay overtime may be liable for the unpaid wages, penalties up to the full amount of the unpaid wages, and reasonable costs and attorney fees under the Colorado Wage Claim Act.

Statute of limitations: 3 years

Notes

Colorado is one of only a few states (along with California, Alaska, and Nevada) that require daily overtime in addition to weekly overtime. The COMPS Order is updated annually by the Colorado Division of Labor Standards and Statistics. Employers must track both daily and weekly hours to ensure compliance with both thresholds.

Sources