Were you sexually harassed at work in Colorado?
The Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act may protect employees from workplace sexual harassment and retaliation. Deadlines, filing routes, and available remedies depend on what happened and which law applies.
You can request a review even if you are not sure whether the conduct legally qualifies, never reported it to HR, or still work for the employer.
Updated August 2026
- Sexual comments, messages, images, advances, or unwanted touching
- Pressure for dates, sex, or other sexual conduct
- Pay, scheduling, promotion, or job security tied to sexual conduct
- Retaliation after objecting or reporting
Colorado prohibits workplace sexual harassment under the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act, and the 2023 POWR Act changed the standard: conduct no longer needs to meet the former 'severe or pervasive' test to qualify as harassment under state law. Whether particular conduct qualifies still depends on the facts. The Colorado Civil Rights Division filing window is 300 days, and CADA covers employers of all sizes.
Sexual-harassment information by city in Colorado
Select your city for locally relevant filing information, agency routes, and a case review with your state already selected.
- BoulderWorkplace sexual-harassment information
- Colorado SpringsWorkplace sexual-harassment information
- DenverWorkplace sexual-harassment information
- Fort CollinsWorkplace sexual-harassment information
Colorado at a glance.
- Statute
- Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act (CADA), C.R.S. § 24-34-401 et seq.
- Harassment covered at
- CADA harassment protections apply to Colorado employers of all sizes, and the POWR Act's harassment standard is not limited by an employee-count threshold. Federal Title VII requires 15 or more employees.
- Discrimination covered at
- CADA's employment provisions apply to employers of all sizes in Colorado (C.R.S. § 24-34-401(3))
More detail
religious organizations not supported by taxation are excluded. Federal Title VII requires 15 or more employees. - State agency deadline
- 300 days from the discriminatory or unfair employment practice to file a charge with the Colorado Civil Rights Division (extended from six months by HB22-1367). Do not rely on older six-month guidance.
- Federal EEOC deadline
- 300 days (Colorado is a deferral jurisdiction
More detail
charges are handled through the EEOC Denver Field Office and the CCRD under a worksharing arrangement) - Civil suit
- CADA generally requires a CCRD charge and a notice of right to sue before a civil action
More detail
after the notice, suit generally must be filed within 90 days - After right-to-sue
- 90 days from the CCRD or EEOC right-to-sue notice to file a civil action
- Damages
- Back pay, front pay, hiring, reinstatement, or promotion where appropriate
- State agency
- Colorado Civil Rights Division (CCRD)
What may be available under the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act.
- Back pay, front pay, hiring, reinstatement, or promotion where appropriate
- Compensatory and punitive damages for intentional discrimination, subject to employer-size caps that mirror the federal schedule, with reduced caps for employers with fewer than 15 employees
- Reasonable attorney's fees and costs for a prevailing plaintiff
- Federal Title VII caps combined compensatory + punitive at $50K-$300K by employer size
- POWR Act (SB23-172, effective August 7, 2023): conduct no longer needs to satisfy the former 'severe or pervasive' formulation to constitute harassment under Colorado law, the statute defines harassment directly. Whether particular conduct qualifies still depends on the facts and the statutory elements; not every offensive act is actionable.
- The POWR Act added marital status as a protected class and restricts nondisclosure provisions that would limit an employee's ability to discuss alleged discriminatory or unfair employment practices.
- HB22-1367 (2022) extended the CCRD filing period from six months to 300 days, older six-month guidance is out of date.
- CADA covers employers of all sizes, so workers at small Colorado employers who fall below the federal 15-employee threshold may still have a state claim.
Where to file in Colorado.
Denver (statewide)
1560 Broadway, Suite 825Denver, CO 80202
(303) 894-2997
The CCRD is part of the Department of Regulatory Agencies in Denver. An intake packet can be started online; the division serves the whole state from Denver.
File with CCRD ↗Deadlines are shorter than most people expect. Share what happened in about two minutes. The firm will review your submission and contact you about possible options and next steps. There is no cost or obligation to request a review.
Guides for Colorado sexual harassment.
The same conduct can break more than one law.
What happened to you in Colorado may also amount to a separate claim, with its own protections and its own deadlines. Each of these is worth checking before anything lapses.