Colorado Department of Labor and Employment Guide | 1

Colorado Department of Labor and Employment

Colorado Department of Labor and Employment Guide | 2

Guide Introduction

The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) oversees and administers essential social and economic programs and initiatives related to student financial aid and unemployment, as well as larger employment and termination concerns. The department works with employers, workers, students, labor groups and others to promote a safe, healthy and economically vibrant work environment across the state. It also gathers, processes and maintains statistics and other valuable information on jobs, employment, wages and related issues. These figures assist lawmakers and others in making positive decisions about the future and direction of workplace and employment programming in the state. Colorado’s Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) is committed to providing support and increasing opportunities for workers and students of all ages and in all fields.

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Guide Introduction

Wrongful Termination in Ohio Introduction

Wrongful Termination in Ohio Introduction

Wrongful Termination in Ohio Introduction

Wrongful Termination in Ohio Introduction

Unemployment Insurance in Ohio

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Student Financial Aid in Colorado

Guide Introduction

Wrongful Termination in Colorado

Six Ways to Determine If You Are a Good Fit for a Job Based on the Description

Seven Questions Employers Cannot Ask You During an Interview

How to Decide Between College and Vocational Training

Unemployment Insurance in Colorado

Table of Contents

Guide Introduction

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10 Ways You Can Fail a Background Check

73

Reasons It Is Important to Have a Good Credit Score

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Wrongful Termination in Ohio Introduction

Wrongful Termination in Ohio Introduction

Wrongful Termination in Ohio Introduction

Wrongful Termination in Ohio Introduction

Wrongful Termination in Ohio Introduction

Wrongful Termination in Ohio Introduction

Wrongful Termination in Ohio Introduction

Unemployment Insurance in Ohio

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How to Ensure Your Workplace Is ADA-Compliant

Tips for Building a Professional Workplace Rapport with Colleagues

The Difference Between Bullying and Harassment in the Workplace

How to Make the Most of Your Lunch Hour at Work

Meal-Planning Tips for the Work Week

7 Jobs That Are Perfectly Suited for Remote Workers

Four Factors That Can Make Working Remotely Difficult

6 Types of Problems That You Should Take to HR

6 Advantages of Having an Open Office Environment

Seven Steps You Can Take to Improve Your Credit Today

Colorado Department of Labor and Employment Guide | 5

Student Financial Aid Opportunities in ColoradoStudents in Colorado have access to an array of financial aid opportunities at the federal, state and local levels. The most common types of assistance are educational grants, loans and scholarships. Regardless of which types of assistance a student intends to seek, he or she must begin by submitting a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). In response to the FAFSA, students will receive a federal student financial aid package that includes key aid such as Pell Grants and work study awards as well as offers for specialty funding for which they qualify, such as TEACH Grant awards. Additionally, the FAFSA provides a federal assessment of student resources and financial need on which many funders at all levels base their award decisions. The FAFSA must be resubmitted, accurately and carefully completed, on time each academic year to ensure continued funding eligibility.

Students enrolled in higher education in Colorado have access to several different types of educational loans, dozens of educational grants and hundreds of scholarships. The primary federal educational loans are subsidized loans, unsubsidized loans, Direct Plus loans and Perkins loans. Each type is regulated by strict conditions described in the following sections.

In addition to the educational grants listed above, students may qualify for Colorado College Opportunity Fund (COF) grants, Colorado Student Grants, Colorado Graduate Grants or grants targeted to serve certain subpopulations of students, such as those offered by the federal Department of Veterans Affairs to members of the military, veterans and their families. Scholarships are a form of aid that does not carry interest, does not need to be repaid and generally does not require post-graduation service commitments. Certain scholarships may be directed toward students entering specific degree fields, those demonstrating scholastic or social achievements, or individuals of a particular racial or ethnic background. Educational grants may also be targeted by field or background and typically require post-graduation commitments. They also often carry repayment caveats in the event that a recipient does not fulfill all

program requirements. Educational loans are available from the federal government or from private funders. Loans must be repaid, often with interest, but they play a key role in assisting students in fully funding their higher education.

Unemployment Benefits in ColoradoThe unemployment insurance (UI) program is a joint effort between the state of Colorado and the federal government. Unemployment benefits serve as a crucial safety net and offer financial, educational and vocational supports to unemployed or underemployed workers while they transition to new, stable, full-time employment. The Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) administers all aspects of unemployment compensation in the state. Its representatives assist Colorado residents in navigating the initial application for benefits and regular filings to continue to receiving benefits once they have been awarded. They investigate discrepancies in application filings between employers and employees and assist unemployed workers in preparing for, identifying and applying to new positions appropriate for their skills and needs. Where appropriate, Department representatives enroll unemployed workers receiving benefits in the courses, workshops and other training opportunities necessary to prepare them to secure new employment. The Department administers hearings as needed to determine when applicants are ineligible for benefits due to actions such as quitting their prior employment without cause or engaging in a strike. Applicants dismissed from employment or on unpaid leave due to breach of contract or misconduct are also ineligible for benefits.

For applicants who do qualify to collect unemployment insurance, benefits payments are calculated via a complex formula that accounts for multiple income variables, numerous types of potential withholdings and garnishments, the presence of dependents and several potential state-mandated award reductions. The actual amount a recipient can receive in benefits and the length of time for which she or he can expect to receive them for are also determined by a network of special rules, which department representatives assist applicants in understanding.

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Wrongful Termination Procedures in ColoradoColorado is an at-will employment state. As a result, employees are free to leave their place of employment at any time without notice or cause. Similarly, employers are entitled to terminate employees without notice or stated cause for separation. These protections do not extend to cases of discrimination, particularly as related to protected characteristics, including disability, race, creed, color, sex, age, religion, sexual orientation, national origin and ancestry. Employees also cannot be terminated for causes that are considered a violation of public policies, such as filing a worker’s compensation claim, bringing or threatening a lawsuit against employers, jury duty or whistleblowing. Employers are required to treat all employees equally. Failure to do so may legally constitute a form of discrimination.

Although the CDLE works broadly and on many levels to create positive and safe working environments throughout the state, it is not permitted or authorized to directly engage with allegations of discrimination or harassment in the workplace. Department representatives can, however, assist employees who feel they may have been the victims of discrimination in finding the correct assistance for their situations. Typically, this includes:

A private attorney. The Colorado Civil Rights Division.

A union representative.The Colorado Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

Residents can contact the Colorado Civil Rights Division by phone at 303-894-2997 or 800-262-4845. They can also email the division at DORA_CCRD@state.co.us or explore the resources and supports they offer through their website. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission can be reached by phone at 1-800-669-4000 or via this website.

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Student Financial Aid in Colorado

Financial aid in Colorado is available in a wide range of types, each governed by its own rules, regulations and requirements. To select the financial aid opportunities most appropriate to your needs, it is important to first gain a general understanding of the possibilities, the benefits and the drawbacks of each type of funding. In the following sections, you will find an overview of the primary financial aid assistance programs available to students in Colorado, including the ways they differ from one another, how to apply for them and what you must to be aware of before applying.

One section is wholly dedicated to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is a prerequisite for nearly all other forms of financial aid funding at all levels. The income and other financial aid information documented by applicants’ FAFSAs are often used as evidence of financial need by funders as a relevant factor in award decisions. To remain eligible for most forms of financial aid and to maintain or renew eligibility for many scholarships, students must resubmit their FAFSAs on time each academic year. Later sections explore educational loans, grants and scholarships along with their benefits, drawbacks and eligibility factors. By the end of this guide, applicants seeking financial aid information can expect to have a clear understanding of their options, the resources available to them and how to select the ones most appropriate for their needs, individually or as part of a larger funding plan.

Colorado FAFSA ApplicationsColorado FAFSA applications play an integral role in every student’s pursuit of financial aid to support his or her higher education goals. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the starting point for nearly all

other forms of financial aid at the federal, state and local levels. Most funders and institutions providing educational grants, loans and scholarships directly or indirectly base their decisions at least partially on students’ FAFSA applications. For this reason, it is critical that students and their families take great care to complete and submit FAFSA applications that are on time and free of errors each academic year. There is no single deadline for submission of a FAFSA application. In addition to the federal deadline, each state, institution and private funder maintains its own deadlines, which must be complied with in order to receive financial aid at the state and local levels. To assist students and their families in meeting these deadlines and avoiding costly mistakes, most institutions provide valuable support to enrolled and prospective students seeking to access, complete or submit a FAFSA.

Accessing FAFSA Applications in Colorado

FAFSA applications for each upcoming academic year become available October 1st each year. FAFSA applications can be completed in hard copy, or students may apply online. Applicants preferring not to apply online can download a hard copy of the application or request to have one mailed to them. Both online and hard copy FAFSA applications are always free to download, request and submit. To use the online FAFSA application, Colorado residents must first create an FSA ID number. An FSA ID number is a unique identifier that applicants can use to securely access and electronically sign their FAFSAs and the resulting financial aid contracts. To be assigned an ID number, applicants will need to provide their names, dates of birth and Social Security Numbers (SSNs).

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Some parents or guardians may be the primary source of support for more than one student. As a result, all parents of dependent students must request and maintain their own FSA ID numbers separate and distinct from those of any student(s) they support. After a FAFSA has been submitted, students and their families can use their FSA IDs to access the online systems used by states and the federal government to manage awarded financial aid products such as grants and loans.

Students and, where applicable, their parents are not required to fill out and submit a FAFSA in one sitting. Once an application has been initiated, it can be saved and returned to as many times as needed before it is submitted. Applicants can expect to need the following information to fill out the FAFSA:

Completing FAFSA Applications in Colorado

One of the first questions a student must answer when beginning a FAFSA application is whether he or she is a dependent student or an independent student. Independent students will need to submit only their own personal

Social Security or Alien Registration numbers.

Were born before January 1, 1995.

Were, at any point after the age of twelve, orphaned, in foster care or a ward of the court.

Driver’s license numbers.

Are married.

Are an emancipated minor or in the legal guard-ianship of an individual other than a parent or stepparent.

Most recent tax returns.

Are enrolled in a graduate degree program.

Have been designated an unaccompanied minor who is or was homeless or at risk of homelessness.

Records of investments/assets and bank account balances.

Have children or other dependents for whom they provide more than half of the financial support during the selected academic year.

information on the application. Dependent students will need to submit information on both themselves and their legal parents or guardians. Under federal law, students qualify as independent if they:

Additional financial records detailing untaxed income, such as child support

Are actively serving in or are veterans of the U.S. armed forces.

In regard to the FAFSA, federal law considers a dependent student’s parents to include both a student’s biological or adoptive parents. The gender, marital status or living arrangements of those parents are not considered relevant. If a dependent student’s parents are divorced, the FAFSA

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requires that the student submit financial information for the parent with whom they lived or upon whom they were more financially reliant during the preceding 12 months. In the event that that parent has remarried, the student is required to provide information about the pertinent step-parent, as well. Students living with or dependent upon widowed stepparents will not count that person as a parent on the FAFSA unless he or she has legally adopted the student.

Students and their parents may access an open FAFSA application as many times as necessary to enter, verify or correct all requested information. Applicants who need assistance with completing the application can find it in several places. First, the online application offers a “chat” feature that connects applicants to qualified FAFSA counselors capable of answering common questions. The financial aid offices of most higher education institutions have staff qualified and prepared to assist students with filling out and submitting FAFSA applications, as well. Additionally, many financial aid offices have special FAFSA-linked programs that allow them to help students with any technical or process-related difficulties. Standard inquires, such as how and where to reset a lost FSA ID, are covered in depth in the online FAFSA FAQs. Applicants may also request help via email, by phone at 1-800-433-3243 or by TTY at 1-800-730-8913. Phone and TTY assistance are available between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m. Eastern Time on weekdays and between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekends.

Students and families can get estimates of the amount of financial aid for which they are likely to qualify prior to completing and submitting a FAFSA by using the FAFSA4caster tool. The only information necessary to use the tool is the name of the institution the student is attending or intends to apply to and the amount of financial support they expect to receive from private sector sources such as grants or scholarships. With this information, the FAFSA4caster tool will provide an estimated projection of the federal Pell Grant and work-study awards for which the student will qualify, along with the maximum amount of money students will be eligible to borrow in federal subsidized and unsubsidized loans. The tool will also inform families of the Expected Family Contribution

and show the anticipated costs of college enrollment not covered by the accounted for forms of financial aid.

Submitting Colorado FAFSA Applications

FAFSA applications are subject to multiple due dates. Which due date applies to a particular student depends on:

His or her year in school.

The institution(s) to which he or she is applying.

The student’s state of residence.

The state in which the institution being attended/applied to is located.

To qualify for federal financial aid packages, students must submit their FAFSAs no later than midnight (Central Time) on June 30th of the academic year for which they are seeking funding. For example, the federal deadline for submitting a FAFSA for the 2018-2019 academic year is June 30th, 2019. Each state, however, is entitled to set its own deadline by which FAFSA must be submitted in order for a student to be eligible to receive state aid. Colorado does not maintain or publish a consistent state deadline for FAFSA applications. The U.S. Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid Office advises that all students residing in or attending an institution of higher education in Colorado check with the financial aid office of their institutions each academic year for the relevant cutoff dates. Individual institutions may enforce their own due dates, as well, requiring students to have applied by a certain date in order to be eligible for admission or institutional-level aid. Students are advised to verify the

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existence and specifics of such individualized cutoff dates with their institutions.

Although students have until the first applicable cutoff date to submit their applications, applicants are universally encouraged to submit their FAFSAs as early in the application cycle as possible to maximize their potential for awards. Federal, state and institutional financial aid programs are dependent on limited funding pools and grant awards to eligible applicants on a first-come-first-served basis until all available resources have been allocated. Applying early in the funding cycle increases a student’s likelihood of receiving the full amount of aid for which they qualify. Later applicants may find that they qualify for more aid than remains in the financial aid funding pools and receive reduced awards due to a lack of available funds.

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Students submitting their FAFSAs online may do so at any time using their FSA ID. Students submitting a hard copy of their FAFSA are advised to keep a duplicate of the application for their records and mail the original to:

Federal Student Aid ProgramsP.O. Box 7650London, KY 40742-7650

Once the FAFSA has been submitted, applicants and their families must keep their FSA IDs safe and accessible as they will need them to sign, and thereby accept, any financial aid awards they are offered as well as to manage those awards in the future.

Scholarships for Education in Colorado Scholarships are often considered the preferred form of financial aid funding for students enrolled in higher education. Scholarships are “free money” in that they do not carry interest, do not have to be repaid and rarely carry the types of caveats or post-graduation service periods that accompany most educational grants. There is no limit to the number of scholarships a student may receive and, in most cases, a student’s eligibility for scholarships is not impacted by the types or amounts of other financial support he or she is receiving. However, scholarships may reduce a student’s eligibility for certain types of federal financial aid. Students may receive scholarships from government agencies, not-for-profit foundations, academic institutions, faith-based organizations and private-sector businesses and organizations. Generally, before students can begin researching the scholarships available to them, they must identify a field of study and one or more institutions they are attending or applying to, as these factors can strongly influence scholarship eligibility.

Scholarships for Veterans and Their Families in Col-orado

Colorado residents may be eligible for the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship if they are the child or un-remarried spouse of an active-duty armed forces

member who died in service after September 10, 2001. Applicants enrolled in publicly funded colleges may be awarded as many as 36 months of funding equivalent to their total costs for tuition and related fees plus stipends for housing costs, textbooks and other educational supplies. Applicants enrolled at private universities may be eligible for awards of up to $22,805 each academic year. Children of service members that died in the line of duty prior to January 1, 2013, must be at least 18 years of age or high school graduates but they become ineligible after the 32 years of age. Children whose parent died after January 1, 2013, must be at least 18 years of age or high school graduates but are not subject to an age cap. Un-remarried spouses may apply at any age. The VA recommends that qualifying applicants review their options using the online GI Bill Comparison Tool before applying, as accepting an award under this program may disqualify recipients for other VA-funded educational programs. Applications may be submitted online. Applicants who wish to apply in person or by mail can download a copy of the application (VA Form 22-5490) and submit it in person at any VA Regional Office or mail the completed application to:

VA Denver Regional Benefit Office155 Van Gordon StLakewood, CO 80228

The Army, Air Force and Navy each offer Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) Scholarships. The terms and commitments associated with each service branch’s ROTC scholarships vary widely and potential applicants are encouraged to contact a recruiter from their preferred service(s). Recruiters can clarify the specific eligibility criteria, physical fitness requirements and terms of service associated with the applicant’s age, education level and preexisting skill sets. Army ROTC recruiters can be located at three Colorado colleges. Navy ROTC recruiters can be accessed at 12 stations in Colorado. Applicants can use the locator tool to find the one closest to them. Air Force ROTC applicants can receive assistance from Colorado’s Regional Director of Admissions in Colorado Springs, CO at:

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Phone: 1-888-439-6738Fax: 1-719-333-3120Email address: rdanw3@afrotcadmissions.com

Alternatively, applicants already enrolled in an ROTC program can apply via their ROTC advisors. Students who do not wish to go through a recruiter or advisor may create an individualized online account and apply directly to either the Army or Air Force. Navy ROTC candidates may apply online without creating an account. ROTC scholarship awards generally include stipends for housing and educational supplies and may cover up to 100 percent of recipients’ college tuition and fees for as long as four years. While the specific terms vary, each service branch requires recipients to participate in ROTC training courses while enrolled in college and to commit to a period of service as commissioned officers upon graduation.

In addition to the Fry and ROTC scholarships, there are numerous private, fraternal and semi-public associations and organizations that offer scholarships for members of the military, veterans and their families. These include scholarships administered by the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, AMVETS and Paralyzed Veterans of America. Due to the highly changeable nature of these awards and their funding cycles, interested students are encouraged to regularly view the VA-maintained list of scholarship opportunities for which they may qualify to ensure they have the most recent and accurate application information.

State Financial Aid in Colorado

Students in Colorado may qualify for several state-level higher education scholarships. The Colorado Department of Higher Education awards approximately 660 Dependent Tuition Assistance scholarship awards annually to the dependents of Colorado law enforcement officers, firefighters or national guardsmen disabled or killed in the line duty as well as the dependents of prisoners of war or military service members listed as missing in action. The amount of funding awarded under a Dependent Tuition Assistance scholarship is dependent on factors including

the type of institution to be attended, whether or not the institution is in Colorado and a student’s housing situation. Awards may be granted for as many as six years but will be discontinued once students have completed their bachelor’s degrees. Applications are available from the Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE).

Scholarships for Native Americans and African Americans in Colorado

Some scholarships in Colorado are designed to specifically assist Native Americans, African Americans, minorities and other disadvantaged or underrepresented groups in increasing their rates of higher education enrollment and achievement. The American Indian Graduate Center (AIGC) provides several different scholarships of varying amounts, each with different due dates, to eligible Native American students pursuing undergraduate, graduate and master’s degrees. American Indian College Fund Scholarships offer American Indian or Alaska Native students opportunities for funding of up to $8,500 for higher education expenses. Applications are due May 31st annually.

The American Indian Education Foundation (AIEF) provides an array of scholarships, grants, college-readiness programs and educational supplies to assist Native American students enroll and stay in higher education degree programs. Scholarships are available at both undergraduate and graduate levels, and awards are issued to more than 200 applicants annually. The Association on American Indian Affairs (AAIA) opens its application cycle in May annually, with award decisions made each fall. Applicants must be enrolled members of a tribe and attending an accredited higher education institution fulltime with a minimum 2.5 GPA.

Catching the Dream (CTD) scholarships award funding to Native American students who demonstrate high academic scores, leadership skills and community service orientation. Awards can be renewed throughout a recipient’s higher education career as long as eligibility is maintained and renewal applications are submitted correctly and in a timely manner. The Daughters of the American Revolution

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American Indian Scholarship is open to Native Americans belonging to any tribe and of any age. Financial need and an applicant’s academic scores determine award decisions. Applications are due February 15th annually.

The Alpha Kappa Alpha Epsilon Nu Omega Senior Girls Award provides scholarships of up to $2,000 to female African American high school seniors demonstrating leadership skills, community service and high academic achievement. Applications are due March 20th annually. African American males who are seniors in high school who have received high grades and demonstrated a community service orientation are eligible for Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity-Delta Psi Lambda Chapter Scholarships. The amount of Alpha Phi awards varies, but all applications are due January 15th annually. An exhaustive listing of other scholarships and funding opportunities for minorities enrolled in all levels of higher education is available online.

Place-Based Scholarships in Colorado

The 27J Education Foundation Scholarship is available to students who attend or attended school in the 27J school district with a GPA of at least 2.5 and who are also involved in community or extra-curricular activities. Applicants must enroll in a qualifying institution of higher education and submit a resume and qualifying references by March 15th annually. Applicants who qualify for this scholarship and who also demonstrate financial need (as per their FAFSAs) may be eligible for the Foundation’s Adams County Opportunity Scholarship as well. Applications for the Adams County scholarship are available directly from the Foundation and are due at the same time.

Several scholarship programs in Colorado are directly administered by or related to specific institutions, including:

Adams State University Scholarships (Due March 1st annually.)

Aims Community College Scholarships (Due February 28th annually.)

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Organization and Affiliation-Based Scholarships in Colorado

Students may qualify for educational-funding assistance if they or members of their immediate families participate in or belong to a variety of community, social or political organizations. Although these scholarships tend to be for relatively small amounts, they typically have low thresholds to apply and smaller applicant pools than other types of applications. Examples of organizational scholarships available to qualifying Colorado students include the following:

The Action Behavior Center Scholarship for students pursuing research or clinical therapy positions related to autism

The AEMP Foundation Scholarship for diesel technicians

The American Chemical Society Scholars Program for minority students enrolled in chemical sciences programs

The Drifted Scholarship for photography students

Scholarships for actuarial students

The American Medical Technologists Scholarship

The Colorado Garden Foundation scholarship for horticulture students

American Society of Military Comptrollers (ASMC) scholarships for accounting or financial management students

Other Scholarships in Colorado

Many organizations offer specialized scholarship opportunities for specific groups or areas of interest, as a way of engaging with and giving back to their communities. These opportunities are extremely diverse and a significant number of them are available to students in Colorado. A representative sample has been provided in the chart below in order of application date annually.

American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) Scholarship Program (Due February 6th annually.)

The Colorado State University EVE Scholarship, Generation Google Scholarship and SAE Engineering Scholarship Program for engineering and computer science students

Arapahoe Community College Scholarships (Due April 1st annually.)

American Legion Auxiliary Children Of Warriors National President’s Scholarships (Due March 1st annually.)

American Legion Colorado Boys State Scholarships (Due May 1st annually.)

4-H Scholarships (Due April 1st annually.)

Field of Study Scholarships in Colorado

Many scholarships are designed to assist students enrolled in particular fields to study. Examples of these include the following:

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SCHOLARSHIP DUE DATE ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

Alert Magazine Essay Scholarship RollingHigh school seniors with personal

experiences related to drugs or alcohol. ($500)

Alliance for Young Artists and Writers Scholastic: Art Award

ScholarshipJanuary 9th annually Scholastic Contest Award recipients.

AXA Achievement Community Scholarship

February 1st annuallyHigh-achieving high school seniors.

($2,500)

AFA Teens for Alzheimer’s Awareness Scholarship

February 15th annuallyHigh school seniors who have been impacted by Alzheimer’s. ($5,000)

AG Bell Association for the Deaf March 13th annuallyStudents who are deaf or hard of

hearing. ($10,000)

Alexander Foundation Scholarship for LGBT Teens

April 14th annually LGBT Colorado residents.

American College Foundation Visionary Scholarship Program

May 1st annuallyHigh school freshman, sophomores,

and juniors. ($5,000)

Abbot & Fenner Scholarship June 12th annuallyHigh school juniors or seniors.

($1,000)

ABODO scholarship August 31st annually

High school seniors (at least 18 years of age) who are applying to or enrolled in accredited Colorado

colleges/universities.

Allegra Ford Scholarship November 13th annuallyStudents demonstrating learning

disabilities attending 2-year community colleges. ($2,500)

AXA Achievement Scholarship December 15th annuallyStudents demonstrating

achievements considered to have empowered society. ($25,000)

Alliance for Young Artists and Writers: Scholastic Writing Awards Scholarship

December 16th annually Scholastic Contest Award recipients.

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Additional scholarships like the ones listed above can be found in a comprehensive list online and in lists provided by Colorado Congressman Ed Perlmutter.

Education Grants in ColoradoEducation grants, like scholarships, are a form of higher education funding that does not have to be repaid under normal circumstances. In contrast to scholarships, which are typically awarded based on merit, as well as on personal or family characteristics, grants are primarily awarded in response to financial need or as an incentive to draw students into particular high-need fields, programs or positions. As a result of this focus, many educational grants come with terms and conditions that must be met in full in order to receive or continue receiving funding. For example, awardees may need to sign an agreement to serve in a low-income community for a certain period of time after graduation to receive the grant funds for which they have been approved. Failure to fulfill grant terms may result in recipients being required to repay any funding they have already received.

Despite these stipulations, educational grants can provide unique opportunities for students pursuing degrees or credentials in high-need or high-demand fields. As with most other forms of financial aid, eligibility for many grants begins with the submission of a FAFSA and may be influenced by the results of a student’s federal financial aid package. For further information on how and when to submit a FAFSA to maximize award potential, please refer the FAFSA section of this document.

Pell Grants in Colorado

Grants for higher education are available from federal, state and local sources. The best known federally funded higher education grant is the Pell Grant, which is included as a standard component of the federal financial aid package offered to all qualifying students in response to their submission of a properly completed FAFSA. Students may be eligible to receive a Pell Grant if they:

Are enrolled in an undergraduate degree program.

A student’s financial need, as evidenced by family income (reported on the FAFSA)

Have not yet earned a bachelor’s degree or the equivalent.

The specific costs associated with a student’s institution

Are enrolled in qualifying post baccalaureate teacher certification programs.

A student’s enrollment status (e.g. full-time or part-time enrollment)

The length of time for which a student anticipates continuing to be enrolled

Pell Grants are subject to maximum funding caps that are set by the federal government and adjusted annually. For the 2017-2018 academic year, the cap was set at $5,920. Students can verify the updated award cap amount each academic year through the Federal Student Aid Office or their institutions’ financial aid offices. Pell Grant awards are calculated using the following inputs:

The direct link between Pell Grant award amounts and applicants’ family income levels allows lower-income applicants to receive higher awards. Other circumstances may allow some applicants to receive increased Pell Grant awards, as well. For example, students with a parent or guardian who was killed in the line of duty in the United

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States Armed Forces serving in the Iraq or Afghanistan theaters after September 11, 2001 may be eligible to receive expanded Pell Grant awards if the applicant was 23 years of age or younger or enrolled in higher education at the time of the qualifying parent’s death.

Students may apply for a Pell Grant by submitting their FAFSAs by the federal deadline each academic year. Eligibility for Pell Grants is not impacted by other forms of financial aid, either secured or anticipated. Qualifying students will be offered Pell Grant awards as part of their annual federal financial aid packages. No recipients may receive Pell Grant funds for more than one institution at a time or for more than 12 semesters. Students who fail to maintain their enrollment status may have their funding eligibility revoked. Incarcerated individuals are ineligible to receive Pell Grant funds.

TEACH Grants in Colorado

Students in Colorado who qualify for a federal TEACH Grant will be informed about their opportunity to accept it in the annual federal financial aid packages they are issued in response to their FAFSA applications. To be eligible for a Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant, students must be enrolled in qualified, participating bachelor’s, master’s or other equivalent graduate degree programs that equip them to serve as a qualified teacher in a high-need field. They must also meet and maintain the grant program’s minimum academic performance standards. Students interested in receiving TEACH Grant funding are advised to contact and consult with the financial aid office at their college or university or at the institution to which they intend to apply. Participating institutions have the authority to independently select which of their qualifying programs are designated as “TEACH-Grant-eligible” and establish their own minimum academic standards for the program. Students must take care to align their enrollment with their institution’s guidelines to ensure they have the potential to qualify for TEACH Grant support.

Eligible students in qualifying programs may be awarded The National Call to Service Incentive Program.

a maximum of $4,000 in TEACH Grant funds each academic year. To receive these funds, applicants must commit to working full time as a highly qualified teacher in a low-income elementary school, secondary school or educational service agency for four academic years. Participants will complete their tours of service in high-need fields at facilities serving low-income populations and must fulfill their obligations to the program within eight years of graduation from the higher education program for which they received funding. Recipients are required to submit documentation of their compliance to the U.S. Department of Education. In the event that a recipient fails to complete her or his contractual obligations, the amount of funding she or he received under the TEACH program will be converted to an unsubsidized federal loan for repayment.

Grants for Veterans and Their Families in Pennsylvania

The Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant is open to the children of United States Armed Forces members who died in service in the Iraq or Afghanistan theaters after September 11, 2001 in situations where the student is ineligible for a Pell Grant due to family income. Like Pell Grants, Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant awards may be used to pay for tuition and other academic expenses. Eligible applicants must have been 24 years of age or younger or enrolled in higher education at the time their parents passed away. The maximum funding cap for the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant is adjusted annually but consistently equals the maximum award cap for Pell Grants of the same year. Qualifying students will be automatically considered for this grant when they submit their FAFSA each academic year.

Other educational grant funds are available to qualifying members and veterans of the United States Armed Forces and their families through a variety of programs authorized and administered by the Department of Veteran’s Affairs. These include:

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The National Testing Program.

The Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) Program.

The Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP).

The Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP).

The VA and U.S. Department of Education advise that potential applicants explore their options using the online GI Bill Comparison Tool prior to applying for any of the above educational grants. Although applicants may simultaneously qualify for several VA-administered grant programs, many of them are mutually exclusive, meaning that applicants may not receive funding under conflicting or overlapping grants and, in many cases, cannot switch from one grant program to another once they have begun receiving funding. It is therefore critical that applicants explore their options fully before committing to a particular program to ensure they receive the best and fullest benefit from their choices.

College Opportunity Fund Grants in Colorado

Colorado’s College Opportunity Fund (COF) Stipend program offers higher education funding to students residing and attending college in Colorado. To qualify for COF funding, students attending public or private institutions of higher education must be enrolled as in-state students in undergraduate programs without having previously completed a baccalaureate degree or having exceeding the maximum allowable limit of 145 credit hours. Students attending private institutions must also have successfully graduated from high school in Colorado or completed accepted alternative education

programming and show evidence of financial need as assessed through their FAFSAs and resulting Pell Grant awards. Qualifying students may apply for COF funding online. Once approved for a funding award, applicants must designate their institutions as the funding recipients.

Students who are classified as permanent resident aliens or who do not have a legal immigration status may also apply for COF assistance under Colorado’s ASSET legislation. Students who have exceeded the maximum allowable number of credit hours may apply for waivers or submit an appeal if they believe they are being erroneously considered over limit and have been unable to redress the situation with their institutions.

The Colorado Student Grant Program

The Colorado Student Grant and Colorado Graduate Grants are financial need-based programs designed to bring higher education opportunities with reach of students who could not afford it otherwise. Both programs are state-level grants awarded annually to applicants who reside and attend college in Colorado at least half-time and up to full time. Applicants must demonstrate financial need in the form of a gap between the sum of all other available educational funding resources and the total cost of higher education at their institutions as calculated using the Federal Needs Analysis Methodology. Awards under these grant programs may match but not surpass the difference between available educational funding and a student’s total cost of higher education for the year in question.

Education Loans in ColoradoStudents seeking financial assistance to fund their pursuit of higher education typically begin with grants and scholarships that are free of cost and, under normal circumstances, do not have to be repaid. In many cases, however, the available grants and scholarships for which students are eligible do not cover the full costs of higher education. Students who are unable to cover the difference out of their personal funds frequently rely on educational loans to fill the gap. Annually, more than two-thirds of American students pursing bachelor’s degrees take out

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educational loans. Student loans may be secured from federal, state, institutional or private funders. The terms under which each type of loan must be repaid will vary widely, and numerous factors influence which loans and loan terms are available to individual applicants. A clear understanding of common loan types and terms can help students and their families select the best options for their personal situations and specific needs.

Types of Federal Student Loans in Colorado

There are two primary types of loans available to students for higher education costs: federal and private. Private loans are typically made available by banks and other professional lending institutions, although some colleges and universities administer their own lending programs. Private loans often carry variable, and sometimes high, interest rates and offer few options or protections for the borrower during the repayment phase.

Federal student loans are notably more consistent and offer more borrower protections. There are four types of federal educational loans:

Subsidized loans.

Unsubsidized loans.

Direct Plus loans.

Perkins loans.

Students’ access to federal educational loans is almost always regulated by the institutions they attend in alignment with federally dictated guidelines and limits. Federal loans are subject to annual and cumulative caps

that are regularly adjusted based on factors such as students’ academic year, dependent student status and individual eligibility for certain educational funding options, such as Direct Plus loans.

Subsidized and Unsubsidized Federal Student Loans in Colorado

Dependent students in their first year of college are limited to $5,500 in combined federal subsidized and unsubsidized loan funding. First-year independent students and dependent students whose parents are ineligible for Direct Plus loans are permitted to borrow a maximum of $9,500. In neither case may subsidized loan funding account for more than $3,500 of a total financial aid award. Second-year students are permitted up to $6,500 and $10,500, respectively, with a maximum limit of $4,500 in subsidized loans. Dependent students in their third or fourth years of college are restricted to $7,500 in combined subsidized and unsubsidized loan funding, with a limit of $5,500 in unsubsidized loans. Independent students and dependent students with parents ineligible for Direct Plus loans who are in their third or fourth years of college may borrow up to $12,500, again with a $5,500 unsubsidized loan limit. Graduate students who meet the federal standards to qualify as dependent students are ineligible for subsidized and unsubsidized federal loans. Independent graduate students may borrow up to $20,500 in unsubsidized loans. They are ineligible for subsidized loans.

Altogether, dependent students may accumulate a total of $31,000 in combined federal subsidized and unsubsidized loans. Unsubsidized loans may account for no more than $23,000 of that amount. Independent students and dependent students whose parents are ineligible for Direct Plus loans enrolled in undergraduate programs may accumulate a maximum of $57,500 in combined loans. No more than $23,000 of that amount may be in unsubsidized loans. Graduate students may acquire a total of $138,500 in total federal loans with a limit of $65,500 in unsubsidized loans.

Federally subsidized loans are available only to undergraduate students, and eligibility is determined by financial need as calculated by students’ FAFSAs. Subsidized loans are

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typically highly sought after by eligible applicants because they do not require borrowers to pay any interest on the loans while they are enrolled in college, during a six-month grace period after graduation or during any subsequent deferment periods. During the 2017-2018 academic year, subsidized loans carried a fixed interest rate of 4.45 percent.

Students enrolled in all levels of higher education are eligible for unsubsidized federal student loans, and access is not restricted by a federal determination of financial need. Borrowers must pay interest over the lifetime of unsubsidized federal loans but have a choice whether to pay it as they go or to defer it until six months after a student graduates from college. Deferred interest is rolled into the principal of the loan and becomes part of the total due for repayment. During the 2017-2018 academic year, unsubsidized undergraduate loans carried a fixed interest rate of 4.45 percent and unsubsidized graduate loans carried a fixed interest rate of 6 percent.

Other Federal Student Loans in Colorado

The federal Perkins Loan program was created to meet the needs of students at any level of post-secondary education who demonstrate severe financial need. While the actual amount an individual student is permitted to borrow is regulated by his or her academic institution, federal regulations allow undergraduate students to receive a maximum of $5,500 in Perkins loans annually with a cumulative cap of $27,500. Graduate students are federally limited to $8,000 per year with a maximum cap of $60,000. Not all academic institutions participate in the program but, where they are available, Perkins loans carry a fixed interest rate of 5 percent.

There is no cost to take out a Perkins loan, but borrowers who submit late or insufficient payments during the repayment period may be subject to late fees. Repayment of Perkins loans begins nine months after a student graduates, discontinues enrollment or stops meeting the enrollment status requirements for the loan. Eligible students can seek a Perkins loan by contacting the financial aid office at their institutions and by filing a complete and accurately filled out FAFSA application early in the funding cycle each academic year.

Direct Plus loans were created to meet the needs of graduate-level students and the parents of undergraduate students. By design, they provide an alternative resource when families have hit the maximum limits on other borrowing options. Eligibility for Direct Plus loans is limited to individuals who do not have adverse credit histories and who are the parents of students enrolled in higher education programs at least half time. Borrowers with an adverse credit history must have a cosigner with a clean credit history or be able to demonstrate to the U.S. Department of Education that their adverse credit history is due to qualifying extenuating circumstances. The maximum amount of funding available under a Direct Plus loan is capped at the difference between the total cost of a student’s college enrollment (which varies by school) and the total of all other forms of financial aid already secured.

For their convenience, borrowers carrying more than one federal student loan in Colorado may choose to merge them into a single Direct Consolidated loan. A Direct Consolidated loan combines all of a student’s federal student loans so that they are handled by a single lender. This simplifies and expedites communication in the event of name changes, geographic moves, changes in enrollment status or negotiations related to the terms of loan repayment. Students may apply online to consolidate their loans using their FSA IDs. There is no charge for this service. Questions about the loan consolidation process or terms are handled by the federal Loan Consolidation Information Call Center. You can reach the center by calling 1-800-557-7392.

Federal student loans of all kinds can be used to fund standard college expenses, including tuition, fees, room and board. Loan funds are typically distributed directly to academic institutions at regular intervals. Funds remaining after these costs have been paid will be paid by the institution to the student. Students may then apply those funds to the education-related expenses of their choice. Federal student loans are made available to eligible students as part of the federal student financial aid packages issued in response to FAFSA applications. Some funding sources may be exhausted prior to the close of the annual funding cycle, reducing the loan opportunities offered to otherwise qualifying students.

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Colorado residents have multiple unemployment insurance coverage options to explore in the event that they lost a job through no fault of their own. The circumstances surrounding a claimant’s separation from his or her job represent the largest defining factors of unemployment eligibility in Colorado. The Colorado unemployment application process can be completed entirely online here. Petitioners can also visit any local Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) to fill out an application in person. Whichever way an applicant may apply, he or she must be prepared to participate in a formal unemployment interview with a CDLE representative who will canvass all pertinent personal matters concerning the applicant’s financial and work history, overall financial need and re-employment goals. It will be necessary to provide proof of wages for the established base period, official identification and any other documents the CDLE may deem necessary. Unemployment insurance coverage in Colorado requires continuous eligibility that is monitored on a weekly basis. Awarded unemployment compensation is released on to an unemployment debit card biweekly. Failure to provide detailed and accurate information on a weekly basis can result in the denial of unemployment benefits, as can any omission of earned income or refusal of suitable work during an eligibility week.

Eligibility for Unemployment Insurance in ColoradoThe Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) requires residents applying for unemployment benefits to meet several eligibility criteria. The most important factor in determining eligibility is founded on the reasons for the claimant’s separation from his or her

previous job. While it is perfectly legal to leave a job for any reason at any time, the circumstances surrounding an applicant’s departure will largely determine if and when unemployment benefits will be awarded.

Who qualifies for unemployment in Colorado?

The immediate qualifying factor in Colorado unemployment eligibility is how you left your last job. The state law requires that your loss of employment be through no fault of your own. This does not definitely disqualify persons that were

Unemployment Insurancein Colorado

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discharged from their last position. If you left your last job due to personal harassment of any kind by the employer, dangerous working conditions, domestic violence or medical problems, then the CDLE will review these issues carefully to determine if you are still eligible for benefits. You must also prove that you are a valid resident of the state of Colorado by showing one of the following forms of official identification (ID):

A valid Colorado driver’s license or ID card

A U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner card

A U.S. military ID card or military dependent ID card

A valid U.S. passport

A Native American tribal document

Most Colorado applicants fill out a Statement of Wages and Possible Benefits online, along with the rest of the application documents, but they can also go to a local CDLE office in person. You must have earned a minimum of $2,500 throughout the first four of the last five calendar quarters before the date on which you started your claim, a period of time known as the standard base period. A calendar quarter is defined as a three-month segment of the year that is typically measured from January of that same year. For your convenience, a table of calendar quarters follows:

QUARTER ONE QUARTER TWO QUARTER THREE QUARTER FOUR

January April July October

February May August November

March June September December

As an example of how to calculate your standard base period, presume that you file your unemployment benefits claim in June of 2018. This filing would then include quarters one through four of 2017 and quarter one of 2018. These are the months of your income that would be viewed by the CDLE as your standard base period. This filing would not include quarter two of 2018 because filing in June would mean that June was not yet completed and thus quarter two of 2018 was not eligible for consideration. If you did not earn the required $2,500 in the standard base period, then you may be eligible to be reviewed under the alternate base period model, which evaluates the last four completed calendar quarters preceding the start of your claim. You can request evaluation under the alternate base period model by following the instructions that will appear on the Statement of Wages and Possible Benefits form.

The CDLE interviews both the claimant and the previous employer, so it is important to be honest in your unemployment insurance interview. You can be audited by the CDLE or any affiliated government agency for up to two years from the start date of your claim to ensure that your unemployment eligibility is legitimate. One of the most important things to remember is to be wholly honest on your Statement of Wages and Possible Benefits. Some items in your

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financial picture may not immediately register to you as qualified income but they will be regarded as such by the CDLE when determining your eligibility. A few examples of qualified income received would include the following:

Military wages

Request your payments biweekly (remembering not to request early)

Work in other states

401K accounts

Worker’s compensation

Consistently seek suitable work and keep a work-search log of your efforts

Vacation or severance pay

Stock portfolios and/or dividends

Federal civilian wages

Not refuse offers of suitable work

Pension

Medical insurance coverage

Once you are accepted into the UI program in Colorado, what do you need to do to maintain eligibility?

In order to continuously receive unemployment insurance coverage, you must not only be eligible at the start of your claim but also remain eligible throughout the duration of your benefits. In order to maintain eligibility, you must faithfully complete all of the following:

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The work-search log is one of the most important aspects of maintaining your Colorado unemployment eligibility status. You need to fully organize your work-search efforts by cataloging the type of work you were actively seeking, how you went about the application process for any given job, verifiable contact information for whomever you spoke to about the job and the outcome of the contact. It is imperative to remember that “suitable work” is very often defined by the CDLE in terms of length of your unemployment, wages offered, prior experience in the field as well as other factors.

Colorado also requires you to register with your local workforce center to keep your unemployment eligibility. You can access a list of Colorado workforce centers here. You should expect to be assigned five or more workforce contacts to pursue each week that you are receiving benefits. The CDLE reserves the right to alter that number of required job contacts as it sees fit. The CDLE also recognizes that training and education play a pivotal role in your employability and will waive or lower your job contact requirements in certain cases in which you can prove that you are in training to learn a new profession, improve or update prior skills or advance a degree.

Contact the Colorado Division of Unemployment Insurance at 1-303-318-9000. Call Center hours are from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

How to Apply for Unemployment Insurance in ColoradoApplying for unemployment benefits in Colorado has been streamlined into a simple and accessible procedure for all qualified claimants. There are only two ways to apply for unemployment in Colorado, online or by telephone. The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) does not handle unemployment claims in person but has made the online and telephone process highly accessible to all Colorado residents. Applicants will need to have several documents in hand and roughly 45 minutes to spend for the initial application completion. Some claimants may require more time to fully answer all questions. All Colorado unemployment applicants are required to prove legal United States residency by virtue of a valid driver’s license, ID card, Military ID or Military Dependent card, Native American tribal document, Coast Guard Merchant Mariner card, United States passport or legal foreign resident ID card.

What documents do I need for the Colorado unemployment application?

The state of Colorado allows you to apply for unemployment insurance benefits the very same day that you receive your employment termination. It is not necessary for you to have all documents prepared prior to the filing of your initial claim, as it is possible to append documents to your claim account later. However, the sooner you can get all required paperwork into the CDLE, the faster your application can be processed. The following items will be required of all Colorado citizens applying for unemployment insurance benefits:

Valid Social Security Number

Remain mentally and physically capable of doing work

Valid Colorado driver’s license number or Colorado ID card number

Remain available to begin work immediately when and if a suitable job is offered

Be absolutely honest and truthful in requesting benefits

Valid Colorado address including zip code and county name

Report all earnings and offers of work, no matter how small or how long, honestly and diligently to the CDLE each week

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Where can I go to apply for unemployment insurance benefits in Colorado?

For general information about the application for unemployment assistance in Colorado, access the CDLE unemployment guide here. If you choose to file your Colorado unemployment insurance application by phone, then you may do so at 1-303-318-9000 in the Denver area or at 1-800-388-5515 outside of the Denver area. File your initial Colorado unemployment insurance claim online here. The online application for unemployment benefits in Colorado is currently only available in the English language, but the CDLE provides automatic translation of application documents into 57 languages via Google Translate. Make certain that you fill out all Colorado unemployment application forms yourself unless you have a disability that requires help from an intermediary. If you are a person with disabilities who needs modified materials or assistance with completing the Colorado unemployment application, then contact the Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator for the CDLE here. There is no fee or charge ever associated with filing for unemployment insurance benefits in Colorado or for the assistance of any CDLE representative in completing your unemployment application.

Colorado encourages all eligible unemployment claimants to take advantage of the CDLE web portal’s “MyUI” online features in order to receive the most expedited updates about their unemployment application status. Register for your Colorado MyUI account here.

What happens after I complete and send my Colorado unemployment application?

The CDLE will review your application answers, investigate your work history claims and examine all extra income associated with your financial status within the four to six week period following the submission of your unemployment application. Whether you file online or via the telephone, you must consistently request payment weekly and maintain all Colorado unemployment eligibility standards even while you wait for your initial application to be processed and before you receive any unemployment

Functioning telephone number

Employment information for the last 18 months of work

Contact information for your former employer and any union memberships you hold

Verifiable email address

The date you last worked

Bank account number and routing number

The reasons for your separation from your previous job

Military members who have been discharged in the last 18 months will need to submit a copy of their DD214, Member 4 form along with their application. Any former federal civilian employees must provide the SF-8, Notice to Federal Employees About Unemployment Insurance form. Those claimants who worked previously for the federal government must append the SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action to their Colorado unemployment application.

For all applicants, it is imperative to be totally honest and forthright about the listed reasons for your separation from work. Remember that the CDLE will interview your former employer and you will be held liable for any omissions or falsifications on your Colorado unemployment application.

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benefits. You can make unemployment payment requests via your MyUI account, by telephone at 1-303-318-2800 in the Denver area or at 1-888-550-2800 outside of the Denver area.

After filing your initial unemployment claim, whether by telephone or online, you will receive a personal identification number (PIN) uniquely synchronized to your Colorado unemployment application. Keep this PIN entirely to yourself, as changes to your unemployment application can be made with it and it links to sensitive personal information on your application. You can be held liable for any unauthorized use of your PIN. You will utilize this PIN each time you log in or call in about your Colorado unemployment application.

Before you receive any unemployment insurance benefits, you must also register with your local Colorado workforce center. You can seek reemployment assistance online at the Connecting Colorado website and gain immediate access to thousands of jobs in the Colorado area. You also have the option of walking into any local Colorado workforce center and registering in person.

After submitting all required responses on the Colorado unemployment insurance benefits application, providing all relevant documentation and registering with the workforce center, the CDLE will issue a Notice of Decision on your application within six weeks of its filing. This notice will officially inform you of your unemployment benefits award or denial, the sum of your weekly available benefits and the week of their beginning. Remember that all eligible Colorado unemployment recipients must spend the first week of their eligibility in what is referred to as a waiting week and that this week is unpaid. You have the right to formally appeal any decision handed down by the CDLE regarding your Colorado unemployment application.

Unemployment Insurance Benefits in ColoradoYour initial unemployment insurance benefits claim should be submitted within the same week that you lose your employment in order to ensure that you do not experience

a delay in benefits. Before you will begin to receive unemployment benefits, you must first meet all eligibility requirements. However, you are still required to make requests for payments in a timely manner as well as meet all unemployment requirements.

When filing for unemployment benefits in Colorado, it is important that you learn more on how benefit amounts are determined as well as how long you will be eligible to receive unemployment benefits. In some cases, an extension of benefits may also be provided to you if the state of Colorado is currently experiencing exceptionally high unemployment rates.

Unemployment benefits can be paid out in one of two ways: through a prepaid debit card that is provided by the unemployment office or through direct deposit. Should you choose to use a prepaid debit card, it is important to be aware of the fees you may be expected to pay.

Understanding Colorado Unemployment Benefits

Unemployment benefits provide payments to unemployed Colorado residents that meet all eligibility requirements, including job separation requirements. Unemployment benefits are never paid for by Colorado employees as unemployment insurance refers to fees that Colorado employers are required to pay to the Department of Labor and Employment.

Your unemployment benefits will be determined by the amount of income you have earned in the first four of the last five calendar quarters that you were working prior to your initial unemployment claim. This period of time is referred to as your base period. In order to qualify for benefits, you must have earned at least $2,500 during this period of time. If you do not qualify for the base period, an alternative base period may be provided, depending on your wages and circumstances. The Colorado Department of Labor and Unemployment provides claimants with a payment estimator, which can be found here. Currently, weekly payments cannot currently exceed $597 per week or be less than $25. Some individuals may receive a maximum payment of $542, depending on the methods

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used for benefit calculation. These regulations are subject to change.

Understanding CO Unemployment Lengths and Extensions

Unemployment benefits can generally only be issued for 26 weeks, roughly six and a half months, within a benefit year. A benefit year refers to the one-year period that begins on the date that you submit your initial unemployment claim.

This means that, even if you regain employment and then become unemployed a second time, you will still be required to abide by that initial benefit year. For example, if you regain employment after seven months, but then become unemployment again, you may not be eligible to receive additional benefits.

In rare cases, benefit extensions are available to Colorado claimants. These extensions are only available when Colorado is experiencing considerably high unemployment rates. To learn whether or not extensions are currently available within Colorado, you will need to contact the Department of Labor and Employment.

Submitting Your Initial Unemployment Benefits Claim in Colorado

You will need to start by submitting your initial unemployment benefits claim, which can be done online or in person at your local office. When submitting your initial claim, you will be required to provide information about yourself, your previous employers and your wages. This includes information such as your legal name, date of birth, Social Security Number, the names of your previous employers, the addresses of your previous employers, your previous wages and the reason for your job separation. This will allow the Colorado Department of Labor and Unemployment to begin processing your case and determining your eligibility. After you have submitted your initial claim, you will be given a personal identification number (PIN) that must be used when filing your biweekly payment requests, to change your benefit payment method and to access your account.

Requesting CO Unemployment Benefit Payments Every Two Weeks

You are required to request unemployment benefit payments every two weeks while remaining in compliance with Colorado unemployment rules and restrictions. This is a process that must be completed, even while your initial claim is still being processed and you are waiting for a decision that will determine whether or not you are eligible to receive benefits. Your first request for payment will be due on the Sunday following the first two weeks of your initial claim. Payment requests can be made online through the Colorado MyUI portal or by phone at (303) 318-2800. Anyone outside of the Denver area can call 1-888-550-2800.

It is imperative that you make your payment requests as expected and within a timely manner. Should you fail to make a request on time, you may lose that beneficiary period or experience a delay in your payments.

How Colorado Unemployment Benefits Are Received

It can take up to six weeks for a claim to be processed and for unemployment benefits to be approved. During this period, you will be required to request payments but you will not receive a payment until a decision has been made on your case and your eligibility for unemployment benefits has been determined. Additionally, the first week that you are eligible for unemployment benefits, referred to as the waiting week, will be unpaid. If you are found eligible for unemployment benefits, your payments will be deposited to you either through an unemployment debit card or by direct deposit. From here, payments may take between two and three business days to receive from when you process a payment request.

You will have the option of signing up for direct deposit or an unemployment debit card as the manner in which you receive your benefit payments. Prepaid debit cards are provided to any claimant that opts out of direct deposit. These cards work in a similar fashion to debit cards, but you will be subject to some debit card fees. These fees include a $2 transaction fee for out of network ATMs after the first two uses and a $2 international purchase fee.

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Additionally, there is a $15 fee to replace a prepaid card, should it become lost or damaged, and if your account remains inactive for more than 365 days, you will be charged an additional $2.

Alternatively, you can sign up for direct deposit online by providing your bank’s name, routing number and your account number for a checking or savings account.

Denial of Unemployment Benefits in Colorado If you have been denied Colorado unemployment benefits, the only way to have the denial overturned is through a successful appeal. While an appeal does not guarantee that you will receive an approval for benefits, an appeal process does allow additional reviews of at your case. It will also provide you with the opportunity to present evidence supporting your case and question your previous employer and any witnesses during your unemployment hearing.

The appeal process in Colorado for unemployment benefits is made up of several steps, depending on the decision of each step. The first step in the appeal process is submitting your request and attending a hearing for the case. Should you disagree with the decision made at the hearing, you can appeal again in order to have the case looked over by at least two Industrial Claim Appeal (ICAP) judges. If you still disagree with the decision of your unemployment case, you can appeal to the Colorado Court of Appeals.

Submitting an Appeal for the Denial of Colorado Unemployment Benefits

After your initial unemployment claim has been processed, you will receive a Notice of Decision by mail that will detail whether or not you are eligible for benefits and why. If you disagree with the decision found in your notice, you can submit a request for an appeal.

It is imperative that you monitor your mail on a regular basis for your decision notice as well as any other notice that may be mailed to you by the Colorado Department

of Labor and Employment. Appeals must be submitted right away, as requests that are not made within a timely manner will be denied. In Colorado, you will have 20 calendar days from the date that the Notice of Decision was mailed to submit your request for an appeal. If the 20th day is a weekend or legal holiday, the due date will become the next business day.

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You can submit your appeal request either online through the MyUI portal or by completing the form that will accompany your Notice of Decision and mailing it to the address provided. Alternatively, you can fax your appeal to 303-318-9248. You may send the appeal documentation by mail to:

Unemployment Appeals SectionPO Box 8988Denver, CO 80201-8988

It is also important that you continue to request your biweekly unemployment payments during the appeal process.

Participating in Your Colorado Unemployment Benefits Hearing

After your request for an appeal has been received by the unemployment office, you will be mailed a notice regarding your hearing date, time and location. You may participate in your hearing by telephone or in person, whichever you are most comfortable with. If you choose to participate in person, it is important that you arrive at least 15 minutes prior to your appointed hearing time so that you can check in. If participating by phone, it is imperative that you call the number that is provided at the correct time while maintaining a quiet and distraction free environment.

Prior to your hearing, it is important that you submit any documentation or witness statements that you may have regarding your case as well as thoroughly review the hearing packet that will be provided with your notice.

During your hearing, the hearing officer that has been assigned to your case will ask you, your employer and witnesses (if applicable) a series of questions regarding your employment and the reason for your job’s separation. The hearing also permits you to ask your employer and any witness’s present questions and they may question you. Once testimonies have been taken for all parties involved, the hearing officer will conclude the hearing, which will generally last around an hour.

Once your hearing has concluded, your hearing officer will review the information that they have received and make a final decision on the case. You will receive a written notice by mail explaining the hearing officer’s decision on the case. Should you disagree with the decision, you may submit an appeal to the Industrial Claim Appeals Office.

Requesting a Second Hearing After Failing to Attend

If you fail to report to your initial hearing, your appeal will be dismissed. If you had good cause for missing your appointed hearing, you will be provided with 20 calendar days to appeal the dismissal. In order to appeal a dismissal, you need to explain why you could not attend the hearing. You must write this explanation and send it to the appropriate parties. The hearing officer will then determine whether or not you had good cause for failing to participate and, if it is found that you did, a second hearing will be scheduled. No matter the reason, a third hearing will never be scheduled so it is very important that you attend the second hearing in order to move forward with your unemployment appeal.

Submitting an Appeal of the Colorado Unemployment Hearing

After receiving a hearing officer’s decision notice that you disagree with, you will be provided with 20 calendar days in which you may appeal the decision. The hearing officer’s decision notice will provide you with an appeal form that you can complete and return to the office. Alternatively, you can send a typed or handwritten letter. The letter should include:

A statement that you wish to appeal the hearing officer’s decision

Your full legal name

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eligible for them in Colorado, how long the extensions last and more, then refer to the sections below.

What is an unemployment insurance extension?

There are times when people who receive unemployment insurance need extensions to remain insured. The Extended Benefits program was created to help those people retain their insurance. This program is only available to those who have already completely used up the regular unemployment benefits. It is important to note that these extensions are not available year-round. They are only available during times of high statewide unemployment. The extensions must be authorized by Congress in order to be offered to the public. The normal Extended Benefits program can help you receive up to 13 additional weeks of benefits. In some cases, there are also voluntary programs that can help you retain insurance for up to seven more weeks. These benefits that you will receive will be the same as the ones that you were already receiving before you were awarded an extension.

Eligibility

In cases when you are about to run out of your normal benefits, you may be eligible to receive an extension. In order to receive this extension, you must have already exhausted the current benefits that you are receiving. Because of this, the extension will go into effect after your normal unemployment benefits have ended. These benefits do not include Disaster Unemployment Assistance or Trade Readjustment Allowances. Not everyone who receives unemployment benefits will be eligible for unemployment insurance extensions. In order to determine if you are eligible for an extension, contact the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment. The department can also be reached by calling 1-303- 813-2800.

When Colorado opens the unemployment insurance extensions up to the public, the state will send out a notice to beneficiaries who have already used all of their normal benefits to let them know that they may be eligible for an extension. To find out if extensions are available at any moment, contact the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment.

The docket number for your case, listed below your Social Security Number.

The name of the employer that is involved in the appeal

You will also need to provide an update of address if your residential address has changed since your hearing. After your letter has been received, you will be provided with a notice for any additional documents or statements that is necessary to proceed with your particular appeal.

The Review of Your Case by the Colorado ICAP

From here, your appeal will be reviewed by at least two ICAP judges. These judges will review all of the statements and evidence that has been provided by you and your former employer as well as the hearing officer’s decision. The judges will then decide whether the hearing officer’s decision is correct, incorrect or if additional findings are necessary in order to make a decision on the case. If additional findings are necessary, the case will be returned to the hearing officer and an additional hearing will be scheduled. Just as in the case of the first hearing, you are required to attend this hearing.

If a decision is reached by the ICAP judges or by the hearing officer in the second hearing, you can appeal the decision one more time. However, you will then need to appeal with the Colorado Court of Appeals.

Unemployment Insurance Extensions in ColoradoIf you are unemployed and currently receiving insurance benefits that are about to run out, then you may be eligible to receive an unemployment insurance extension. These extensions are not available at all times and not everyone can qualify for one. Just because you are eligible for regular unemployment insurance, does not mean that you will qualify for an extension should you apply. If you would like to know more about what these extensions are, who is

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Extended Benefits Programs

At this moment, there are no unemployment insurance extensions available. This is because Colorado is not currently in a high unemployment emergency. Previously the Extended Benefits (EB) program was available for people who were running out of the usual unemployment benefits. This program was funded in part by the federal government and in part by the state. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 changed this funding ratio and caused the program to be completely federally funded. Before the program ended, the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 extended the program until 2013. However, it is not currently available.

To qualify for this program in the past, you had to meet the eligibility requirements. You had to have worked at least 20 weeks of covered work. If you had not done that, then you must have worked the equivalent in wages that are more than 40 times the amount of the weekly benefits during the base period.

You must have been actively looking for work and willing to accept work that is deemed suitable. People who had not been looking for a job were not eligible for an extension until they had been employed for at least four weeks and had earned at least four times their weekly extended benefits amount. If you voluntarily quit your job or were guilty of misconduct in regard to a job, then you were not eligible for this program. The same was true if you refused jobs that were suitable.

While this extension program was available, Colorado also had a program called Enhanced Unemployment Insurance Compensation Benefits. This allowed people who were taking approved training programs that helped them prepare for employment or to work in the renewable energy field and were making steady progress to receive additional benefits. This extension could last for up to 20 weeks.

Emergency Unemployment Compensation

In the past, Colorado also had another program that was in place to help people who needed benefit extensions. It was called the Emergency Unemployment Compensation

Program. This program was completely federally funded and provided benefit extensions to people who had already used up all of their allotment. This program was created on June 30, 2008, and the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 extended it until January 1, 2014. Since 2014, there have not been any more extensions to this program.

The Emergency Unemployment Compensation Program was run on tiers. If you were a part of the first tier, then you could have received up to 14 weeks of benefits in every state. If you were in the second tier, then you could have received 14 weeks of benefits. But this only applied to states that had a three-month seasonally adjusted unemployment rate that was at least six percent. If you were in the third tier, then you could have received benefits for no more than nine weeks. But this was only applicable in states that had a three-month seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of at least seven percent. If you were in the fourth tier, then you were eligible to receive 10 weeks of benefits. But, again, this only applied in states that had a three-month seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of at least nine percent. When this program ended, all benefits and payments stopped.

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How to Apply for Unemployment Insurance Extensions

During a period when unemployment benefit extensions are available, you can file a claim to receive an extension. To file a claim, you must go to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment website and click file a claim. The application is currently only available in English. If you need it to be interpreted for you, then you can call 1-303-318-9000 or 1-800-388-5515. You can also use Colorado’s automatic translator that works via Google Translate for 57 languages. Although you may use this, the English version is the most accurate. If there is any discrepancy between the translated version and the English copy, then the English version will overrule the other.

Remember that you must already be receiving unemployment benefits in order to file for an extension.

Colorado Unemployment Benefits for Ex-Service Members and Federal Civilian EmployeesIn the case that you are unemployed, there are many options that you can take to receive insurance benefits. If you are a former service member or former federal civilian employee, then you may be entitled to certain unemployment benefits. The benefits for former federal civilian employees differ from the benefits that former service members can receive. Both of these groups will also receive different benefits than those who apply for normal unemployment benefits. If you would like to know more about these benefits, how they differ, the eligibility requirements, how to apply and more, then refer to the sections below.

Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Service Members

There is a program in Colorado that provides unemployment benefits to ex-service members, which is called the Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Service Members program (UCX). This program is open to residents who were formally involved in a branch of U.S. service. It is also open to former members of the National Oceanographic

and Atmospheric Administration. The UCX program is run by the state and act as an agent of the federal government, as UCX is a federally implemented program.

The benefits that are allotted through this program differ depending on your case. The state of Colorado will decide how much you will receive and how long you can receive benefits for. To talk to someone about your specific case, use the eBenefits portal.

Eligibility for Ex-Service Members

You may also be eligible for UCX unemployment benefits if you were a former service member or a member of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This is also the case if you were on active duty in a branch of the military. It is important to note that in order to be eligible for these benefits, you must have parted with your branch of service under honorable conditions. If that is not the case, then you are not eligible to receive UCX unemployment benefits. There will be no deduction made from your payroll for unemployment insurance protection. Military branches as well as NOAA fund those benefits.

When filing a claim to receive former military unemployment benefits, your branch of service does not report your wages to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment. This means that those wages may not be reported on your Statement of Wages and Possible Benefits. To report those wages, you will need to mail or fax a copy of the DD Form 214, Member 4. The form does not have to be notarized. If you do not have that form, then you can request one. Send the form to the Unemployment Insurance Operations in Denver, Colorado. If you are faxing the form, then fax it to 1-303-318-9014. When the wages are added, you will receive an updated Statement of Wages and Possible Benefits.

Unemployment Compensation for Federal Civilian Employees

If you were a federal civilian employee, then you may be eligible for assistance through the Federal-State Unemployment Program. This program was put in place

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to provide benefits to former federal employees who meet the requirements. These benefits are intended to be temporary. Each state has its own program, which means that the amount of compensation and the amount of time that you can receive benefits are decided by the state where you are applying in. In many states, these benefits are funded by taxes that are charged to employers.

The amount of compensation given to federal civilian employees is on par with the amount that would be payable under the normal employment compensation laws. Your weekly benefits will be determined by the state law based on what you previously earned.

Eligibility for Federal Civilian Employees

If you were not a member of a branch of the U.S. military, then you may still be eligible for certain special benefits. This is the case if you were a federal civilian employee. You will only meet the requirements if you are unemployed through no fault of your own. In order to receive unemployment benefits, you must be unemployed or working less than full-time. If you are working part-time, then you must make less than the amount that the state of Colorado deems appropriate. You must be willing and ready to work to receive benefits.

Remember that unemployment benefit rights will be decided on by the state where you held your last official duty. If you live in Colorado but your last job was in another state, then your benefits may be determined by your last state of residence. If your last station was outside of the U.S., Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands, then the state where you filed your claim will generally decide on your benefits.

The state of Colorado requires that you have made at least $2,500 during the standard base period in order to qualify for unemployment benefits. The standard base period is the first four of the last five calendar quarters that occurred before the start of your claim. A calendar quarter is generally three months. The federal government does not report your wages to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment. The CDLE will request your wages after you file for unemployment. The wages will be

added to your claim only after they have been verified by the federal agency that employed you. This means that the wages may not show up on your first Statement of Wages and Possible Benefits.

You must file a claim to receive benefits, report as directed and be available for work. If you would like to file a claim, then you must first register with your local workforce here. Next, you will need to register on MyUI to file and manage your claim in Colorado.

Processing your claim may take four to six weeks. After your claim is finished processing, you will receive a Notice of Decision, which will let you know if you will receive payment. You may be denied benefits for a period if you quit your job, are guilty of misconduct or refuse acceptable jobs. If you are denied, then the notice will contain the reasoning for that as well.

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If you are denied benefits, then you may appeal the denial. You must submit your appeal within 20 calendar days of receiving the denial. If the 20th day is on a weekend or legal holiday, then the deadline will be on the next business day. You can submit your appeal online, mail it to the Unemployment Appeals Section in Denver or fax it to 1-303-318-9247. You can also mail your appeal to:

Unemployment Appeals Section PO Box 8988Denver, CO 80201-8988

Disaster Unemployment Assistance in ColoradoDisasters can cause many people to lose their jobs or be unable to work due to ramifications of the disaster. In the case that you have been rendered unable to work or have lost your job due to a disaster, you may be entitled to receive unemployment insurance. The Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) program was created to help people in this situation. Residents who enroll in this program receive benefits that can help them through their unemployment. However, this program is not always available. In order for DUA to be offered, a disaster must be declared by the President of the United States. For more information on what this program is, how it could help you, who is eligible, how to apply and more, refer to the sections below.

What is the Disaster Unemployment Assistance program?

Disaster Unemployment Assistance program was created to help people who have lost their jobs or are out of work due to a major disaster. Every disaster does not qualify to enact this program. In order for this assistance to be offered, the President of the United States must declare the event to be a disaster.

Eligibility

In order to receive assistance from this program, you must

meet certain eligibility requirements. The most important requirement is that you must be out of work as a direct or indirect result of the presidentially declared disaster. If you were self-employed before the disaster and can no longer work afterwards, then you may also be eligible for this program. However, if you participate in this program, then you are not eligible for regular unemployment benefits including any benefits under both state and federal law. To be eligible for benefits, some of the following must be true:

You must be without a job

You are unable to work due to an injury that was sustained from the disaster.

You must have become the head of household because the former head of household was killed as a result of the disaster, and you must be actively looking for work as part of this stipulation

The disaster must have rendered you unable to reach your job

Your workplace must have been damaged to the point that you can no longer work

If any of the aforementioned cases applies to you but you are also eligible for regular unemployment help, then apply for the normal unemployment benefits instead of the Disaster Unemployment Assistance program. In most circumstances, people who qualify for DUA do not also qualify for normal unemployment help. People who qualify for the Disaster Unemployment Assistance program but do not qualify for normal unemployment assistance include ranchers, farmers, in-home daycare workers and others who held jobs that do not meet the criteria for normal unemployment benefits. A reason why someone

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may qualify for the Disaster Unemployment Assistance program but not regular unemployment benefits could be because they do not have enough wage history to qualify for the normal assistance.

If you do not have regular employment but were scheduled to begin working on or during the disaster and can no longer work now, then you may also be eligible for assistance. However, you must provide documentation that that is the case.

If it is determined that you are eligible for the benefits, then you can receive benefits for up to six weeks. The benefit period starts a week after the president announces the disaster. If the president does not announce the disaster immediately, then you may be eligible for additional payable weeks to make up for the time between the disaster and when the president announced it. The minimum weekly benefit amount is half of the average amount of benefits in Colorado. Like standard benefits, you will stop receiving benefits if you are no longer able to work.

How to Apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance

After a disaster is declared, the state of Colorado will announce that the Disaster Unemployment Assistance program is available. This was exactly what happened in Colorado with the Royal Gorge Wildfire in 2013. Once the announcement is made, you may file a claim. Claims can be filed at www.coloradoui.gov.

If you had to move to another state or evacuate out of Colorado because of the disaster, then you should still contact Colorado’s State Unemployment Insurance Agency. Your claim for assistance must be completed within 30 days of the program opening. The announcement will contain instructions on any special things that must be done in order to apply after a specific disaster. In some cases, you can file the claim online, while in others you may have to call the Disaster Unemployment Assistance office at 1-877-872-5627. You can also call the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment call center at 1-303-318-9000 to check on any claims that you have filed. The call center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

In most cases, it can take your unemployment claim four to six weeks to process. Disasters may cause this process to speed up. After you file the claim, your former employer will be sent a request asking about your wages. After the claim is processed, you will receive a notice that either states that you will receive payment or that you were denied. This is called a Notice of Decision. If you were denied, then the notice will state the reason that you were denied. If you are denied, then you may appeal the denial.

To appeal a benefit denial, you must send in your written appeal within 20 calendar days of when the Notice of Decision was mailed. If the 20th day is a weekend or holiday, then the deadline will extend to the next working day. You can mail your appeal to the Unemployment Appeals Section of the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment in Denver at:

Unemployment Appeals SectionPO Box 8988Denver, CO 80201-8988

You can also fax the appeal form to 1-303-318-9242. If you fax the appeal, then make sure you fax the front and back of the form. Once your appeal is received, a hearing will be scheduled. You will receive a notice detailing the date, time and location of your appeal hearing in the mail.

If your claim is accepted, then you will be sent a personal identification number (PIN) that will give you access to your benefits and services. Do not share your PIN. In the case that someone else uses the number with or without your authorization, you may be liable.

Every two weeks you will need to request payment. You must continue to meet all of the eligibility requirements for benefits during the entire time that you receive assistance.

Unemployment Insurance Fraud and Consequences in Colorado Unemployment insurance is not available to everyone. It is only available to those who meet the eligibility

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requirements for the program. When you apply for unemployment insurance, it is important to make sure that all of the information on your application is accurate. It is illegal to falsify information so that you will qualify for assistance or for any other reason. If you knowingly submit false documentation, then you are guilty of unemployment insurance fraud. If you commit unemployment insurance fraud in the state of Colorado, then there are certain consequences that will result. If you are overpaid because of fraudulent information, then you will have to repay everything that you were overpaid in addition to any penalties that the state deems necessary. You may also face jail time for your crime. To find out more about what unemployment insurance fraud is, what the penalties are, how you can report fraud and more, refer to the sections below.

What is unemployment insurance fraud?

As mentioned previously, unemployment insurance fraud occurs when someone submits false or modified information to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment. If you collect benefits due to this misrepresented information, then you have also committed unemployment insurance fraud. This is also the case if you are found to be withholding information that would cause you to be ineligible for benefits or receive less benefits. When you file a claim or reopen an existing claim, it is required that you follow the current rules set by Colorado. If you do not do this, then you may face penalties for committing fraud that could include spending time in jail.

Examples of Unemployment Insurance Fraud

Some people are unsure if they are committing unemployment insurance fraud or not. There are many ways that you can commit insurance fraud, so it is important to note all of them. Some common examples of insurance fraud are listed below. Note that the following are just examples and do not cover the full range of insurance fraud:

Failing to report hours or earnings during the time that you were working and receiving benefits

Not fully reporting or underreporting hours or

Failing to report any times you have refused to work

Helping someone else file for unemployment benefits with false information

Manufacturing false work-search efforts

earnings during the time that you were working and collecting benefits

Falsifying or misrepresenting information to receive benefits or receive more benefits than you would with the correct information, which also applies to failing to report that you are in school while receiving payments

Failing to report when you have procured employment, which also applies to commission, temporary employment, 1099 independent contractor work and self-employment

Failing to report leaving a job

Submitting another person’s personal informa-tion, such as their name and/or Social Security Number in order to work while filing for unem-ployment benefits

Not searching for work

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Withholding information in regard to other forms of compensation that you receive, which includes worker’s compensation benefits, So-cial Security Disability Insurance and more

Refusing to report when you are not available to work or when you are unable to work, which includes when you are sick, injured, on vacation, out of town and more

How to Avoid Committing Unemployment Insurance Fraud

Many people unknowingly commit unemployment insurance fraud. In order to avoid accidentally committing unemployment insurance fraud, there are some things that you can do. These measures include but are not limited to the following:

Report your gross wages, rather than any other wages. Gross wages are what you earn before any tax deductions. This will help ensure that you do not underreport your earnings.

Reporting your wages during the week that they were earned is a good way to make sure that all wages are reported. You should not wait until you receive your unemployment payment to report wages.

Be sure to report any work that you were paid for. This pertains to self-employed work as well.

Penalties

In the case that you do commit unemployment insurance fraud, you will incur a number of penalties. On top of those penalties, you could also be charged with theft. If you are charged with theft, then you will have to pay a penalty of 65 percent of the amount overpaid in addition to repaying all that was overpaid. You could also receive a four-week penalty for each week that you requested benefits in a fraudulent manner. During the penalty period, you will not be able to receive any benefits. While you are serving your penalty weeks, no money will be paid towards reimbursing the overpaid amount. These penalties are in addition to any court costs or penalties from a civil or criminal persecution that may occur.

Not reporting when you have returned to work and continuing to collect unemployment bene-fits

Failing to report wages that you earned during the week that the work was completed

Not reporting that you have started a part-time job and therefore collecting more benefits than you should

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Reporting Unemployment Insurance Fraud

In the case that you know or suspect that someone else is attempting to commit insurance fraud in Colorado, you should notify the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment. To do this, fill out this form.

When you fill out the form, the Colorado Department of Labor and Development will try to keep your information private. To make sure that as little of your information is revealed as possible, you can complete the form without including your name or phone number. However, the CDLE does require that you include your email address on the form. This allows the CDLE to contact you if they have any questions while investigating the claim.

While the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment will try to keep your information classified, this discretion cannot be guaranteed during a criminal investigation. Due to the rules of the discovery process in Colorado, personal information will have to be given to the CDLE Investigation and Criminal Enforcement unit. Unfortunately, no excep-tions can be made to this rule.

If you have any more questions regarding unemployment insurance fraud, then you can contact the CDLE.

How to Handle Unemployment Benefit Overpayments in Colorado While receiving unemployment benefits in Colorado, there may be times where you are paid more than you are supposed to receive. When this happens, it is called an unemployment benefit overpayment. If you are overpaid, then there are things that you need to do to correct the situation. It is important to check your payment amounts so that you will notice if an overpayment occurs immediately. If you are overpaid, then you will be required to repay all of the money that was given to you in error. For more information on how these overpayments can occur, consequences that may result from not paying back overpaid benefits, how you can pay back any overpayment of benefits and more, refer to the sections below.

How do unemployment benefit overpayments occur?

Unemployment benefit overpayments occur when the state gives you benefits, but then it is determined that those benefits should not have been allotted to you. This can occur due to several reasons. If you have received an overpayment, then it could be due to any of the following reasons:

A hearing officer may have put forth a decision that reversed the benefits that had been awarded to you previously

You were deemed responsible for a job separation and, because of this, have been disqualified from collecting unemployment benefits

Your weekly maximum benefit amount changes or there is a monetary redetermination due to the fact that the initial wage information on the claim was incorrect

You received vacation pay, severance pay or other forms of payment and did not disclose that information to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment

You falsified documents so that you would meet the eligibility requirements to receive benefits in Colorado

You reported your hours or wages incorrectly while you were requesting payment or unemployment benefits

There was an administrative error that caused you to be overpaid

What to Do if You are Overpaid

If you discover that you were overpaid, then you should contact the Colorado Department of Labor and

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Employment (CDLE) immediately. This is because all overpayments must be repaid in full. In the case that you cannot repay the overpayment in full, you can talk to the CDLE about setting up a payment plan. To discuss payment plans, call 1-303-318-9035 if you are in the Denver-metro area and 1-877-464-4622 if you are outside the Denver-metro area. You can also fax 1-303-318-9037 or email cdle_labor_fraud@state.co.us.

When you are overpaid, a notice will be sent to you stating that you received more money than you should have. The notice will also explain the reason for the overpayment. If you can appeal this decision, then the notice will contain a statement detailing how you can begin the appeal.

There are two different types of overpayments. If you were overpaid but it was not because of anything that you did, then the overpayment is considered non-fraudulent. If the overpayment resulted from false information that you submitted or information that you withheld, then the overpayment is considered fraudulent.

If you are guilty of fraud, then you may have to pay a penalty in addition to repaying the entire amount overpaid. You could also be disqualified from receiving benefits for weeks. In Colorado, fraud charges could result in a four-week penalty period in which you are not receiving benefits and no money is paid towards your overpayment. You could also be prosecuted for this crime and incur jail time.

If you have received an overpayment but are currently filing for bankruptcy, then it is important that you include the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment on the list of creditors. Once you do this, a notification will be sent to the CDLE from the bankruptcy court verifying that you are indeed filing for bankruptcy.

Consequences of Not Repaying Overpayment

If the overpayment is given to you while you are still collecting benefits, then the money will be taken out of those benefits until it is paid fully. The state of Colorado will give you a specified amount of time in which the overpayment must be repaid. If you do not repay the money in the amount of time specified, then the money

will be deducted from your future payments and/or state benefits. The CDLE may also reduce or withhold any money that is given to you by the state. This can include income tax refunds, lottery winnings and more. If you do not repay the money, then you could also have a claim filed against you. If this happens, then you will have to pay any court costs that occur and any interest.

In Colorado, you are allowed to request overpayment waivers. In order to do this, fill out the overpayment waiver request. The waiver will only cover the amount that is due when the request is made. If you have already paid a portion of the debt, then it cannot be included in the waiver nor will it be refunded. The waiver must be sent within 30 calendar days of the date that is shown in the “date mailed” box on the request form. If your request is denied, then you may appeal the denial. A second request may only be made if there is a significant change in your financial situation, such as an illness or loss of employment that will affect your ability to repay the overpayment.

You will receive an Earnings-Data Request Form if your unemployment benefits are being audited. When you receive this form, it means that the CDLE is requesting that you send them your hours worked as well as the gross wages that the employers that are listed on the form paid you. You can do this by sending in copies of your payroll information and check stubs. You can also send in a complete written record of the hours that you worked and the wages that you were paid during the time period that is being audited.

How Employers in Colorado Can Respond to Unemployment Insurance Claim NoticesYour employees are entitled to file for unemployment compensation if they lose their job, have their wages reduced or receive a reduction in their weekly work hours. As their employer, you will receive a notification of this decision when your former employee or employees file their claims with a state unemployment agency. Upon doing so, you will need to submit your response saying whether you support or contest this decision. You can

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respond either in favor of or against your former employee receiving unemployment benefits if you do not believe they qualify. If you decide to contest your former employee’s claim to unemployment compensation, you will need to submit an appeal. It is important that you know the steps of the appeal process and what other options are available to you, should this situation ever happen to you. The following article in this guide will cover the responses you can choose from and how to do them.

What is an Unemployment Insurance Claim Notice in Colorado?

An unemployment insurance claim is when a worker files for unemployment benefits because he or she lost a job, had a reduction in hours or received a cut in wages. These instances must occur through no fault of the employee’s own doing. Therefore, if your employee is fired for any reason, including work performance or misconduct, they will not be eligible to apply for unemployment insurance. In order to qualify for

unemployment insurance, your former employee must still be eligible to work, must be actively seeking a new job, must have earned a certain base amount while they were working for you, and they must continue to meet the eligibility requirements each week they receive their benefits. You will need to submit your response once you receive notice that such a claim has been filed in order to either prevent or assist them in qualifying for Colorado’s unemployment benefits program.

How to Respond to Unemployment Compensation Claims in Colorado

Before you can submit your response to your former employee’s unemployment compensation request, you must first receive the notification from the state unemployment agency your former employee filed the claim with. Once you have received it, you will have a certain amount of time to respond to it. Your response can be either positive and support the claim, or it can be negative, and you can contest the claim.

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If you do not respond within the given amount of time, the agency will decide, by default, that your former employee no longer has a job through no fault of their own, even if this is not necessarily true. It is important to make sure you submit your response to an unemployment compensation claim in a timely manner. This will ensure that your former employees end up receiving unemployment compensation if they do not legally qualify for it.

In order to receive notifications about situations where you might need to submit a response to an unemployment compensation claim, you can sign up online for the State Information Data Exchange System (SIDES) E-Response system. This system will allow you to respond to “Requests for Facts About a Former Employee’s Employment” in an online format that is both easy to use and easy to access. This system will also eliminate the need to send your response via the mail, as well as a lot of the time and money it takes for you to send your response through the mail. Using the SIDES online system to respond to unemployment compensation claims will ultimately allow for a much faster resolution to the claim, as it eliminates most of the back and forth that occurs when claims are filed, such as allowing you to upload any documentation you might need to prove your case. You can also use a third-party administrator or a professional organization to handle the claim if you wish. Another way to respond to an unemployment compensation claim, is to request the facts of a former employee’s employment. You can do this by submitting a “Request for Facts About a Former Employee’s Employment” form, also called Form UIB-290. This will allow you and your former employee to better determine the eligibility of their claim.

Contesting Unemployment Compensation Claims

If you receive notice that one of your former employees is requesting unemployment compensation from Colorado, you have the opportunity—and the right—to contest their claim. If you choose to do so, you are not required to have a lawyer present, but it is advised that you consult one, as the process can be difficult and lengthy.

Appeal

The first step of the appeal process for unemployment compensation in Colorado is to submit your appeal. The Colorado Division of Unemployment must receive your appeal within 20 days of the date from which your Notice of Decision was mailed. If the 20th day following the mailing date is a Saturday, Sunday or a holiday, then the date you must submit your appeal by transfers to the next business day.

There are two ways you can submit your appeal:

By mail

Online

If you wish to submit your appeal via the mail, send it to the following address:

Unemployment Appeals SectionPO Box 8988Denver, CO 80201-8988

If you would like to apply online, you will need to visit MyUI to submit your appeal. If you do not already have an account, you will need to create one.

Hearing

The next step of the appeal process is the hearing. However, before you get to this step, you must make sure to provide anyone listed in your hearing packet with the evidence or documents you have to support your case. Also, make sure to review and familiarize yourself with everything in your packet and make sure to bring it with you to your hearing. If you have witnesses, make sure they attend, and give their names and phone numbers to the hearing officer.

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The hearing itself will start on the date listed on your Notice of Hearing and will last approximately one hour. You can attend the hearing either by phone or in person. If you are attending in person, it is a good idea to arrive at least 15 minutes early so that you have enough time to check in and make any last-minute preparations. If you plan to participate by phone, make sure to call the number you were provided with at the time indicated on your Notice of Hearing. The hearing itself works very much like any courtroom. You will have a chance to question the opposing party and their witnesses and evidence just as they will have a chance to question you, your witnesses and your evidence.

The Decision

The hearing officer will issue a written decision that they will mail to you as soon as they have made it. If you disagree with the decision your hearing officer made, you can appeal it in the Industrial Claims Appeals Office.

For more information on the appeals process, click here.

How Employers in Colorado Can Appeal Unemployment Insurance DecisionsAfter you have completed the initial appeal process when a former employee files for unemployment compensation in Colorado, you will have received the appeal officer’s decision. If you do not agree with it, you have the option to appeal the decision. The process for filing an unemployment benefits claim appeal is similar to the original appeal process. However, this time you must submit your appeal to the Colorado Industrial Claim Appeals Office and wait for them to review your application and mail you their response.

While it is not necessary to have a lawyer present for this process or to assist you with navigating the legal process of an unemployment appeal, it is recommended, as there may be instances where you need guidance. The following article will detail how to file a reemployment assistance appeal, including where to submit it, what to include and how long it might take.

For more information on the process of appealing an unemployment insurance decision, click here.

How to File a Reemployment Assistance Appeal in Colorado

If you do not agree with the decision the Appeal Officer made, you should submit a new appeal right away. As with your original appeal, you have 20 days from the date the decision was mailed to do so. If you appeal arrives late, you will need to provide a detailed explanation as to why. A panel of judges will review your reason and mail you their decision on whether or not they have decided to still accept your appeal.

To submit your reemployment assistance employer appeals, you will need to fill out the appropriate form and submit it the Colorado Industrial Claim Appeals Office or send the appeals office a handwritten or typed letter indicating your desire to appeal the Appeal Officer’s initial ruling. If you choose to submit the official form, you will simply need to provide any information it asks for. If you choose to submit a handwritten or typed letter, you will need to make sure you include the name of your past employee who is requesting benefits, the docket number of the initial decision and the name of your business. If you have experienced any changes in your address, make sure to note them in your letter, as well.

Once your request to appeal your former employee’s unemployment assistance is sent and approved, the second appeal process can begin. The Colorado Industrial Claim Appeals Office will send a “Notice of Appeal and Opportunity to File Additional Argument” to any parties involved in the appeals decision. This will most likely just include your former employee, who filed the original claim for unemployment compensation, and you. It is important to note that, unlike with the original contesting of your employee’s claim, unemployment compensation employer appeals in Colorado do not have a hearing. The Industrial Claim Appeals Office will review the records presented to the hearing officer the first time, as well as the written testimony of both parties and use that evidence to form their decision on how to rule in your appeal. Once they have reviewed your case, they will mail you their decision.

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The Appeal Brief

When you submit your employer request to appeal reemployment assistance, you will need to do more than just submit the appeal. You will also need to include a written statement, called an appeal brief. This is similar to the one you submitted to your original appeal when your former employee requested the unemployment benefits. You can write your brief on the back of your Notice of Decision form. You will need to include a clear reason why you disagree with the decision. You can also include anything you believe the judges reviewing your case should consider. For example, if you do not believe that the original hearing officer considered all of the evidence in your case, you can bring that to their attention so that they can determine if this was the case. At this point in the process, it is important to know that the administrative law judges are not reviewing your case in order to determine how they would have ruled if they had been, the hearing officer assigned to the case. Rather, they are reviewing it simply to ensure that the hearing officer did not make any errors when deciding their ruling.

Like your first one, it does not need to be a long statement, but it does need to include specific details about your reasons for disagreeing. However, if your statement ends up being too long to fit on the Notice of Decision document, you can finish writing on loose paper and attach it to your appeal. Note: You do not have to use the Notice of Appeal document to write your appeal on, but as you are required to submit the Notice of Decision as part of your new appeal, it may benefit you to do so. Alternatively, you can submit your unemployment compensation appeal using Colorado’s Request for Appeal of a Hearing Officer’s Decision form. When submitting your appeal brief, you can submit either a handwritten appeal brief or a typed appeal brief.

You are not required to submit a brief at any point during the appeal process, it is simply meant to give you the option of creating your cases argument and presenting it to the judges.

The Appeal Process

When the Colorado Industrial Claim Appeals Office receives your appeal application, at least two panel judges

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will review it. Their goal is to determine if the hearing official is original, decision is correct or incorrect. They may also conclude that either another hearing or more evidence is necessary to determine the correct outcome of the appeal. Whatever they determine, you and your former employee will be notified. If they rule in your favor, your former employee will no longer receive unemployment benefits. If the judges decide that a new hearing is necessary, one will be schedule and all parties will be informed.

The Decision

When you submit an employer request to appeal unemployment assistance, you should expect it to take a while before you receive a decision. In your initial case, it may have taken anywhere from four to six weeks for your hearing officer to make their decision and mail it to you. When you appeal that decision, the Industrial Claims Appeals Office sends it to a panel of judges to review. Their decision-making process can take anywhere from two to three months, starting from the date they received the appeal.

How to File Unemployment Taxes as an Employer in Colorado In Colorado, filing your unemployment taxes are when, as the owner of a company or business, you pay a certain amount of your taxes to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment rather than the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The unemployment tax you are required to pay is a percentage of each employee’s salary, so the amount you have to pay is based off of how much you currently pay your employees. This law is called the State Unemployment Tax Act (SUTA), There is also a federal version of the unemployment tax in Colorado, as well, known as the Federal Unemployment Tax ACT (FUTA). As a business owner, the State of Colorado requires you to pay both SUTA and the FUTA taxes. Because these are mandatory taxes that you must pay every year, it is important that you know when and how to pay them, as well as how much you will owe. The following article will act as your unemployment employer taxes guide and will discuss how to pay your unemployment taxes, what

the unemployment tax is, why the unemployment tax in Colorado is important, and what the consequences of not filing it are.

Note: Filing unemployment taxes are not the same as filing taxes as a person who is currently unemployed. As the employer, you are responsible for filing your unemployment taxes in Colorado, not your employees.

Do Employers Have to Pay Unemployment Taxes in Colorado?

If you own a business in Colorado and have hired at least one employee to help you operate that business, you will have to pay unemployment taxes in Colorado You will also need to meet certain other qualifications in order to determine if you need to file unemployment taxes. It is important that you file your unemployment taxes because that money is what the Colorado government uses to fund unemployment payments to those Coloradans that are currently out of work.

In order to determine if you have to pay unemployment taxes as a business owner in Colorado, there are two main criteria you will need to meet first:

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If your business paid a certain amount during a calendar quarter during either the current or previous calendar quarter, you will need to pay unemployment taxes.

If your business employed at least one person for any part of the day in 20 weeks during the current or prior calendar year, you will need to pay unemployment taxes. It is important to note, however, that the employee does not have to be the same employee, nor must the 20 weeks be consecutive.

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When paying your unemployment tax in Colorado, you should also be aware that if you are a domestic employer, a nonprofit corporation or an agricultural corporation, you will have different criteria to meet that will dictate whether or not you have to pay.

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The Consequences of Not Paying Unemployment Tax in Colorado

Evading unemployment tax in Colorado can have serious consequences. If you do not pay them at all, and even if you do not pay them on time, you could be subject to criminal and civil sanctions that could cost your company a lot of time and money that could have been avoided. Not paying could cause your employees to suffer, as well. Therefore, it is very important that you pay your unemployment tax in Colorado in full and on time.

How to File Unemployment Taxes

Unemployment tax filing in Colorado is done by paying premiums through a quarterly premium report and a wage report process. Your premium and wage reports are due quarterly in January, April, July and October. Each report will give information on the wages paid during the previous quarter. You can file your wage reports either online or by mail. It is possible to submit your reports in person, as well, but this is not recommended and not commonly done.

Note: The form you will use to file your unemployment taxes is called Form 940.

How to File Unemployment Taxes by Mail

If you would like to do your unemployment tax filing in Colorado via the mail, you can. You will need to print out the forms, fill them out and submit them to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment. When filing by mail, make sure to remember that it will take longer to complete, and you should make sure you mail your paperwork out with enough time for it to arrive by the Colorado unemployment tax filing deadline.

How to File Unemployment Taxes Online

If you would prefer to file your unemployment taxes online, you can do that, as well. You will use Colorado’s Secure Transport File Transfer Protocol (FTP) system to submit your unemployment taxes. To submit your premium reports, you will need to use a different system.

Unemployment Tax Rate in Colorado

The unemployment tax rate in Colorado is determined by a number of factors. These factors include but are not limited to:

The amount of money you have already paid

The amount of money you pay to former em-ployee’s in the form of unemployment benefits

If your business is new, you will begin by paying Colorado’s base rate for the year in which you started your business. The chargeable wage limit in Colorado for 2018 is $12,600. This rate has slowly been increasing since 2011, when the chargeable wage limit was $10,000. However, as of 2018, there are no additional surcharges that you will need to pay. In previous years, there were as many as two surcharges that employers needed to pay on top of the base charge. These included a solvency surcharge, a surtax and a bond principle rate.

The rate of your unemployment tax in Colorado may increase if your average payroll amount increases at any point during the year or if more claims, such as former employees claiming unemployment compensation, are added to your account.

Veteran Employment Programs in ColoradoColorado has many programs available to help those citizens who have served in the United States Military find jobs once they leave and become civilians again. Colorado has three main veteran employment services: one-On-one services, workforce center services and services offered through the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA). Each of these assistance programs for veterans provides you with help preparing for and searching for jobs in their own way. The following article will discuss the services offered by each program, what the eligibility is for each program and how to apply.

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Veteran Employment and Training Service in Colorado

If you have served at least one day of active duty in the United States military, you qualify to apply for and participate in Colorado’s two main job-training programs for veterans:

your coach is also a veteran, he or she will be able to easily assist you in translating your military experience into the kind of work you might do as a civilian. They can also help you identify any prior education, training and experiences, you have and how they match the requirements of the jobs for which you want to apply.

Colorado’s Workforce Center Veteran Employment Services

Colorado’s workforce center provides you with supplemental assistance in addition to your work with your career counselor. As part of the veteran employment programs, you can attend workshops that provide instructions on how to prepare a resume, how to prepare for an interview, and to conduct your job search on your own. These are all skills your career coach will work with you on, but if you would prefer a group setting as well, then these workshops will the perfect place to perfect yourself. An important part of searching for a job knows how much it will pay and how much you need to make in order to support yourself. Colorado’s Workforce veteran employment services can provide you with information on what the current wage rates are in your desired field. They can also provide information and statistics on the employment trends in your field. This will help you determine the likeliness of finding a job and how long it might take.

If you are unsure of what you want to do now that you are no longer serving in the military, Colorado’s veterans assistance programs can also provide you with vocational guidance and additional career counseling. Talking with someone about your future careers plans can help you determine what is best for you and your family. The Workforce Center Services can also provide you with referrals to other services within your community. These services will depend on your current needs. Lastly, utilizing the Colorado’s veteran employment programs can give you access to a phone, the internet, printers, fax machines and copy machines if you do not currently have access to one or more of these items should you ever need them.

To apply for either of these veteran employment services, you should contact one of your Colorado Department of

One-on-one services

Workforce center services

Colorado’s One-on-One Veteran Employment Services

One-on-one services put you in contact with a career coach who is qualified in a variety of areas and can provide you with individualized help related to starting your civilian career. To start the process of finding a job, your career coach can help you narrow down your target jobs by helping you determine what industries you would be better suited to work in. When you have determined where you would like to work and as what, you and your career coach can search online job boards and career fairs for open positions in your field. Your career coach can help you determine the best way to prepare for a job fair, such as what to wear, what to bring and the kinds of questions to ask. When it comes to navigating job boards, you will learn what keywords to use in order to bring up the best and most accurate job search results. You will also receive help on writing or updating your résumé and information on how to update or create a cover letter. The next step to prepare for your future career is for your career coach to help you perfect your interviewing skills. Your career coach can give you interview tips and techniques to help you succeed and land the perfect job. If you are one of the many veterans who has spent much of your career serving in the military, you may find that when you retire and want to find another job, you are unsure of how to incorporate the skills you learned into the job you want to have. Your career coach can help you with that. Because

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Labor & Employment Representatives to find the nearest location for career services and guidance. To determine who to call, use the interactive map found on this page.

The Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA)

The Department of Regulatory Agencies is one of Colorado’s (DORA) veteran employment programs. DORA provides professional support and customer service to active duty members of the military and the National Guard as well as to military spouses and veterans. The Department of Regulatory Agencies provides veteran employment services in the form of helping you get licensed to the job you want as a civilian. DORA will help you identify your career pathway by using your military experience to qualify you for the wide range of occupational license and certifications that are highly sought after in Colorado.

Licenses

DORA offers Colorado veterans assistance in receiving their professional licenses that may be necessary to practice or work in a certain field. DORA offers licenses in 44 different fields, some of which include:

Accounting

Cosmetology/Hairstylists/Barbers

Veterinarians

Doctors

Therapists

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For a full list of the fields in which DORA can help you get licensed in, click here.

The Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies also helps make sure that you receive the proper education in order to qualify for your license or certificate. They do this by working with colleges and universities to fill any gaps in your education history that might prevent you from achieving your career goals. Several of DORA’s divisions already have programs and initiatives whose primary aim is to assist you with transferring any existing credentials you may have to the education that you need. DORA can help you do this either while you are still an active member of the military or while you are a transitioning back to civilian life. For more information on transferring your military knowledge to a civilian education, click here.

Social Security Retirement Benefits for Seniors in ColoradoSocial security retirement for seniors typically happens in the United States and Colorado at the age of 66, one year after you are eligible to apply for Medicare. Once you reach this age, you can stop working and start receiving your social security retirement benefits. In the United States and Colorado, your social security retirement benefits for seniors are the same thing as your pension. This is the amount of money you receive monthly from either the government, the company you worked for during your lifetime, or both. As you spend your younger years working, you earn credits that will eventually allow you to qualify for your social security retirement benefits for seniors. Therefore, it is important that you know and understand how Social Security works in Colorado and how you can make sure that you have worked long enough so that you have earned enough points to qualify for your retirement benefits when the time comes. The following article will discuss how to qualify for Social Security retirement benefits and how to apply for them.

Seniors Social Security Retirement Eligibility

In Colorado, as with any other state, how much Social Security benefits you receive depends on how long you

worked when you were able to. Throughout the time you work and pay your Social Security taxes, you earn credits. These credits go towards your eligibility for Social Security benefits later in life. The amount you have by the time you reach the point you are ready and able to retire will determine whether you are eligible for your Social Security retirement benefits when you are older.

Although you earn credits year-round, you can only earn a maximum of four credits every year. You earn one credit for every $1,320 you earn. However, as the average earning level in the United States increases, so will the amount you need to make to earn a Social Security credit. Your credits will never disappear, even if you stop working for a while. If you ever start working again, you will simply pick up where you left off and continue to add to the amount of credits you earned previously.

In order to know how long you need to work, and how many total credits you need to earn to qualify for Social Security, you will need to look at the year in which you were born. If you were born in 1929 or later, you will need to work for 10 years to earn enough points to receive Social Security benefits when you reach 66 years old. This translates to 40 credits. If you were born before 1929, you will not need to work as long. To learn more about qualifying for Social Security credits, see the Social Security handout here.

If you are self-employed, you will earn your Social Security credits the same way you would if you worked any other kind of job. However, the maximum amount of credits you can earn is still four per year. However, if you have a net annual income of less than $400, there are certain rules that have been put in place to help you to still earn credits throughout the year. There are also special ways to earn Social Security credits if you work on a farm or if you work at a church, which do not pay Social Security taxes. There are also special rules that may affect your senior’s social security retirement eligibility, depending on how you make your income. For example, if you currently in the military or are a military veteran, you will still earn your Social Security credits the same way civilians do, but you may also have additional ways to earn credits.

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Seniors Social Security Retirement Application Process

You can apply for senior’s Social Security retirement benefits when you reach the age of 66. To apply, you will need to complete the senior’s Social Security retirement application. You can also apply online or by calling or visiting your local social security office.

Before you apply for Social Security benefits, there are few things you should know about. First, you will need to know your full retirement age. This is the age at which you are eligible to receive your full Social Security benefits. Typically, this is 66 years of age, but it can vary depending on the year you were born. If you apply before you turn 66 years old, you might not receive all of your benefits and instead receive a permanently reduced amount. If you decide to work while receiving Social Security, it is important that you know how that may affect your earnings. The same is true if you delay applying for senior’s Social Security retirement benefits. A certain percentage will be added to your monthly income depending on how long you delay receiving your benefits.

How to Apply for Seniors Social Security Retirement Benefits

In Colorado, there are four ways to apply for your Social Security retirement benefits:

How to Apply Online

The fastest and most common way to apply for senior’s Social Security retirement benefits is through the online portal. Once you start the process, you will be asked numerous questions about yourself, your family and your work. As you complete the application, if you get stuck on a question, you skip it and come back to it later. You can also save the application and return to it later by logging back into the application portal system and selecting the button that allows you to return to a saved application. Once you have finished the application, you will need to confirm that all of the information you included is true to the best of your knowledge. Intentionally lying and providing false or misleading information can have serious consequences. The last step of the senior’s Social Security retirement benefits application process is to electronically sign the application.

How to Apply In Person, By Mail and By Phone

To apply in person, you will need to visit your local Social Security office. To apply by mail, you will need to print out and submit your application to your local Social Security office. To apply over the phone, you will need to call your local Social Security office to speak with a representative.

Colorado’s Work Opportunity Tax Credit: A Guide for Employers The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) is a federal tax program that rewards employers who hire individuals of eligible target groups with a tax credit incentive. The purpose of this federal tax incentive is to promote the hiring of job seekers who regularly face obstacles to employment. By encouraging employers who hire WOTC-eligible groups with a tax credit, the Work Opportunity Tax Credit program seeks to enable hard-to-hire employees to become economically self-sufficient. The WOTC is one of many employment initiatives in Colorado designed to promote workplace diversity and improve access to employment for workers in the state. Every year, employers across the U.S. earn around $1 billion in tax incentives through the WOTC program. In Colorado, employers can earn as much

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Online

By mail

In person

Over the phone

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as $2,400 to $9,600 per WOTC-eligible individual hired. If you are an employer interested in becoming involved in the WOTC program in Colorado, then review the details below to learn about the different types of WOTC-eligible employees and the registration process step by step.

What is the Colorado WOTC?

A provision of the Internal Revenue Code (IRS), the Work Opportunity Tax Credit program is a tax benefit created in 1996. The program seeks to promote the hiring of job seekers in disadvantaged target priority groups so they may become economically independent taxpayers with a regular income. To do so, the WOTC rewards employers who provide them with employment opportunities. By benefiting target groups and employers, the program aims to boost state and national economic growth.

WOTC tax incentives are certified by the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, so you must register for and obtain a certification to be eligible for the WOTC program. Employers can apply for Colorado’s WOTC program here.

Colorado WOTC-Eligible Groups

In Colorado, employees who qualify for the WOTC program include members of nine target groups who traditionally face disadvantages in the job seeking process. There is no limit to the number of WOTC-eligible individuals employers may hire to qualify for a tax incentive. Colorado WOTC-eligible groups include the following:

Qualifying veterans who are disabled, unem-ployed or receiving food stamps

Ex-felons hired within one year after the date of being convicted or released from prison

Qualifying individuals who are receiving food stamps, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, long-term unemployment benefits, long-term Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or short-term TANF

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Individuals with a significant physical or mental handicap who were referred after having com-pleted or who are currently receiving vocational rehabilitation

Designated community residents who live in a rural renewal county

Recipients of long-term TANF with qualifying wages have a limit of $10,000 over a two-year span of employment for up to $9,000 in tax credit

Disabled veterans with qualifying wages have a limit of $12,000 during their first year of employment for up to $4,800 in tax credit

Veterans who have been unemployed six months or more with qualifying wages have a limit of $14,000 during their first year of em-ployment for up to $6,000 in tax credit

Disabled veterans who have been unemployed for six months or more with qualifying wag-es have a limit of $24,000 in qualified wages during their first year of employment for up to $9,600 in tax credits.

How to Apply for WOTC in Colorado

Employers seeking to participate in Colorado’s WOTC program must register and obtain a certification from the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment WOTC Unit. The certification, which establishes the employer has hired a WOTC-eligible employee, is necessary to apply for the WOTC tax credit on your federal tax return.

To register a WOTC, you must complete the steps below within 28 calendar days after the WOTC-eligible new hire begins work.

Different WOTC-eligible groups have different requirements and are associated with different tax credit rates. For a complete list of WOTC-eligible populations with requirements and details regarding their tax credit, see page II-1 of the ETA WOTC Handbook.

How WOTC is Calculated

Different WOTC-eligible groups have different requirements and are associated with different tax credit rates. Depending on the category of the WORTC-eligible individual you hire, you could earn as much as $2,400 to $9,600 in federal tax credits per new employee.

The amount of tax credit you receive is calculated from a percentage of qualifying wages you pay a WOTC-eligible employee during their first year of working for you. Receive 25 percent of qualifying first-year wages for a WOTC-eligible employee who works a minimum of 120 to 399 hours during his or her first year of employment. Receive 40 percent of qualifying first-year wages for a WOTC-eligible employee who works a minimum of 400 hours during his or her first year of employment.

With the majority of WOTC-eligible groups, qualifying wages have a limit of $6,000 during the first year of employment. Exceptions include the following:

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Fill out the first page of IRS Form 8850, Prescreening Notice and Certification Request for Work Opportunity Credit, on the day you make an offer of employment.

Fill out the ETA Form 9061, the Individual Characteristics form. Include any copies of documentation proving employee eligibility.

Fill out the second page of IRS Form 8850 on the day the new employee is officially hired.

Submit these forms to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment WOTC unit, either online or through the mail, within 28 days of the WOTC new hire start date.

To submit the forms and any eligibility documentation online, visit the Colorado Department of Labor and

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Employment’s WOTC online portal. There you can log in with your Federal Employment ID Number (FEIN) and password or create a new account if it is your first time using the portal. When creating a new account, you will be asked to provide information about your company including your FEIN, address and contact information in addition to creating a password.

Once you have created an account, you can fill out digital copies of the IRS Form 8850 and ETA Form 9061 before e-filing through the portal. After you have submitted the application, you can use the portal to view your application status, download and print your certifications or denials as well as upload or view previous applicant documentation.

View a web tutorial with step-by-step instructions on how to submit WOTC documents online.

Alternatively, if you choose to submit your forms through the mail, then download and print IRS Form 8850 and ETA Form 9061 from the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment website. Mail forms, along with any eligibility documentation, to the following address:

Colorado Department of Labor & EmploymentWOTC Unit, Division of Employment Programs633 17th Street, Suite 700Denver, CO 80202-3927

What to Expect After Submitting Your Application

After your application has been received, the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment WOTC office will issue a decision for each application per new hire you submit. The office may contact you to request additional documents or ask questions before making a final decision.

If an application is denied, then you will receive a denial notice with an explanation from the office. If the application is accepted, then you will receive a certification and claim a tax credit with the IRS.

File IRS Form 5884, Work Opportunity Credit, with your federal tax return to claim a tax credit for any employee

except WOTC-eligible veterans. If you have hired a veteran, then file IRS Form 5884-C, Work Opportunity Credit for Qualified Tax-Exempt Organizations Hiring Qualified Veterans.

Keep in mind you cannot file for a WOTC tax credit with the IRS until the employee has worked a minimum of 120 hours.

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Like nearly all states, Colorado recognizes a legal doctrine known “at-will employment.” According to the state’s at-will employment policy, employers and employees may terminate employment at any time for any reason or no reason at all. Under the at-will employment doctrine, employers are not required to give a warning or provide just cause when terminating an employee from his or her job.

However, an employer’s capacity to terminate employment does have limits. Colorado law acknowledges several exceptions to at-will employment, including discrimination, violations of public policy or violations of an employment contract. In Colorado, it is considered illegal termination for an employer to fire an employee for discriminatory reasons, reasons that violate public policy or reasons that contradict an expressed or implied company policy.

Colorado employees are protected from being terminated or mistreated because of their race, sex, age, religion, disability,

Wrongful Terminationin Colorado

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national origin and more under both state and federal law. Workers who feel they have wrongfully terminated by an employer may file an employment discrimination charge with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), a federal organization responsible for enforcing laws regarding anti-discrimination in the workplace. Colorado residents also have the option of filing an employment discrimination claim with the Colorado Civil Rights Division (CCRD).

Read on to learn more about wrongful termination laws in Colorado. Learn what constitutes a legal and illegal termination in the state and find out how to file a workplace discrimination charge.

Legal and Illegal Terminations in Colorado In Colorado and nearly all other states, employers may enforce an “at-will” employment policy. At-will employment allows both employers and employees to terminate employment at any time for any reason or no reason at all.

The at-will employment doctrine was recognized by the Colorado Supreme Court in 1987 during Continental Airlines Inc. v. Keenan when the courts also acknowledged there may also be exceptions to at-will employment in the state. Colorado established the at-will employment policy to encourage flexibility and productivity in work situations. The main goal of an at-will employment policy is to enable employees to find the best role for their skillset and employers to find the best employees for their staff.

Under Colorado’s at-will employment policy, employers are able to fire employees for a wide variety of reasons or no reason at all. With at-will employment, employers are not required to give prior notice, provide cause or perform any special steps before terminating an employment contract. However, an employer’s ability to fire is not limitless. There are certain exceptions to Colorado’s at-will policy that make it illegal to fire an employee for reasons that violate anti-discrimination laws, public policy or express or implied company policy.

If you are an employer or an employee in Colorado, then

read on to learn about termination laws in the state. As an employer, learn how to stay within the law by reviewing legal and illegal reasons to terminate an employee as well as requirements and precautionary measures for avoiding wrongful termination lawsuits. As an employee, find out what constitutes an illegal termination.

Examples of Legal Termination in Colorado

Colorado and every state but Montana recognize the legal doctrine of at-will employment, which gives you the right to terminate an employee for any reason, except an unlawful one, or no reason at all. Colorado enforces this policy with the goal of enabling employers to hire and retain the employees who best suit their needs.

Under the at-will employment doctrine, a huge range of causes may qualify as legal termination in Colorado, including the following:

Falsified information on a job application or resume

Theft, embezzlement or other illegal acts

Poor performance or chronic unexcused ab-senteeism or tardiness

Financial considerations or general layoffs

Violating confidentiality, anti-harassment, dis-crimination or other company policy

Essentially, you may legally terminate an employment contract for any reason except an illegal one under the at-will employment law. Under the at-will employment policy,

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you are not required to give advance notice of termination or perform any special steps before releasing an employee, unless an employment policy exists that requires you to do so. Learn more about employment policy breaches and other exceptions to at-will employment below.

Examples of Illegal Termination in Colorado

Despite the flexibility provided by Colorado’s at-will employment law, your right to terminate an employee does have limits. Colorado recognizes many exceptions to at-will employment established by the legislature and courts. Among the many exceptions to at-will employment, the most common are reasons that violate discrimination laws, public policy or an established contract. Firing an employee for any of these reasons would be considered illegal termination in Colorado.

In Colorado, it is illegal to fire someone for discriminatory reasons. This includes reasons based on race, gender, religion, sex, age, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, physical disability or mental disability. In specific

circumstances, it may be illegal to fire someone based on a marriage to a coworker. It is also illegal to fire an employee for raising a complaint about discrimination or harassment, refusing to comply with a request that would result in discrimination as well as harassment or filing or being a witness in a case against involving a discrimination or harassment claim against the employer. Find out more about state and federal discrimination laws from the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment or the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

The next major exception to at-will law involves public policy violations. In Colorado, it is unlawful to terminate an employee for reasons that contradict an established policy of the state. Under the public policy violation exception, the following examples constitute illegal termination:

Terminating an employee for filing a worker’s compensation claim

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lawsuit. The U.S. Employment Opportunity Commission highly advises keeping detailed documentation of performance issues and other reasons for terminating an employment contract to protect your business if a wrongful termination charge is filed against you.

If your reasons to terminate employment do not violate discrimination laws, public policy or an established employment contract, then you may terminate an employee without prior notice or performing special steps. However, Colorado does require you to follow certain procedures after terminating an employment contract regarding final pay.

When you terminate an employment contract, you must provide final wages that are still unpaid at the time of termination immediately, with two exceptions. If the accounting staff responsible for creating payroll checks are not scheduled to be working, then the deadline for paying wages owed to a terminated employee is extended to no later than six hours into the accounting staff’s next regular workday. If the accounting staff works offsite, then the deadline for paying wages owed to a terminated employee is extended to 24 hours after the accounting staff’s next regular workday begins. In this instance, wages owed may be delivered to the work site, your local office or the worker’s last reported mailing address. If you choose to mail final wages, then they must be postmarked within the deadline described above.

If you must make a deduction from final wages due for the amount of money or value of the property that the employee neglected to pay or return during his or her employment, then you are permitted 10 days to determine the value and update the final wages. After 10 days, the employee’s final wages must be paid. Learn more about final pay procedures in Colorado.

At-Will Employment and Exceptions in ColoradoLike almost all states in the U.S., Colorado follows the legal doctrine of “at-will” employment. Under the state’s at-will employment law, both employers and employees in Colorado may end an employment relationship any time

Terminating an employee for exercising a legal right, such as voting

Terminating an employee for taking time off to serve jury duty

Terminating an employee for refusing to break the law at an employer’s request

Terminating an employee for filing a lawsuit against an employer

Terminating an employee for “whistleblowing” or reporting a violation of public policy or illegal conduct

Finally, it is illegal to fire an employee in Colorado in a way that violates a written or oral company contract. If you have an expressed or implied company policy, then it must be observed uniformly for every worker it covers. A policy may be written or implied through oral assurances regarding termination procedures or job security. For example, an employee handbook that promises employees will only be fired for a fair reason may constitute a contract prohibiting termination without cause. Verbally assuring employees that they will not be terminated without fair cause could also constitute an oral contract that prohibits termination without reason.

For more information about illegal termination in Colorado, visit the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment website.

What to Do When You Must Terminate an Employment Contract

Even if you believe you are justified in terminating an employment contract, it is important to be aware of Colorado and federal laws to avoid an illegal termination charge or

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for good cause or no cause at all. According to at-will employment laws in Colorado, no justification or advance notice is required from either employer or employee upon termination. However, an employer’s right to fire employees has limits in this state. Colorado recognizes exceptions to at-will employment designed to protect workers from wrongful termination under certain circumstances. Though the state recognizes many different exceptions to employment at will, the most common include discriminatory reasons, violations of public policy and violations of an expressed or implied employment contract. Read on to learn more about at-will employment laws and exceptions in this state. Familiarizing yourself with rules and exceptions can help you understand your rights as a Colorado employee or employer.

What is at-will employment in Colorado?

In nearly all states including Colorado, at-will employment is the legal doctrine governing when, how and for what reasons an employer may terminate an employee. Under employment at will, an employee without an established contract can be subject to termination for any or no cause, provided it does not violate any federal or state laws. Unless an employment contract states otherwise, both an employer and employee may end the employer-employee relationship at any time without giving prior notice, offering just cause or performing special steps. The purpose of at-will employment is to provide employers the flexibility to find the right workers for their staff and employees the flexibility to find the best position for their skillsets and experience.

Common Exceptions to at-Will Employment

Exceptions to at-will-employment limit an employer’s ability to terminate a worker’s employment contract. There are exceptions that apply on a national level to all states, in addition to those recognized in certain states. Though Colorado recognizes a variety of exceptions to employment at will, the most common exceptions include discrimination, public policy violations and employment contract violations.

Under the discrimination exception, it is illegal to terminate an employee for discriminatory reasons. Colorado and federal anti-discrimination laws prohibit the termination of an employee based on reasons regarding physical or mental disability, race, creed, color, sex (including sexual orientation), age, religion, national origin, ancestry and marriage to a coworker in certain circumstances. Anti-discrimination laws also protect employees from being fired for engaging in a protected activity, such as testifying in a discrimination case against an employer, reporting discrimination to a manager or supervisor, asking to be accommodated for a disability or religious reason or inquiring about wages to investigate possible discriminatory payment practices.

The next common exception to employment-at-will addresses public policy. Under this exception, it is illegal to terminate an employee for behavior clearly provided for or mandated by state public policy. Different states interpret the public policy exception to at-will employment with varying degrees of rigor. Colorado courts typically constrain public policy exceptions to at-will employment to instances where a policy is explicitly written in the state constitution or in state law. The public policy exception in Colorado protects workers from retaliatory firing for engaging in protected actions such as:

“Whistleblowing” or reporting an employer’s violation of the law

Refusing to perform an illegal act, such as fraud or perjury, at an employer’s request

Engaging in actions that are in the public interest, such as serving on jury duty or fulfilling National Guard obligations

Exercising legal rights, such as filing a workers’ compensation claim or threatening to file a lawsuit

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The final major exception to at-will employment involves contract law. According to this exception, employers who have established a contract with a policy for termination of employment must apply that policy uniformly for all employees. In Colorado, a contract may be an express or implied agreement that is legally enforceable. Express contracts may be established orally or in writing, while implied contracts may be inferred by the behavior and actions of parties involved.

For example, statements in employee handbooks regarding a specific process for termination of employment may create an implied contract in the absence of a clear disclaimer that statements in employee handbooks do not constitute such a contract.

Written or oral statements from management or ownership regarding an employee’s job security could also create an implied contract. Similarly, a perceived inducement or promise to give up something of value may be considered this type of contract. Examples of inducements could include perceived promises regarding relocating to a new city with the expectation of job security there, turning down a job offer under the expectation that one’s employment is safe or leaving a current job with the expectation of enduring employment.

At-Will Exceptions Not Recognized in Colorado

It is worth noting that in select states, an additional major exception to at-will employment involves an implied obligation known as the “covenant of good faith and fair dealing” exception. This exception presumes that parties involved in an employment relationship will act in good faith and behave fairly to one another. Courts in participating states may interpret this broad exception in many ways. For example, courts in states that recognize the covenant of good faith and fair dealing exemption could find that an employer may not fire an employee for no reason or out of malice.

Only certain states, including California, Nevada and Wyoming, may recognize the covenant of good faith and fair dealing exception to at-will employment. Colorado

courts, however, typically do not apply this obligation to employment law.  

Protecting Your Rights Under Colorado at-Will Employment Law

Colorado’s at-will employment doctrine protects the rights of both employers and employees who decide to terminate an employment contract. However, at-will employment exceptions recognized in this state protect employees from being terminated for reasons that violate anti-employment discrimination laws, public policy or an established employment contract.

Workers who have been terminated for reasons that violate at-will employment exceptions have options for protecting their rights. Employees who have been fired due to reasons that are discriminatory are advised to file a claim with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal organization responsible for enforcing anti-discrimination laws in the workplace. Filing an employment discrimination charge with the EEOC is required before a wrongful termination discrimination lawsuit can be filed against an employer. Find out how to file a charge of discrimination with the EEOC in Colorado. Employees who have been fired due to reasons violating public policy or contract law are advised to seek legal counsel.

How to File a Wrongful Termination Discrimination Charge in Colorado If you feel you have been terminated from employment for discriminatory reasons, then you have the right to file a charge of wrongful discrimination charge with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). In Colorado, you are typically required by law to file a wrongful termination discrimination charge with the EEOC before you may file an employment discrimination lawsuit against your employer. A charge of wrongful termination discrimination is an official statement claiming an employer has terminated your employment contract based on discriminatory reasons.

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Wrongful termination and other employment discrimination charges should be filed with the EEOC, a federal office that enforces laws regarding discrimination in the workplace. Anti-discrimination laws protect you, your fellow employees and job seekers from unfair treatment based on race, color, religion, sex and other protected characteristics. These laws make it illegal to fire, discipline, suspend, harass, fail to accommodate or retaliate against a worker based on such protected characteristics.

If you are considering filing a wrongful termination or any type of discrimination charge in Colorado, then review the information below for step-by-step instructions, deadlines, requirements and other essential information.

Reasons to File a Discrimination Charge in Colorado

In Colorado, it is illegal to terminate or take adverse action against an employee based on certain protected characteristics. Protected characteristics in Colorado include the following:

on a marriage to a coworker. In addition to termination, adverse action could also include harassment, discipline, suspension, retaliation, terms and conditions or denial of accommodations.

Sex, sexual orientation, transgender status or pregnancy

Religion or creed

Race, color, national origin or ancestry

Physical or mental disability

Age

In qualifying circumstances, it may be also illegal to terminate or take adverse action against an employee based

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Learn more about Colorado employment discrimination laws.

Deadlines for Filing an Employment Discrimination Charge in Colorado

In most cases, you must file an employment discrimination charge within 180 days of the discriminatory incident. This deadline may be extended to 300 days if your case involves discrimination that is prohibited by Colorado or local law, in addition to being prohibited by the EEOC. Additionally, if your case involves discrimination based on race, sex, disability, religion, color or national origin with an employer with at least 15 employees in the state of Colorado, the deadline for filing an EEOC charge is 300 days after the discriminatory incident. If your case involves discrimination based on age with an employer with at least 20 employees in Colorado, the deadline for filing an EEOC charge is 300 days after the discriminatory incident.

Charges involving discrimination may violate the Equal Pay Act (EPA), which forbids discrimination in wages and benefits based on your gender. Under the EPA, you can immediately file a lawsuit in court without first filing an employment discrimination charge with the EEOC. If your case involves sex discrimination in wages, then the deadline for filing a charge or lawsuit is two years after the day you received a discriminatory paycheck or three years when willful discrimination has occurred.

Learn more about deadlines for filing an employment charge with the EEOC.

How to File an Employment Discrimination Charge with the EEOC

If you feel an employer in Colorado has wrongfully discriminated against you, then you have several options for filing a claim with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Your first option is to file online using the EEOC Public Portal. When you access this online system, you will be asked to answer five questions to determine whether EEOC laws cover your case. Next, a representative from

the EEOC may contact you for an interview to determine whether filling a charge is the right course of action in your situation. If your case is approved, then you may complete the charge through the EEOC Public Portal online.

You also have the option to file a charge of discrimination in person at an EEOC office. Although the Colorado office offers walk-in appointments, you are encouraged to schedule an appointment using the EEOC Public Portal. At your scheduled appointment, you will interview with an EEOC representative who will evaluate your case and prepare your charge if you are approved.

The Colorado office is located at the following address:

303 E. 17th AvenueSuite 410Denver, Colorado 80203

The office is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. from Monday to Friday. Learn more the Denver Field Office.

Another option for filing a discrimination charge with the EEOC is through the mail. To file a charge via mail, write a letter that provides the following information:

Information about the employer, including their address, phone number, email, and number of employees

A description of the discriminatory incident, including where it happened and the protected characteristic(s) you believe you were targeted for

Your name and contact information, including address, phone number and email

Be sure to sign the letter, as unsigned letters will not be accepted. Mail the letter to the Denver Field Office at the address listed above. The office may contact you to notify you if your case is approved or to ask additional questions.

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You also have the option to begin the process of filing an EEOC charge over the phone. Call 1-800-669-4000 to speak with an EEOC representative who may ask questions to evaluate your case. If approved, then the representative may direct you to file a charge online or in person.

Read more about filing a charge of employment discrimination with the EEOC.

How to File a Charge of Employment Discrimination with the Colorado Civil Rights Division

In Colorado, you have the option to file your employment discrimination charge with the Colorado Civil Rights Division (CCRD) rather than going directly to the EEOC. When you file a charge with the CCRD, your charge will also be filed with the EEOC in a process known as “dual filing.” You can file a charge of employment discrimination with the CCRD online or in person.

To file a charge of discrimination online, access CaseConnect, the CCRD electronic case management system, to submit an intake form. The form will ask you questions about you, your employer and the type of claim you are submitting. If your claim is accepted, then the CCRD will prepare an official charge for you to review and sign.

To file a charge of discrimination in person, visit the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) on Tuesdays that are not state holidays between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. You have the option to schedule an appointment or request accommodation for a disability by contacting the office by phone at 1-303-894-2997 or emailing DORA_CCRD@state.co.us.

Before your appointment, complete an intake form and submit it via CaseConnect or call the CCRD at 1-303-894-2997 to request a printed application.

What to Expect After Filing a Charge of Employment Discrimination in Colorado

After filing a charge of employment discrimination with the EEOC successfully, the agency will notify your employer of the charge within 10 days. The EEOC may

invite you and the employer to mediation to try to reach a voluntary settlement. If the claim cannot be solved by mediation, then the EEOC may begin investigating the charge by conducting interviews with witnesses, collecting documents and gathering other information.

If the EEOC determines that you may have been the victim of employment discrimination, then a representative will attempt to reach a voluntary settlement with your employer. If a voluntary settlement cannot be reached, then the charge will pass to a legal representative to determine whether the EEOC should file a lawsuit against your employer.

If the EEOC does not determine employment discrimination occurred or decide not to file a lawsuit, then the office will send you a Notice of Right to Sue. This official document allows you the right to file a lawsuit against your employer if you chose. Learn more about what you can expect after filing a charge.

After you file a charge of employment discrimination with the EEOC, check your status with the EEOC’s Online Charge Status System. Call the Denver Field Office at 1-800-669-4000, or call the EEOC directly at 1-800-669-4000 with your charge number for more general information.

If you have filed your charge with the Colorado Civil Rights Division, then you can check your status and communicate with the office via CaseConnect. For additional assistance, email the CCRD at DORA_CCRD_Support@state.co.us.

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How to Decide Between College and Vocational Training

You may be ready to pursue a higher education but feel uncertain about whether college or vocational school is the right option for you. Many people become confused when it is time to make a choice about higher education. Different people will have different answers to the question of whether to attend college or vocational training, based on a combination of factors that include educational history, career goals and financial resources. There are some areas in which you will not find much difference between college and vocational training, including dropout rates, demanding workloads and employment eligibility. However, you will find significant differences between attending college and vocational training when it comes to expenses, including the cost of the program, your earning power after completion of the program, time spent completing the program and the type of work you are interested in pursuing. Therefore, consider your budget, your career goals and your time frame carefully as you learn about the distinctions of each educational option, described in more detail below.

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College Education

Earning Power

Research shows that workers with four-year college degrees tend to achieve higher earnings over their lifetimes than workers who only have high school diplomas. This higher earning power for workers with four-year college degrees over those with high school diplomas is applicable even if those without college degrees hold vocational certificates.

“Mental Jobs”If the type of work that you are interested in pursuing is less physical and more mental in nature, then a broader based college education might serve you better than a more specialized vocational training. In a four-year program, you will often need to take an assortment of liberal arts courses to help expand your mind more generally and teach you to think on different levels in addition to the specialized field you choose to focus on. Such fields include engineering, education, psychology, medicine and business. =

Flexibility

Similarly, if you do not yet know the exact career path you wish to pursue, yet you do know that you at least wish to advance your education, college gives you the opportunity to explore your options. In a vocational training program, you must know from the beginning the exact field, if not the exact job, for which you are training. In college, you can dabble in several subjects until finding the one that feels right for you.

Vocational Training

“Physical” Jobs

If the type of work that you are interested in involves hands-on manual labor, vocational training may be better suited for you. This work may include welding, CNC machine operation, HVAC technology, heavy equipment operation, construction and automotive technology, among others. In a vocational training program, you will learn how to

perform a specific trade and nothing else. There are no liberal arts courses or prerequisites required to get to the meat and bones of what you are there to learn.

Class Size and Personal Attention

The class sizes in vocational schools tend to be smaller than those in colleges and universities. As such, students in vocational programs tend to receive more personalized attention from instructors than those in large college lectures. Interactions between classmates may also be stronger in small vocational training classes than in large university lectures or labs.

Cost

Four-year colleges and universities are expensive. The college board reports that for the 2015 to 2016 school year, the average annual tuition cost over $32,000 for private universities, over $9,000 for in-state public colleges and almost $24,000 for out of state residents attending public colleges. Multiply that by four to find out the total tuition cost for a four-year college, and the figure still does not even include fees, books, supplies, housing, meals, transportation and personal expenses. By comparison, vocational training may cost $30,000 for the entire program, inclusively, from start to finish. Furthermore, even if all annual costs were equal, the four-year program that a college or university would offer can cost twice as much as a two-year vocational training program.

Time

As mentioned, most college programs are four years long whereas most vocational training programs are two years. Those other two years not spent in school are two more years that can be spent in the workforce earning back the money spent on the training or paying back the loan taken out to enroll in the school. Moreover, these days, many college and university programs take six years to complete rather than just four, extending a period of debt and removal from the job market even longer. Many vocational training schools are now offering programs truncated to just one year or less.

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Job Placement

Oftentimes, vocational training programs have job placement assistance for graduates. Some vocational training programs are even directly affiliated with employers that hire all qualifying graduates right out of the programs. Four-year colleges, by contrast, may offer career counseling but few offer actual job placement. Earnings for college graduates can run the gamut, depending on the field and position in question. As of 2017, typical vocational school graduates’ starting annual salaries ranged between $30,000 and $60,000.

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Six Ways to Determine If You Are a Good Fit for a Job Based on the Description

When searching through listing after listing for the perfect job, it is very likely you will find one that seems great. Unfortunately, after the whole hiring process, you may realize that this job was not even close to what you initially wanted. When it comes to scanning through a job’s description, it can be difficult to discern if that job is a good fit for you or not. It can be frustrating to waste valuable time and effort pursuing a job that ends up being a dead end. To avoid making a mistake like this, try to keep some tips in mind when appraising a promising job’s description. Find out which buzz words should send up a red flag to you when you read them. By knowing what to look out for while combing through that blurb in the paper or on the internet, it can streamline the search process for a job that not only looks right but is right.

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1. Think Back to Previous Experience Each job you have had in the past has taught you at least one lesson, so be sure to review these lessons while job searching. There has to be one reason or another as to why you left your previous jobs. Always think about each job in the past and what the benefits and drawbacks were for the work. If it is helpful, make a chart with pros and cons for each job so you can have a physical side by side list for reference. After a few jobs, you will develop an idea of what your ideal work environment looks like. It is also important to take note of what you will or will not deal with. Another good idea is to make a list of important factors that cannot be compromised. If a job looks like it will compromise some important factors, turn it down.

2. Take Lifestyle Into AccountLifestyle is often one of the biggest factors that leads to a decision about whether you should accept or decline a job. You may have children and needy family members that make it impossible to work long hours. You may also have other weekly obligations that require you to ask for unusual work hours. Another reason you might decide to take or decline a job is the type of work environment that complements your individual lifestyle. If you are more of a hands-on busy-body, then you will most likely not be happy in a job where you are isolated or have a lot of downtime. Always be sure to think about all of the other requirements and responsibilities that take precedence before deciding to go for a job or not.

3. Look at the Language of the Description Oftentimes, how a job is presented in the description can clue you in on what types of people are running the company. Pay attention to the overall tone of a job’s description to see if it is friendly or stuffy. Also, look for typos or odd phrase choices. Sometimes, when job descriptions have mistakes in them, it can mean one of two possibilities: the first possibility is that the job offer is a scam and the other possibility is that the company does not do quality checks. This could mean that the company is disorganized and will be difficult to work for.

4. How Clear Are the Job’s Duties Communicated?Note how the job’s requirements and duties are provided. It is important to have a clear idea of everything that a job will entail. A job offer that is concise but very clear about the expectations of the position are always good listings to consider. However, if a listing is very ambiguous about the parameters of a specific position or there are many expectations and requirements that are redundant, it may not be a great idea to spend any more time on that listing. Most often, jobs that are unclear about all of the roles will have work environments that will change drastically once the position is filled. If this is the case, then the job that looked so perfect on paper may morph into a something completely undesirable.

5. Listen to InstinctsAlways listen to gut instincts. Even if a job listing hits every single wish and want you have, if there is even a hint of negative feelings, reject the offer. Instincts are innate feelings that are a guidance system to keep you from making mistakes or wandering into dangerous and uncomfortable situations. Even if you cannot pinpoint the exact reason why a job offering is eliciting such a response, the subconscious has picked up some sort of red flag and is providing input to stay away. Instincts can make the difference between being on the hook for a job that is the worst fit and landing the job that causes you to flourish.

6. Look for How Quickly a Business Is Looking to HireOftentimes, companies that stress to potential employees the importance of rushing through the hiring process at an expedited rate are not great places to work. If a company is willing to speed up the hiring process, it is because the company is desperate to fill the vacant position left by the previous employee. This means that a business could just be looking for a warm body to hold the spot in the meantime or it could mean that the position has a high turn-over rate. If a job listing does have a high turn-over rate, one of the biggest reasons may be an unfavorable work environment.

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Seven Questions Employers Cannot Ask You During an Interview

Even the most prepared job candidates cannot handle unanticipated questions in job interviews. Sometimes, these unanticipated questions can be perfectly valid for employers to ask, even if the job candidate in question is not quite prepared to answer them. In other instances, a job candidate is perfectly in the right for refusing to answer certain questions. There are specific questions that employers are not legally allowed to ask prospective job candidates.

The Civil Rights Act established certain hiring practices that employers are legally required to follow to this day. The Act explicitly prohibits employment discrimination based on the inherent characteristics of an individual, including religion, color, race, sex and national origin. The standards established by the Civil Rights Act naturally apply to the questions that a hiring manager can ask a prospective candidate. Employers and their hiring managers cannot ask prospective applicants certain questions that relate to their inherent characteristics or legal statuses. As a prospective job seeker, it is important to know which questions an employer cannot ask during a job interview.

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Questions About Mental and Physical DisabilitiesPeople with physical and mental disabilities often have difficulty finding work. Fortunately, there are protections in place for disability-based discrimination in the workplace. The Americans with Disability Act states that it is illegal for employers to discriminate against employees or prospective qualified applicants who may have disabilities. The Act applies to private, state and local government employers.

Inquiries into the disability, health history or workers’ compensation history before a job offer are considered unlawful due to the Americans with Disabilities Act. While employers can ask about the physical ability of a prospective job candidate, it may only be done to learn if an applicant is capable of performing the duties required by the job.

Questions About Legal Citizenship Status in the United States or Origin CountriesQuestions about the citizenship status or birth country of a prospective job candidate are prohibited by law since they imply discrimination based on these parameters. People who legally immigrate to the United States cannot be discriminated against by employers on the basis of their citizenship.

According to the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, an employer is legally required to only confirm the legal statuses of all prospective hires. Employers should not ask prospective candidates about their origin countries since they can only ask if they are legally able to work in the United States. Most employers will ask prospective candidates for legal documents that verify their legal statuses in the United States after the decision to hire them has been made.

Questions About English ProficiencyAnother type of question that may imply discrimination by the employer is one asking about the prospective candidate about his or her proficiency in English. Most jobs do require a certain level of English proficiency, but questions that ask

specifically about English fluency or request to diminish an accent are considered unlawful. Employers should take care when inquiring their prospective hires about their proficiency in English and ensure that the proficiency they require is at a level appropriate for successful job performance.

Questions About Age, Marital or Family StatusEmployers are not required to ask prospective candidates about their current age. Federal and state laws prohibit employers from discriminating against prospective and current employees based on their age. Few jobs do allow employers to see if a prospective candidate is at an appropriate age for the job. Questions about the marital or relationship status of a prospective hire are also considered discriminatory, specifically against women. Family-related questions, such as the number of children a prospective candidate may have, are also considered inappropriate.

Although male applicants do receive questions about age and family, women are said to disproportionately receive these questions, which can imply discrimination based on their sex. Some employers may ask questions about availability in regards to their work schedules, however, they cannot inquire in a way that would suggest discrimination against a prospective applicant. The aforementioned inquiries are ultimately considered irrelevant to the job capabilities of a prospective candidate.

Questions About Arrest Records In Colorado, interviewers can only obtain an applicant’s criminal history information after receiving permission from the candidate. Additionally, employers cannot request criminal records if those records have been sealed. Colorado law also makes it illegal for employers to ask about any arrests for military discipline or disobedience or civil disobedience, unless the arrest actually led to a guilty plea.

Questions About Financial StatusQuestions about the financial status of a prospective candidate are considered relatively irrelevant in most hiring

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situations. In addition, financial status questions may implicitly discriminate against social groups who have lesser privileges than others, such as minority groups. Due to the possibility of discrimination, these questions are generally considered illegal for an employer to ask of a prospective applicant.

Questions About Relatives or Colleagues Who Work for the Potential WorkplaceSometimes, workplace connections can help a prospective job candidate obtain a job opportunity. However, it is considered relatively inappropriate for an employer to ask applicants about their relationships to their employees if the applicants know others who currently or formerly worked for the company in question. It also puts the potential employment of protected classes, such as minorities and women, at risk. Due to potential discrimination, it might be unlawful for the employer to ask these questions, as it may cause them to give preferential treatment to job candidates with prior associates who may have worked for the company.

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10 Ways You Can Fail a Background Check

Many individuals, entities or potential employers may run background checks on you before offering a job, loan or opportunity. Failing an employment background check may mean that you are denied the job you seek, no matter how otherwise qualified you may be. You cannot rewrite your past, but you can certainly write your future to avoid causing any of the items explained below from appearing on a future background check. As for the negative items that may already appear in your background check, the best you can do is be honest with the people conducting the check and prepare them for what they are likely to find. Your honesty, forthrightness and willingness to take responsibility for your actions and answer any questions that may come up about the mark on your record may even help you to avoid missing out on your objective due to your background check failure. Review the ways you can potentially fail a background check so you are prepared to explain your past or anything that is brought up though the check.

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1. False Statements on an ApplicationLying on a job application is a bad idea whether or not you get caught lying immediately. You are likely to be accused of lying on your application if the information you provided is covered in your background check or subsequent routine checks. You could jeopardize your hiring or be fired in the future. If employers cannot trust how you represent yourself, they will not trust you to represent them.

2. Credit ProblemsYour potential employers may not be considering offering you credit. None the less, your creditworthiness is considered a reliable indicator of your trustworthiness and sense of personal responsibility. Furthermore, employers want to know that you can meet your financial obligations so that there is no worry you will become a victim of bribery or corruption. Employers generally also want to hire employees who are loyal and will advance in the company. If you face credit problems, you may not be able to show your loyalty and dedication.

3. Drug UseYou do not have to fail a drug test for drug use to be the cause for you job rejection. Even past drug use that appears on a background check report could count against

you. It is not a guarantee that past drug use will cause you to fail the background check and it depends on situational factors, such as how recently the use occurred, the type of drug or drugs used, how any related habit or addiction was dealt with and your willingness to take a drug screening now and/or in the future. Another factor will be the given employers’ leniency regarding past drug use in making current and future decisions.

4. Felony ConvictionsAny felony conviction is grounds for failure of a background check by most employers’ standards. Even if you pleaded guilty or no contest to a felony charge, the past conviction would still cause you to fail a background check. However, if the company has a policy that encourages, or at least supports, the hiring of convicts, you may still get the job. Additionally, if you were convicted of a crime in another jurisdiction that would be considered a felony in your current jurisdiction were you to be charged of the same crime, then that can still lead you to fail the background check.

5. Severe Misdemeanor ConvictionsWhich misdemeanors are considered more severe than others and which ones are severe enough to constitute a background check failure is highly subjective. It mostly

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depends on who is conducting the background check. Among the misdemeanors generally considered severe enough to deny you a job are Driving Under the Influence, specifically offenses that are less than 10 years old. Crimes involving questions of integrity and honesty, like theft or perjury, could also cause you to fail a background check, as could violent crimes, like battery or assault.

6. Poor Employment HistoryThe number of times you have switched jobs in a specific amount of time can say a lot about your level of commitment and ability to impress, or at least satisfy, employers. One bad recommendation from a reference will not necessary sabotage your chances of getting a particular job but multiple bad references from multiple people certainly might. Large inexplicable gaps in your work history can be just as detrimental and appear just as suspicious to your potential employer as rapid shifts in employment.

7. Dishonorable Military Discharge

Most employers consider the military to be a relatively helpful judge of character. Any dishonorable mentions or discharges will show up in a background check. If the military deemed you unfit to serve, or even to be discharged honorably, it indicates to employers they might likewise find you an unsuitable representative and team member.

8. Gang AffiliationsWhether or not the perception is accurate, gangs are associated with crime and violence. Some employers may take active interests in helping with criminal rehabilitation, but most employers do not. Even if you removed your tattoos and no longer wear gang affiliated colors or symbols, a background check can still reveal any past criminal history or criminally significant personal affiliations.

9. Undetected Criminal ActivityNot every crime lands a conviction. However, that does not mean these non-convicted crimes will not appear

somewhere in your background check. If employers discover such activity in your background check, regardless of whether law enforcement charged you for the activity or not, the employers may still reasonably decide not to pursue working relationships with you.

10. Poor Driving RecordA single traffic violation or a few periodic mars on your driving record make you no different than most drivers on the road. However, if you have a history of moving violations on your record, it conveys a profound lack of regard for rules and guidelines, such as right of way laws, and either an inability or unwillingness to follow directions. Additional marks on your driving record that could cause you to fail a background check are previous suspensions of your driver’s license, convictions for reckless driving and an excessive number of speeding tickets.

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Reasons It Is Important to Have a Good Credit Score

Your credit score is a quick indication of how you rate on measures of creditworthiness. Creditworthiness, by extension, can indicate character traits like trustworthiness, personal responsibility, organizational ability, financial self-sustainability and/or resourcefulness. Therefore, your credit score is utilized by a number of people and institutions with whom you may aim to do some sort of business. These can include landlords from whom you wish to rent spaces, employers from whom you wish to get jobs, banks and lenders from whom you wish to get loans or credit cards and insurance companies from whom you wish to get the lowest rates. Your credit score could even determine your dating prospects.

Different systems of credit scoring use different numerical ranges but generally, a credit score of under 600 means that your credit history needs improvement. A credit score between 600 and 700 means that your credit is not bad, but you should be careful to at least maintain it and improve it if possible. A credit score between 700 and 775 is quite good, while a credit score above 775 means that you have an impressive score, leaving your financial options open. To keep your credit score high, always pay your bills on time, use no more than half of the credit already available to you and avoid closing old lines of credit or opening new ones. In addition, regularly monitor your credit by checking for errors if you find any, get them corrected promptly. Here are a few ways credit scores are used.

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To Get a PlaceIf you are looking to rent an apartment, house or condominium, there is a strong likelihood that the owner, landlord or property manager will look up your credit score in order to determine how likely you are to pay your rent on time. The results of this credit score search could determine whether or not you get offered a lease. Furthermore, even if you are offered a lease, a good credit score can potentially minimize how much money you have to put down for a security deposit or as prepaid rent.

To Get a JobSome employers will ask permission to look up your credit score in order to decide whether or not to award you a position. Even if you do get the position, some employers will reserve the right to look up your credit score again at any point in the future to determine whether to give you a promotion or a raise. According to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, if an employer does use your credit as a reason for denying you employment, that employer is required to provide you a written explanation of what was found that led him or her to make that decision, as well as a statement of your rights.

To Get a Loan or a Credit CardLenders, like banks and credit card companies, use your credit score to predict how likely you are to repay the debt as per the agreement you would sign with them. Not only does your credit score factor heavily in loan approval or denial, but it also plays a role in the terms of the credit card or loan rates and specifics offered to you. If you have a good credit score, you can usually enjoy quick and easy loan acceptance at a low rate.

To Get a Low Insurance RateInsurance companies assert that they can predict prospective policy holders’ future risk-taking behavior based on their histories of paying past bills. Colorado is one a majority of states that allow insurance companies to charge different individuals different premium rates

based on special credit score formulations designed to be relevant specifically to the insurance industry. Included are both auto insurance and homeowner’s insurance companies, among others. If a policy holder has a good credit score, he or she can receive the lower end of premiums an insurance company offers. He or she may even be able to get insurance companies to compete over his or her business with increasingly better offers.

To Get a PhonePhone companies are now checking potential customers’ credit to determine what sort of deals to extend them. If you have good credit, a phone company may give you a phone through financing without making you pay a deposit. Furthermore, your credit score could impact the services you are offered, the rate and payment terms. A good credit score will allow you to pay the lowest rate for the most and best services with the most amenable terms.

To Get a Boyfriend or GirlfriendIncreasingly, people in the dating pool are asking possible dating partners for permission to look up their credit scores. For many people, a good credit score can provide a small measure of trust and safety in meeting up with and making him or herself vulnerable to a stranger, while a bad credit score can be an indication that a person does not meet up to his or her standards of responsibility and financial readiness to date. If a person has a good credit score, it could be his or her advantage that allows a potential mate to get to know him or her. According to an Experian Consumer Services study, fifty percent of married couples ranked credit scores and financial responsibility as important values they considered when choosing their spouses. Additional important value rankings included career ambition and physical attractiveness.

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Seven Steps You Can Take to Improve Your Credit Today

Credit history is used for various financial purposes throughout an individual’s life. It shows how well a person pays his or her bills, such as credit cards, cell phones or utilities. Financial institutions look at credit history to find out whether or not someone is an acceptable risk for a loan. Landlords search credit reports to determine if renters can afford to rent an apartment or not. Even employers may look at credit histories to help make decisions on hiring job candidates because credit reports also provide personal information, such as if individuals have been arrested or sued before. All of these factors make establishing and maintaining a solid credit history important. Each person should be monitoring his or her own credit information to look for errors and avoid fraud. When a credit score is not good, there are numerous steps people can take to improve credit. The first step should be to obtain a copy of the credit report.

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Start by Obtaining a Credit Report in ColoradoAccording to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), anyone can request and receive a copy of his or her credit report from any of the nationwide credit reporting agencies once every 12 months. The three agencies include TransUnion, Equifax and Experian. Each of the agencies are legally required to provide the reports to consumers free of charge. To request a copy, individuals may call to order their reports or they can be obtained online. To better monitor these reports, individuals should request reports from only one agency at a time, spaced out over the year. Consumers should be prepared when requesting credit reports as the reporting agency will require personal information in order to confirm the requesters’ identities.

Correct any Errors on Credit ReportsThe second step to improving credit is to look for and correct any errors or inaccuracies on the credit report. Clerical errors can and do happen, even on credit reports. Each time a report is obtained, first look for accurate personal information. Next, look over all debts that are listed and compare them with personal records. Pay attention to which companies are on the reports while watching for unfamiliar businesses. Identity thieves use personal information from their victims to apply for credit cards, withdraw money from bank accounts and build debt. Note that there is no cost to disputing mistakes or items that are outdated on a credit report.

Make and Stick to a BudgetWhen trying to recover from poor credit history, take the time to create a strict budget. Look at what is owed each month, how much income there is for the household and areas where expenses can be cut back. Assigning a budget to the household helps to make realistic decisions about what is really affordable and necessary as opposed to impulse purchases. Seeing all of the income and expenses while putting together a budget helps a consumer make more informed decisions about his or her debt.

Reach out to CreditorsTo prevent debts from hurting credit reports, contact any creditors before they are turned over to collection companies. Most creditors are willing to set up payment plans or modify the existing payment plans when consumers contact them directly. When creditors are unable to reach debtors or find the debtors are not willing to work at paying back the debts, the creditors turn the debts over to collection agencies. Contact a creditor immediately when circumstances change and payments are not possible but make certain to honor the payment agreement.

Creating a Good Credit HistoryIt can be difficult to build a good credit history in the beginning. People need credit to build good credit history but they also need good credit history in order to obtain credit. However, there are ways to establish credit, such as through secured credit cards or retail store accounts. A secured credit card requires a deposit into an account that is held by the creditor. The creditor then extends a matching credit line to the applicant. Making timely payments on these cards results in the creditors extending even more credit, thus establishing credit history. With a retail store account, credit may be given for use at that store or company only. Again, when payments are made in a timely manner, the retailer will gradually increase the amount of credit provided.

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Pay on TimeAn important step needed to improve credit is to make payments on time. A creditor looks at payment history as a major factor when determining how credit worthy an individual is. Paying late will result in a negative impact on the credit report. Since negative information can remain on a credit report for seven or more years, it will benefit a consumer to pay on time as often as possible.

Limiting Credit Card DebtWhile using credit cards to make payments or purchases may sound like a good idea, there are factors to understand about what they can do to credit reports. Maxing out several cards can negatively affect credit by indicating to creditors that a person has overextended his or her credit line. Credit experts suggest limiting credit cards to a maximum of 30 percent of the credit limit. Also, be careful about opening new credit lines with new card companies. Creditors look at how long a person has had a card, not just how much of his or her credit line has been used.

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How to Ensure Your Workplace Is ADA-Compliant

As an employer, it is your legal and ethical responsibility to ensure your workplace is compliant with the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA was enacted under the 1995 Congressional Accountability Act to prevent discrimination against disabled people in employment and while accessing accommodations in public entities. Some elements of compliance under the ADA involve factors regarding the type, placement and identification of office doors, hallways, equipment and furniture. Other aspects of ADA compliance involve accessibility of documents and communications, while others involve safety in the workplace.

The following guidelines will help you to ensure you meet your obligations under this act. As you read through the following information, keep in mind that while the ADA does require workplace accessibility improvements, it does not expect businesses to take on excessive costs that could cause detriment. If your workplace is open to the public, then you must at least remove any physical barriers you may reasonably accomplish without excessive difficulty or cost. Finally, workplace policies, procedures and practices must also comply with the ADA.

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DoorsThe width of any door to an office suite must be a minimum of 32 inches. When double doors that are less than 32 inches wide each are used in an office, both doors must open together. Office suite doors must require no greater force to open than five pounds. Office doors that require any greater force must always remain open or have a doorman posted by at all times during business hours.

HallwaysThe width of all routes within the workplace to any place where employees or the public meet must be at least 36 inches so as to permit wheelchair passage. Any carpeting in office hallways must have a pile of no greater than .5 inches and be secured to the floor. Outside each office there must be a tactile sign with the room number indicated in Braille using contrasting raised characters. These signs must be mounted on the doors’ latch sides 60 inches higher than the floor. On request, auxiliary services and aid, such as sign language interpreters, must be provided for hearing impaired individuals.

Office Furniture and EquipmentIn all meeting spaces, the height of the conferences tables must be at least 27 inches in order to permit knee clearance for people in wheelchairs. Water fountains, mailboxes, shelves and other objects that protrude beyond four inches into any hallway must be able to be detected by blind people using white canes. The object’s leading edge must also be less than 27 inches higher than the floor.

RestroomsAny restrooms marked as being ADA compliant must require no greater force to open than five pounds of pressure. Inside, at least one toilet stall must have grab bars located on one side and on the back wall that are ADA compliant and mounted from 33 inches to 36 inches higher than the floor. Non-ADA compliant restrooms must have signs posted providing the location of the closest restroom that is ADA compliant.

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Workplace PracticesIn addition to the physical workplace being ADA compliant, the policies and procedures under which the workplace runs must also be ADA compliant. Such practices include those based on recruitment, pay, hiring, firing, layoffs and benefits. They also include practices involving promoting employees, assigning work, training and providing leave. To ensure that workplace practices are all ADA compliant, the employer must read all company policy documents to ensure that they do not discriminate against any individual on the basis of his or her disability or his or her relationship or association with a disabled person.

Documents and CommunicationsThere must be a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD), telephone relay system or access to one in the office. All written documents must be made available in alternate formats, such as large print, for vision impaired individuals. Alternatively, a reader should be provided in the absence of properly printed materials. Printed materials, like brochures, made available in the waiting area must be reachable by people in wheelchairs, between 15 inches and 48 inches above the floor.

Office SafetyThe manager of the building or facilities must install visual evacuation alarms in all restrooms that are open to workers or the public. All office employees must be aware of all the accessible exit doors to the building, as well as the primary and secondary main staging areas that are to be used by mobility impaired persons in case of a building emergency.

Architectural BarriersEvery effort should be made to remove all physical or structural barriers inside or outside the building that prevent or restrict the ability of a person with disabilities to obtain the offered services or goods. Such barriers may include overly narrow parking spaces, overly narrow aisles, overly low dining tables and overly high checkout counters. Other common architectural barriers that should be removed include a step up or down to enter the facilities or one of its spaces of commerce and doorknobs or additional door hardware that is exceedingly hard to grab. Any facility with parking spaces provided must include in its lot at least one space designed for accessible parking. This space must include room enough for the vehicle and an access aisle the width of an additional vehicle to one side of it. This aisle can be used to help a person using a mobility device, like an electric scooter or a wheelchair, to get in and out of the vehicle and the mobility device safely. Any accessible parking space should be labeled as such with a sign displaying the international accessibility symbol.

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6 Advantages of Having an Open Office Environment

In open working environments, there are no separate, distinct offices or otherwise completely enclosed work spaces, but rather collections of workstations situated around singular exposed rooms. Some open office environments use short panels or screens to separate workstations into cubicles, while others eschew even these partitions. Either way, employees in open office environments can see, hear and interact with one another without the need to walk through doors or into other rooms. While open office plans have been in existence for a while, they were originally invented in Germany in the 1950s. They have come under greater scrutiny as of late due to research suggesting open office spaces may decrease productivity and employee satisfaction.

Despite what some productivity experts and organizational psychologists conclude, many company managers and CEOs are still finding quite the opposite effects, with open office environments providing numerous advantages, such as improved employee rapport, collaboration and corporate perception. All of these perks can potentially increase both productivity and job satisfaction with employees. Open office spaces also serve employers by giving them better open views of the statuses of their businesses and greater senses of approachability from their employees. As of 2017, nearly 70 percent of workers in America were working in open office environments. Find out in greater detail below why more and more employers and their employees seem to favor this form of office space design.

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1. RapportOpen office environments promote informal interactions between coworkers by making it easier for them to engage with each other without interrupting workflow. These increased informal interactions help to build workplace rapport, which is a positive contributor to productivity and employee satisfaction, amongst other measures of success.

2. CollaborationThe same factors that make open office environments conducive to casual socializing also make them conducive to team building and teamwork on group projects. An open office allows for a greater sense of working together toward a shared mission with employees. In fact, improved rapport itself helps improve teamwork as well, since people naturally tend to work better with people they are familiar with and are comfortable engaging with. The organization and planning of team activities and communications can be easier without walls, doors and hallways between team members.

3. PerceptionOpen office environments are often considered more modern innovations in workplace design. Due to this, employees may feel that companies with open office plans are more innovative, cutting edge and progressive. Employees may also associate the open design with a less formal and more equitable workplace atmosphere, which can help tremendously in boosting levels of job satisfaction. The perception of open floor plans to outsiders, such as clients, investors and the media, can be more positive and appealing than standard closed office plans. Open offices can appear busier to the eye, which is a particular benefit to young startup businesses that need to communicate a message of constant diligence and activity. The physically open space can also tend to appear more conceptually open in terms of innovation, creativity, engagement and diversity. These perceptions may serve purely as marketing benefits but they do so effectively.

4. Employer InvolvementOpen floor plans in offices can help employers to stay better

attuned to the prevailing atmosphere of their offices. If workers are sluggish or frustrated, then employers may be more likely to notice when everyone is working in one shared space than if each employee were cornered off into his or her own private box. This awareness is the first and the most critical step for employers to resolve the impediments to productivity and employee satisfaction so that their workplaces can get back on track. Likewise, if workers are performing with heightened productivity, employers may be more likely to recognize this when they are able to view the entire office at once. Employers are also perceived as more approachable in open office environments than in ones where they are segregated from their workers. When employees feel safe and comfortable approaching their employers with a questions, suggestions or problems, it only serves the company’s larger productivity goals in the long run.

5. FlexibilityClosed office environments are not known to support rapid change. When employees are constantly coming and going or changing positions, an office with limited spaces sequestered by walls and doors can only accommodate so much so fast. By contrast, an open office environment can accommodate most changes in employee composition without excessive disruption to the workflow, if any.

6. CostOn a purely economic scale, open office floor plans are cheaper to design, set up and maintain than ones filled with walls, windows and doors. In addition to the costs of initial construction saved, open floor plans can also save money continually in equipment and utilities costs. Fewer individual spaces need to be accommodated for lighting, climate control and security. Office equipment like staplers, copiers and printers can also be shared by multiple workers. The savings employers can receive from these design decisions can be transferred to production, distribution or marketing costs, or even passed down to employees through higher wages or increased benefits. While the savings may not necessarily be the best reason to choose open office environments over the traditionally closed ones, it certainly adds to the case.

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Tips for Building a Professional Workplace Rapport with Colleagues

Rapport is defined simply as a feeling of trust, sympathetic mutual understanding, accordance and harmony between people. Among other uses, building rapport can help you to avert and resolve conflict, establish and deepen relationships, elicit attention, interest and agreement, and generally help you to attain your goals and objectives. Useful for more than just personal relationships, rapport is equally important if you are in a professional environment. Whether you are a manager or an entry level worker, the professional rapport that you build with your colleagues can largely determine how well and effectively you work together. In large part, building a professional workplace rapport is much like exhibiting the good manners your parents likely taught you as a child. Among ways to build this support is to listen when people speak to you, communicate effectively, be clean and presentable, treat other people with kindness no matter how you are feeling inside and help people out when they seem like they need assistance. Here are some tips for developing each of these skills in your professional life.

ListenThe most common and important skill required to build professional rapport with colleagues at work is the ability to listen. You should not only listen to conversations you care about, but you also need to listen to the discussions that you do not care about. If your colleague is sharing something with you, it is something your colleague cares about. In large part, building rapport

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is showing that you care enough about another person to make what matters to him or her matter to you. Therefore, when a colleague shares with you something about his or her personal life, give it the same full attention that you would if your colleague were discussing something work related.

CommunicateCommunicating effectively is a skill that can be learned, practiced and developed masterfully. Using the skill of effective communication can further help in your effort to make people feel respected, appreciated and supported in the workplace. For example, when you communicate with a colleague through email, do not forget that it is still your colleague and not just a computer screen with whom you are communicating. Include a subject line that clearly indicates the content of the email. If you mention other colleagues in an email, then be sure to include them in the email chain. However, avoid sending emails to people who do not need to receive them. If you need to broach a new topic, then start a new email rather than tack it onto an existing thread. All of these tips demonstrate that you respect your colleagues’ valuable time. When speaking with someone in person, speak slowly, loudly and clearly enough to be understood and pause periodically to inquire if you are being clear and understood. Be patient if clarification is required. People are not mind readers and do not always understand another communicator’s full meaning on the first try. Additionally, follow up with people on key points in your back and forth communications to make sure that your colleagues never feel that you have slacked off on a task they are hoping to accomplish with your help.

Be KindA little kindness can go a long way toward establishing a mutually supportive environment conducive to personal and group productivity. Do not subject your colleagues to your moods. Control your temper, keep your personal issues out of the workplace and treat your fellow employees with the same decency and respect that you want your coworkers to treat you. Smile at your colleagues and look them in the eyes when one of you is speaking to the other. Keep your tone soft and respectful and avoid

raising your tone or speaking curtly.

Have a Professional AppearanceAt work, your appearance is not only a reflection of you personally, but also a reflection of the workplace as a whole. It is often said that the presentation of a business is only as professional as its least professional representative. By making yourself look presentable with clean and appropriate clothes while demonstrating good hygiene, you can make all your other colleagues and your workplace look good as well.

AssistEveryone eventually needs help in a workplace environment, and, typically, there is a shortage of help available, since most workers in the workplace have their own responsibilities. Show that you perceive part of your responsibility being to empower your coworkers to succeed in their responsibilities. You do not have to be working on a team project to demonstrate that you are a team player and to make your colleagues feel like they are not all alone in the workplace. If you see a colleague experiencing difficulty with a task, then see if there is a way that you can help with it. Do not just offer help to your favorite colleagues either. Offering help to colleagues with whom you may not be on the best personal terms with shows that you value your shared relationship as colleagues more than any personal differences between you.

PlayThe workplace may not be the right environment for socializing and recreation but socializing and recreation can help tremendously in building rapport between you and your coworkers. Therefore, find or create other avenues for meeting those needs outside of the workplace. Try to arrange for an office sports team or hiking excursion. You can also plan a night to check out a new restaurant in town together or get together with everyone’s families for a weekend day at the park. Build memories together with your colleagues that extend beyond the workplace and the business conducted there, and it can breathe a new sense of camaraderie into the workplace environment.

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6 Types of Problems That You Should Take to HR

The Human Resources (HR) department at your company is not solely there to process your hiring paperwork. The department is also available to help answer a number of questions and solve many problems that you might face as an employee at the company. Some workplace concerns are not appropriate to take to HR, while many others are precisely in its purview. For example, human resources staff is not there to help you settle a dispute with another employee or to listen to you complain about interpersonal conflicts or office politics. However, certain issues, including questions about benefits, can be raised in a conversation on the phone or during an in-person appointment with an HR staff member. More serious complaints, like harassment, discrimination and abuse of power, should be documented formally on paper, or at least in an email. Additionally, some issues may be appropriate to bring to HR in some instances but not others, such as certain types of advice or personal conversations. Here is a brief list of the types of work related issues that your company’s HR department can usually help you to resolve.

1. BenefitsIf you have questions or concerns about your benefits package, the HR office is the first place you should contact. Health insurance, vacation pay and family leave issues can all be addressed with an HR employee. The HR office is also the place to request medical accommodations through the Americans with Disabilities Act.

2. Harassment If you are being harassed at work, whether by your employer or another co-worker, then it is definitely an issue to bring to the attention of your company’s HR department. Types of harassment include sexual harassment, as well as disparagement or

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assault due to your gender, ethnicity, age, national origin, religious beliefs, disability or other reason associated with a protected status. When brought to the HR department’s attention, an HR employee is legally obligated to investigate the issue and eliminate the harassing behavior. In cases of harassment in the workplace, it is better to bring your complaint to HR instead of your boss since HR personnel are professionally trained in these manners. When bringing an issue of harassment to the HR department, be sure to let an HR employee know you are making an official complaint so he or she responds to it in an official manner and follows company policy and employment law guidelines.

3. DiscriminationIf you are the victim of discrimination in the workplace, your company’s HR department should be made aware of it immediately. Employers are prohibited by federal law from discrimination on the basis of religion, gender, ethnicity, disability or other protected status. When discrimination is reported to a company’s HR department in good faith, the department is obligated under federal law to thoroughly investigate and take whatever action is deemed necessary to eliminate the problem and remedy the situation. Again, your company’s HR department is likely to understand the law and the department’s responsibilities more thoroughly than your boss will.

4. Abuse of PowerIn addition to the types of problems listed thus far that should always be taken to HR, there is one other issue that may be appropriate for HR to hear in some cases, but not in others. This is namely when you have a certain type of conflict with your boss. Most conflicts with an employer are actually not the responsibility of HR and if you have frustrations with your boss’s manner with you or management style, you may be better off finding your own proactive ways to deal with the conflict. However, if you believe your boss is intentionally trying to make you quit your job by placing unreasonable pressures on you or is being openly abusive toward you, then you should take the matter to HR. Additional examples of abuse of

power complaints that are under HR’s jurisdiction include if your boss asks or orders you to do something unsafe or illegal, is involved in a sexual or romantic relationship with a subordinate or denies you or other employees the right to claim earned benefits, such as paid time off.

5. Company ViolationsIf you notice any illegal activities or regulatory violations taking place at the workplace, then it is your duty to report them to the HR department. Violations to report include health code violations and Occupational Safety and Health Administration safety and industry regulation violations. Many businesses institute anonymous hotlines for employees, called whistleblowers, who report misconduct. However, if your company does not have a hotline, the HR department is the next best place to take your complaint.

6. Problems You May or May Not Take to HRAt some companies, the HR departments might be willing to provide employees with career guidance. Some HR departments will also be willing to discuss concerns that border on the side of harassment, discrimination and abuse of power. In other words, you may not have a formal case to make yet, but you may want advice on dealing with an uncomfortable office dynamic. Your company’s HR department may be willing to provide this advice or even, in some cases, intervene on your behalf. Alternatively, you may have information you believe will have a direct effect on the company and do not know who to tell about it. In these cases, the HR department may be your safest outlet. Finally, you may be facing a personal problem or anticipating a major personal life change, such as an impending lawsuit, divorce, newborn, familial death, senior parent moving in or school enrollment, which could affect your employment and you may want to discuss your options. Your company’s HR department might be willing to discuss these possibilities with you or otherwise direct you to a more appropriate resource.

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The Difference Between Bullying and Harassment in the Workplace

For many people, the time spent at the workplace constitutes a large part of daily life. This is where they spend their time and place their energy, as well as being the source of their incomes and, potentially, their plans for the future. When workers suffer from mistreatment at their jobs, through bullying or harassment, it can have an effect on their whole lives as a result. Not only can they suffer psychologically, but their work can also suffer. This mistreatment is all too common in modern workplaces. However, despite the potential similarities between bullying and harassment, they are separate issues. Each will have different signals and warning signs and each will involve a different set of actions to deal with the problem effectively. By being aware of these differences, businesses and their workers can help themselves to recognize and stop mistreatment the workplaces.

Legal Difference Between Bullying and HarassmentThe central, definable difference between harassment and bullying is one of legality. Workplace bullying or abuse is characterized by actions that have negative effects on other workers or their tasks. It is noticeable by the degree of offense or harm that it results in, which means that its effects can vary from one workplace to another. While it is considered unacceptable as workplace behavior in general, it has not been covered by any state or federal law and as a result, it is not illegal. Harassment in the workplace, on the other hand, is characterized by negative actions toward another worker or a group of workers due to their attributes, such as race, gender and disability. These actions are violations of the workers’ Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) status and are illegal.

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Signs of BullyingBullying that occurs in the workplace may have a number of signs that workers or management can look for. In general terms, it involves the targeting of one or more workers by another, with the actions of the bully intending to harm, intimidate or humiliate the victims. Bullies may even go so far as to attempt to sabotage their victims’ work. The goal of a bully will often be that of control or power over his or her victims through the ability to cause pain and distress. Some of the signs may be obvious, such as shouting at the victims or otherwise humiliating them, threatening them, spreading hurtful rumors about them or insulting them. Other behaviors may be harder to spot but will still have the end result of the bully’s dominance over his or her victims. This could include refusing the victims access to meetings or important information, undermining their work successes or purposefully holding them to work demands beyond reasonable expectation in order to see them fail. It is important to note that if the bullying does become physical at any point, then it is considered illegal.

Signs of HarassmentHarassment can be performed through different forms, but all are linked by the fact that the harasser’s actions are targeted toward a worker or group of workers due to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion or disability. The harassment might also be targeted at specific workers because of the attributes of their friends or relatives. Harassment differs from discrimination because it does not mean that the workers are given unequal opportunities through their employment. Instead, the harassers may attempt to degrade or humiliate their targets, possibly by making remarks based on stereotypes. The harassers’ actions might become openly hostile toward their victims or they may purposefully avoid the worker or group of workers against whom they are biased. Insensitive comments or negative stereotyping, communicated either in person or through graphic materials in public places or on social media, are also considered harassment. The behavior is illegal when it begins to impact the working environment of the victim or victims.

Similarities and OverlapBoth bullying and harassment include targets, whether they are single victims or workers in a group. Both involve a repeated pattern of behavior, possibly with some kind of escalation. The effects of both bullying and harassment will impact the victims in negative ways, but also can impact the general work environment and result in a loss of employee productivity. There is also a similarity in the way that bullying and harassment can be allowed to continue. Either one may be ignored by other workers or supervisors, whose refusal to interfere results in the bullies or harassers seeing their actions as somehow acceptable.

Responses to BullyingSince bullying is not illegal, it is up to the organizations to set up their workplace policies in such a way as to discourage bullying. They can also train their workers in how to manage conflict effectively, and how to recognize workplace bullying. By establishing a set of behaviors that are encouraged, as well as those that are discouraged, businesses can lay the foundations for complaint procedures that will be able to deal with bullying in formalized manners.

Responses to HarassmentIn order to respond to harassment in compliance with the law, businesses should ensure that all of their workers are aware of what constitutes harassment, as well as the potential ramifications. Workers should know how to document any harassment they face and they should know who they should contact to report the harassment. Setting a clear structure of steps to take can help the victims to protect themselves, as well as ensure that organizations are in full compliance with the law.

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How to Make the Most of Your Lunch Hour at Work

During a lunch hour at work, people typically spend time eating their meals in the break room or at their desks. It is not uncommon for some employees to work through their lunch periods or to skip the breaks altogether. They may think that working through their breaks is more productive, but it is not. Meals provide fuel for both the body and the mind and are essential for productive workdays. These employees are missing out on opportunities to refocus and re-energize themselves. Refueling the body is critical to energizing the mind. Skipping lunch slows the body down with fatigue and raises stress levels. Taking lunch breaks improves working success rates. Brisk walks get blood circulating while meditation helps to calm the mind. A brief nap can boost energy midway through the day. Eating a nutritional lunch instead of fast food is important for both health and energy at work. There are numerous actions and activities that employees can complete during their lunch hours to boost their productivity and energy while at work.

Get MovingStaying at the desk or in the work area does not allow you to decrease work stress and can be very unhealthy. Sitting too long can cause serious health issues due to lack of circulation. Get up and get your blood circulating by going outside for a brisk walk, even if it means just walking around the building or the parking lot. Brisk walks get the heart rate up and make the oxygen flow, boosting energy and uplifting your mood.

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Take a NapIf you are feeling sluggish or worn down, try taking a short nap to boost your energy and improve your awareness. You should not sleep for your entire lunch hour but take a brief ten-minute nap instead. Studies have shown that a brief nap boosts cognitive performance and increases alertness.

Eat a Healthy LunchRather than buying lunch at a fast food restaurant, bring in a bagged lunch or purchase something healthy. Healthy meals help to boost productivity. Do not equate bringing a bagged lunch to the school lunches served to children. It is easy to make a meal that is appetizing and nutritious. One benefit of doing so is that it saves you time, leaving you more time for errands or other options during your lunch break. It also saves a lot of money over the course of a year. Instead of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, make a gourmet sandwich by using whole grain bread and adding vegetables, such as sprouts and tasty cheese, such as feta.

Engage With OthersSocial interactions with co-workers can benefit you by allowing you to forge bonds with them. These bonds can help with career advancement and happiness with your work environment. These interactions are highly effective at networking and making casual connections that can be beneficial later on during your employment. It can also be a great way to meet new people. Limiting social contacts at work can easily result in taking co-workers for granted by dehumanizing them.

Step Away From WorkStaring at a computer screen all day at work stresses the eyes and mind. During your lunch period, get away from the electronics and avoid using any devices that have screens. Even a smart phone or tablet counts as working, so you should avoid utilizing these devices if you want your lunch break to help you disconnect from work for a few moments.

Do Something EnjoyableEven the most successful people take time to do things

they find enjoyable. It does not matter what you do. You could visit a museum, catch up with an old friend or go clothes shopping. Just be sure to choose something you enjoy and nothing that will cause you added stress. To be most productive, it you should not complete enjoyable tasks every day during every lunch break. Only planning these fun tasks once per week keeps them spontaneous and is enough to rejuvenate your mind and recharge your brain.

Take a Mental BreakReading is a great way to get away from work and take a mental break. A book can carry you away from the work place while allowing your mind to relax. Inspirational or motivational books offer peace and quiet along with mental motivation. Your lunch break time can also be used to catch up on things that are going on in the world by reading a newspaper or magazine.

MeditateMeditation is beneficial because it helps to center you and release your stress. You can meditate by taking a restful walk. Choose a quiet area to walk in, paying attention to your surroundings. Avoid noisy areas or bustling streets and opt for a walk in the park instead. If walking is not an option, try sitting inside your car or finding a space to relax and sit down. With your feet flat on the ground, lift your shoulders to straighten your spine out. Keep your eyes closed and focus on breathing for a few minutes. Taking five minutes to do this each day trains your mind to be focused and more aware.

Build a Strategy for WorkThe last five or ten minutes of your lunch hour should be used to put together a strategy for the rest of your workday. Use a notebook or journal to write any thoughts that come to mind on how to advance at your job. Figure out what steps need to be taken to achieve your goals. Keep notes on possible concepts or new ideas. Also, note specific improvements that could be made in the workplace and how to go about being a part of the solution. List all the steps necessary to accomplish your future goals.

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Meal-Planning Tips for the Work Week

During the work week, it is sometimes difficult to plan healthy meals for the entire family. Parents, guardians and single working adults all have trouble making sure that they and the people they live with are eating healthy throughout the work week. For this reason, many people resort to prepackaged and prepared foods that could negatively impact their health if consumed regularly.

If you do not eat healthily, you are directly putting your health at risk. According to many health professionals, people who do not eat healthy on a semi-regular basis are at risk of developing certain chronic diseases and becoming obese. If you do not consider planning out your meals for the week, it is entirely possible for you to lose healthy eating habits that you worked hard to maintain. However, it is possible to learn and follow healthier eating behaviors, even if you are busy throughout the work week. While it may be challenging, learning how to effectively manage mealtime helps many people adjust to healthier eating habits during a busy week. Managing mealtime starts with planning out your meals before the hectic nature of the workweek strikes.

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Start Planning Your Work Week MealsIn the United States, it is usually acceptable that most people simply do not have the time to plan their meals every week. Most choose food and drink that is convenient to heat up and consume each day. However, many health and nutrition experts suggest that it is not hard for people to put aside some time to plan healthy meals for themselves and their families.

The easiest way to start planning involves making a list of the meals you could prepare on the weekend for consumption during the work week. It is suggested to attempt planning a few days ahead, so you can know which days you will have the time to cook. A shopping list that includes all the items you need to buy makes a significant difference when it comes to planning meals for the work week. Make a shopping list of all the meals you plan to cook as you configure the meals for your work week. Having a shopping list ready ahead of time helps you narrow down what you really need and ensure you do not waste money on items that are not needed.

It only takes a few extra hours during the weekend to start planning your weekly meals. After you finish your shopping trip, you can make large batches of your work week meals. Make sure you have good food storage containers and bags before storing your meals in the freezer for the week. This allows you to reheat meals throughout the week without issue.

If you live with roommates or your immediate family, you might want to survey the members of the household about potential meals for the week. It might seem daunting, but it is a good way to make sure everyone in the household is on the same page about healthy eating. If some members do not like the suggestions, find an option that works for everyone. You can even research recipes to see if you can make them healthier than the popular versions. In addition, you can even ask others to help you prepare the meals for the weekend, which can eliminate long preparation and cooking times for each meal.

Learn How to Effectively Budget Weekly Meals Although planning weekly meals does involve investment in both time and money, it does not have to be expensive. In fact, eating healthier during the work week is not considered an expensive endeavor. Some budget-friendly fresh foods include eggs, beans, potatoes, bananas and rice. You can also find inexpensive cuts of meats for sale if you regularly check weekly circulars. You may decide to cut out meat altogether if you do not eat meat or want to try something different during the work week.

Some foods are cheaper if you avoid buying their prepackaged versions. For example, oatmeal costs more if you buy the prepackaged flavored versions. If you buy flavorless oatmeal that does not contain additional ingredients, you can save money and make your oatmeal from scratch. In addition, you also have more control over what gets added to your food if you buy the unaltered versions of popular foods like oatmeal. Many prepared foods have additional sugars, preservatives and other ingredients that influence nutritional content. You can save money and your health by avoiding prepared foods and making items from scratch.

Additionally, do not neglect purchasing fruits and vegetables. Like the many different cuts of meats, you can buy all sorts of fresh produce for cheaper prices if you follow the weekly circulars of local supermarkets. Farmer’s markets are also excellent sources for relatively inexpensive fresh produce if you live near one. It is usually suggested to buy fresh produce when in season. For example, strawberries are best bought and consumed during summer, while citrus fruits and apples are widely available during the winter following fall harvest. If you cannot find any fresh produce in stock while it is in season, buy these items frozen. Some organic produce might be expensive in stores, so you may have better luck buying organic produce from farmer’s markets, where you can get fresh produce straight from the source.

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7 Jobs That Are Perfectly Suited for Remote Workers

A recent study reported that 74 percent of U.S. workers would quit their current jobs to take jobs that allowed them to work remotely, either full-time or part-time. This statistic even stands if the salaries at the new jobs stayed the same. While remote work is not for everyone, working from home offers those who are looking for better work-life balance the chance to reduce commuting time and its concurrent expenses and to be more available for family members during school hours. Once thought to be the exclusive domain for writers, working remotely is now open to a wide variety of occupations, careers and industries. However, there are certain jobs and industries where the workers fare better by working remotely. The following top seven remote jobs are perfectly suited for remote workers, as they offer the right combination of monetary return, flexibility and projected job growth in the future.

Freelance Writers/EditorsRemote work is still largely dominated by freelancers, mostly writers and editors. With the boom in online content marketing, company blogs and social media, the need for quality content has never been greater. Those who wish to get into the freelance market as writers or editors have very little overhead startup costs, other than home computers and reliable internet connection. Of course, those going into it full-time will need to obtain all of the proper business licensing for their area of the U.S. and make sure to register their businesses as legal entities. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), a writer makes an average median pay of $61,240 per year, or $5,103 per month. The job outlook is showing growth at eight percent, which is average for most job industries.

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ArchitectsArchitects design and plan houses, office buildings and other structures, such as factories and schools. A good deal of the work that architects do is completed by computers, which lends itself well to working remotely. It does require meeting with clients, which can either be done using a video interfacing platform, or by scheduling meetings in an agreed upon location. Depending on the project, the architect may visit construction sites while a project is being worked on. The average pay for architects is currently $76,930 annually. Many work with architectural firms that allow for remote work, while others work for themselves and act as independent contractors. The job outlook shows a projected growth rate of four percent for the next ten years, which is slow in comparison to other industries.

Accountants/CPAA certified professional accountant (CPA), or a bookkeeper, lends him or herself to remote work. Much of the work that is done can be completed from a home office environment, with regular client meetings to make sure operations are running smoothly. Accountants do more than complete people’s tax returns at the end of the year. Accountants handle a wide range of services involving a person’s finances and offer an invaluable service to businesses. The average pay is $68,150 a year, though this can fluctuate depending on the work load. This is a very good job to do remotely because the growth is projected to increase by at least 10 percent in the next 10 years.

Customer ServiceThe advantage of having a remote work force is gaining momentum with many companies and one of the largest areas that has embraced remote workers is the customer service industry. Many companies have either downsized or removed their customer service departments all together and instead employ their own remote representatives. Retailers, organizations and companies employ workers to manage the calls that come into their centers in regards to their businesses, services and products. According to the BLS, customer service representatives make, on average, $32,300 per year. The growth rate for this group of remote workers is as fast as average, coming in at around five percent.

Web and Graphic DesignWeb and graphic designers can do very well acting as remote workers, either for themselves or for companies. Most web designers and graphic designers have completed training to learn how to utilize the various software necessary to do their jobs. The industry demand for these types of remote workers and services is anticipated to grow by almost 13 percent over the next decade. This is because nearly everyone at some point will want to launch their own websites and will need professionals to help them do it. The average salary per year was $66,130 in 2016 and will continue to steadily grow.

Marketing and SalesFrom social media management to creating marketing copy, working as a remote marketing and sales professional offers a remote worker great return for his or her time. If a marketer is good at the job, he or she may see a median salary per year of $127,560, with a potential for nine percent growth over the next ten years. Most remote marketing and sales jobs can be done easily using a home computer and a phone, with the occasional off-site meetings taking place with various clients.

Medical Billing and CodingMedical billing and coding professionals convert medical services that are offered to patients into codes that are submitted to insurance companies for reimbursement. Each medical service that is performed correlates to a specific code. Billing code specialists know these codes and are able to translate services into readable codes by the insurance companies. This type of work lends itself quite well to remote work and billing code specialists can either work as independent contractors or for companies that have agreed to allow remote work. Most vocational schools and some online universities offer training that will get a worker started in this field. There are credential exams that must be taken and passed in order to be certified to do this job. The outlook for medical records and health information technicians who have the skills to complete billing and coding is good, with a faster than average growth rate. The average salary in this field is $38,040 per year.

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Four Factors That Can Make Working Remotely Difficult

The opportunity to work remotely is becoming increasingly common as many businesses and individuals find that it is a beneficial way to achieve a high-level of work with a more flexible schedule. Offering the opportunity to work remotely helps businesses to produce consistent results without the necessity of having each employee report to the office on a regular basis. While many of the studies involving remote work indicate that employees find the freedom empowering, there are a few downsides that come along with working alone outside of an office environment or regular workplace setting. Most people who work remotely express concern about feeling left out of group politics and believe that working from home promotes an “out-of-sight, out-of-mind” mentality that makes it difficult to assist on projects. Although much of the data compiled on the daily existence of remote workers is overwhelmingly in favor of making the transition, there are four key factors to consider that can make working remotely more difficult than working in-person at the office.

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1. Remote Work Means Less Effective InteractionsIndividuals who work remotely often report feeling excluded from the group as they are not interacting with team members face-to-face throughout the work day. Since they are not present for in-person meetings, team building exercises or for casual conversations at the coffee station, remote workers may have difficulty creating senses of camaraderie with their co-workers. In order to achieve that same level of interaction on an effective level, remote workers will have to resort to frequent emails and phone conversations, both with their managers and with other team members to ensure that they are not being left out of crucial assistance or direction on projects simply because they are not at the office alongside everyone else. The inability to be physically present at the work place means that remote workers will have to work twice as hard to maintain relationships with their co-workers and they will also need to be conscious of building solid relationships with their direct managers. Being able to confide in and rely upon managers will help the remote workers in bridging the gaps between themselves and other co-workers in meaningful, effective ways.

2. Productivity Levels May Decrease Due to Home DistractionsOne of the most difficult aspects of remote work is the level of dedication it takes to remain focused on work when there are other distractions present. While working remotely can offer employees freedom and flexibility within their schedules that can be gratifying, it can also promote a decrease in productivity if the individual loses sight of time management. There are other factors that cannot be overlooked, such as a sick child home from school who needs care or an appointment that cannot be rescheduled. Ultimately, mundane everyday errands will need to be set aside to accomplish important work assignment tasks. Some remote workers will find it increasingly difficult to separate their work time from their downtime, but this work to life balance must be meticulously maintained to remain focused on work. These issues may be combated if individuals decide to work from nearby coffee shops or local libraries, but the difficulty of

balancing schedules and maintaining productivity lies within time management and decreased distractions.

3. Requirements and Instructions Take More FinesseWorking remotely presents the problem of losing clarity when being given new assignments or notes on previously submitted work. Oftentimes, there are items that can become lost in translation when employees are solely relying upon technology as their main forms of interaction, and this can become increasingly difficult for employees who work remotely. Remote workers will need to ensure that their interactions with their managers, bosses or clients are consistently maintained and remain more detailed than other typical interactions. This may be frustrating at times because it means the remote worker will require more clarification and will need to check in more frequently than office employees to essentially achieve the same tasks. There may be instances in which remote workers may be required to contact their supervisors three to four times per day to ensure that they are completing tasks successfully. This may seem excessive but it will ultimately make an overall difference in work performance and the quality of work produced.

4. Focus and Energy Might Be the EnemyOne of the main things to remember when working remotely is that maintaining high energy levels may be more difficult when an employee is working alone versus when he or she is working with and interacting with a team on a daily basis. Many employees suffer from lack of concentration or declining energy levels throughout the day for various reasons, but remote workers may find it even more challenging to maintain high levels of motivation. It may become beneficial for a remote worker to ensure that he or she is organized in work and when approaching assignments, as this may be an easy way to keep his or her energy level at its peak throughout the process. Additionally, taking small breaks throughout scheduled work time to stretch or take brief walks may help remote workers to sustain energy levels and focus on their work more effectively. To increase productivity, it important to take some time away from the assignments at hand, especially if they are lengthy and involved.