What is the Colorado wage claim statute of limitations?

3 years (CO Wage Act); 2 yr / 3 yr FLSA, running from the date wages were due. Each missed paycheck is a separate claim with its own SOL.

What form do I use to file a Colorado wage claim?

Wage Complaint Form, filed with the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment Direct Investigations Unit. SynthCounsel hosts the official .gov source PDF and re-verifies it nightly.

Can I file in state and federal court at the same time?

Yes. The Colorado state wage claim runs separately from the federal FLSA claim (2-year SOL, 3 if willful). You can file both. Discrimination claims also run on a separate EEOC clock (180 days; 300 in deferral states).

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Colorado · Labor & employment

How to file a wage claim in Colorado.

Filed with the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment Direct Investigations Unit. Form: Wage Complaint Form. Statute of limitations: 3 years (CO Wage Act); 2 yr / 3 yr FLSA.

Statute of limitations

3 years (CO Wage Act); 2 yr / 3 yr FLSA

Final pay deadline

Immediately on termination if HR is on-site; within 6 hours of next business day if HR is off-site.

Damages

125% penalty for willful violations + attorney fees + costs. Treble damages possible.

Calculate your specific deadline

Enter the date wages were due → get the deadline for Colorado, federal FLSA, EEOC charge, and NLRB ULP.

Open SOL calculator

What this form covers

Colorado HFWA (paid sick leave) violations also enforceable through CDLE.

File the form

The Wage Complaint Form is the canonical wage-claim form for Colorado. SynthCounsel hosts the official .gov source PDF and re-verifies it nightly. Free preview, $9 to fill via wizard, or unlimited on the Pro / Firm tiers.

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Filing more than this one form?

The Wage Complaint Form is one piece. Most wage cases also need a demand letter, a federal DOL parallel filing, an EEOC charge if there’s a discrimination angle, and a trail of follow-up correspondence. Case Pass — $149/case covers unlimited forms, court documents, and deadline tracking for 12 months.

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Federal options run in parallel

State wage claims don’t replace federal claims. The FLSA SOL (2 years; 3 if willful) runs separately from Colorado’s SOL, and you may file with the US DOL Wage & Hour Division for federal minimum-wage and overtime violations. For discrimination claims, the EEOC charge clock starts at 180 days (300 days in deferral states like CA, NY, IL, etc.).

· FLSA wage claim: DOL WH-31
· EEOC discrimination charge: EEOC Form 5
· NLRB unfair labor practice: NLRB-501
· OSHA workplace hazard: OSHA-7

Wage claim guides for nearby states

California

Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE) · SOL 3 years (Lab. Code § 1194)

Texas

Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) Labor Law Section · SOL 180 days from when wages were due (Texas Payday Law)

New York

NYS Department of Labor · SOL 6 years (NY Labor Law § 196)

Florida

Florida Commission on Human Relations (employment discrimination only) · SOL 365 days for FCRA discrimination charges

Utah

Utah Labor Commission, Wage Claim Unit · SOL 2 years (Utah Code § 34-28-9)

Arizona

Industrial Commission of Arizona Labor Department · SOL 1 year (state); 2 years FLSA (3 if willful)

See all 21 state guides

Free tool

Wage SOL calculator

All four parallel deadlines (state, FLSA, EEOC, NLRB) from one date.

Free tool

EEOC charge wizard

Build a Form 5 narrative if your wage claim involves discrimination.

This is general information, not legal advice. Wage-payment statutes change frequently. Confirm the current form, SOL, and damages framework with the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment Direct Investigations Unit or a licensed Colorado attorney before filing.