Colorado FAMLI 2026 Pay Update: $1,448.02 Cap and Leave Paperwork

When an employee asks what FAMLI will pay after the July 1, 2026 wage update, the maximum weekly benefit is $1,448.02, replacing the prior $1,381.45 level. The state average weekly wage used in the calculation is $1,608.91 beginning July 1, 2026. The update is small enough to miss in a busy inbox and large enough to change a leave estimate, a private-plan supplement, and the sentence you send to an employee on a hard day. Update the worksheet, the claim file, and the notice language before someone asks for a number.

The worksheet needs the new cap and state average

The state figure is up more than 4.8 percent from the prior year. FAMLI weekly benefits are calculated by comparing an employee's average weekly wage with Colorado's state average weekly wage. The updated maximum applies to current or new claims as of July 1, 2026. Put the anchors into your worksheet: the employee's average weekly wage and the state average weekly wage. Keep the old worksheet version in the file so you can explain why an estimate changed; that is good practice.

• Replace the old cap in every calculator. Finish when the spreadsheet or leave portal shows the updated maximum weekly benefit for claims affected by the effective date.
• Enter the new state average weekly wage. The worksheet uses the updated state comparison figure for the same period.
• Recalculate the replacement range for each employee. The estimate shows where the employee falls in the range.
• Apply the effective-date rule. The claim file notes which claims use the updated maximum.
• Send a plain-English notice to affected employees. The message gives a next step and points to the claim portal.

The common mistake is treating the new cap as a universal raise; it only matters when the employee's calculated benefit would otherwise exceed it. If your leave system still uses the old state average, the estimate will be wrong even when the employee's own wage has not changed. A manager who sees a lower number may assume the employee was penalized. The worksheet should show the comparison before the manager makes that call. Keep the calculation visible in the claim file. Store the updated worksheet with the leave request so the next manager can see the same math.

The notice should follow the effective-date rule

Change the leave policy, the internal FAQ, and the manager guide so they do not quote an old maximum. The policy should use the same comparison language as the worksheet and point to the effective-date rule already noted in the claim file. Use notice language that is calm and specific. A short message can say that the benefit may be recalculated under the effective-date rule. It can also say that active claimants with a higher weekly amount will receive a My FAMLI+ notice about the redetermined benefit. The notice gives the employee a next step: contact HR if the number does not match the worksheet.

Private plans and NICU claims need separate checks

If your company offers a private FAMLI plan, check whether the plan supplements the state benefit, replaces it, or pays a difference. The state rule is the effective-date adjustment. The private-plan check is good practice. The state's wage update does not automatically rewrite your plan's supplement. Confirm the plan's own trigger, cap, and payment schedule. Do this before the employee asks for a total. If the plan pays a difference, the state increase can reduce the supplement even when the employee's total pay stays the same. The comparison shows what FAMLI pays, what the private plan pays, and what the employee receives in total.

Add a NICU watch item for newborn hospital stays. If a claim involves a NICU stay, review whether medical certification, private-plan rules, or state guidance changes the benefit start date. Do not promise a start date until the file is complete.