Discrimination

Employers in Colorado are prohibited from discriminating against employees based on their protected class. The CCRD Investigates allegations of employment discrimination.

Prohibited Employment Practices - C.R.S. § 24-34-402

It is a discriminatory or unfair employment practice for an employer to:

• refuse to hire
• to discharge
• to refuse to promote
• to demote
• to harass during the course of employment
• to discriminate in matters of compensation
• to discriminate in the terms, conditions, or privileges of employment

based on or because of a person's protected class or in retaliation for engaging in a protected activity - i.e., retaliate against a person for opposing discrimination. 

Additionally, employers have a duty to provide reasonable accommodations that may be necessary because of an employee's or applicant's disability and/or because of an employee's or applicant's of pregnancy, childbirth, or a condition related to pregnancy or childbirth. 

Protected Classes in Employment

• Disability (a mental or physical impairment which substantially limits a major life activity)
• Race (includes hair texture, hair type, or a protective hairstyle commonly or historically associated with race, such as braids, locs, twists, tight coils or curls, cornrows, Bantu knots, Afros, and headwraps).
• Creed
• Color
• Sex
• Sexual Orientation 
• Gender Identity
• Gender Expression
• Religion
• Age (40+)
• National Origin
• Ancestry
• Marital Status
• Marriage to a Co-Worker (applies in limited circumstances)
• Pregnancy, childbirth, and related conditions
• Wage Transparency Act (sharing and comparing wage information with coworkers)

Employees who have engaged in protected activity (such as making a complaint of discrimination, or requesting a reasonable accommodation) are protected from retaliation for doing so. 

Filing Deadline

Complaints of employment discrimination must be filed within 300-DAYS of having received notice that the alleged discriminatory or unfair employment practice occurred, and it not so filed, it shall be barred.  C.R.S. § 24-34-403

Coverage 

Any employee working in the State of Colorado is covered by the protections of the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act (CADA). Additionally, employees of religious organizations or associations, except such organizations or associations supported in whole or in part by money raised by taxation or public borrowing, are not covered by CADA. 

Fair housing laws were enacted to ensure everyone has equal access to the housing of their choice. Fair housing laws apply to housing providers (landlords), but also real estate brokers, mortgage lenders, homeowner associations, and others.

Prohibited Housing Practices - C.R.S. § 24-34-502

• It is an unfair housing practice and unlawful to:
• Refuse to rent or sell -i.e. “make housing unavailable”
• Apply unequal terms or conditions of sale or rental
• Refuse to allow reasonable accommodation and or modification necessary to accommodate a disability
• Redlining
• Steering
• Intimidate, Threaten, Coerce - i.e. Harass
• Advertise with a discriminatory preference or limitation based on protected class
• Misrepresent availability
• Retaliate against a person engaging in a protected activity, e.g. complaining of discrimination or requesting a reasonable accommodation.

Protected Classes in Housing

• Disability (a mental or physical impairment which substantially limits a major life activity)
• Race (includes hair texture, hair type, or a protective hairstyle commonly or historically associated with race, such as braids, locs, twists, tight coils or curls, cornrows, Bantu knots, Afros, and headwraps).
• Creed
• Color
• Religion
• Sex
• Sexual Orientation 
• Gender Identity
• Gender Expression
• Martial Status
• Familial Status 
• National Origin
• Ancestry
• Source of Income
• Veteran or Military Status

Persons who have engaged in protected activity (such as making a complaint of discrimination, or requesting a reasonable accommodation) are protected from retaliation for doing so. 

Filing Deadline

Complaints of housing discrimination must be filed within ONE (1) YEAR after the alleged unfair housing practice occurred, and if not so filed, it shall be barred. C.R.S. § 24-34-504.

Exempt Housing

In limited circumstances, the prohibition against discrimination based on familial status does not apply, e.g. housing for older people, and the sale of a single-family home without the assistance of advertising, a broker, or other housing professionals. 

Coloradans are entitled to the full and equal enjoyment of all goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations offered to the public, regardless of protected class.

Prohibited Practices in Places of Public Accommodation C.R.S. § 24-34-601

Places of public accommodation are generally defined as any place of business offering goods, services, facilities, or accommodations to the public. Places of public accommodation include educational institutions and public buildings.

It would be a discriminatory action for a place of public accommodation, directly or indirectly, to refuse, withhold from, or deny to an individual or a group the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, of the public accommodation based on that person or groups' protected class. Places of public accommodation are also prohibited from publishing, circulating, issuing, displaying, posting, or mailing any discriminatory advertisement. 

To ensure that persons with disability are allowed the opportunity for the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, or accommodations being offered, a place of public accommodation may need to make reasonable accommodations in its policies, procedures, or practices and/or ensure accessibility. 

Places of public accommodation are also prohibited from retaliating against any person who has engaged in a protected activity - e.g., making a complaint of discrimination or requesting a reasonable accommodation. 

Protected Classes in Places of Public Accommodation

• Disability (a mental or physical impairment which substantially limits a major life activity)
• Race (includes hair texture, hair type, or a protective hairstyle commonly or historically associated with race, such as braids, locs, twists, tight coils or curls, cornrows, Bantu knots, Afros, and headwraps).
• Creed
• Color
• Sex
• Sexual Orientation 
• Gender Identity
• Gender Expression
• Marital Status
• National Origin
• Ancestry

Persons who have engaged in protected activity (such as making a complaint of discrimination, or requesting a reasonable accommodation) are protected from retaliation for doing so. 

Filling Deadline

Complaints of public accommodation discrimination must be filed within SIXTY (60) DAYS after the alleged discriminatory act occurred, and if not so filed, it shall be barred. C.R.S. § 24-34-604

Exemptions

Places of public accommodation DO NOT include a church, synagogue, mosque or other place that is principally used for religious purposes.