In most of Colorado today, you can be fired for any reason or no reason at all. That's what "at-will" means. The usual fight is all-or-nothing: workers want strong protection, employers want flexibility. The Fair Work and Mutual Responsibility Act makes each side give something to get something.
FWMRA is a standalone bill, version 6.2, and it's ready for the 2027 session. Read the full bill (PDF, 16 pages).
What workers get
- Protection from day one. No six-month probation period.
- Three fair reasons to let someone go: conduct, capacity, or a real business need. "Because I felt like it" is gone.
- A fair process. Except for serious misconduct like theft or violence, the employer warns you, gives you a real chance to improve, tells you the reason, and keeps simple notes.
- Temp and staffing-agency workers are covered too. The responsibility sits with the agency that actually employs them.
- Protection for trainers. You can't be punished because a trainee you trained in good faith washed out.
- Fair layoffs. In real economic cuts, employers weigh time on the job, age, dependents and disability. No picking favorites.
What employers get
- One clear checklist. Follow the four steps and you're protected.
- Capped, predictable costs. If a firing is found unfair, the worker either gets the job back or gets paid: the greater of 4 weeks, or 2 weeks per year worked, up to 26 weeks. No surprise emotional-distress or punitive awards unless there's real fraud or malice.
- Legal fees can go either way. The winner can recover them, whichever side that is.
- A low-cost tribunal instead of years in court.
- A 90-day setup window for paperwork. It covers process only. It never excuses an unfair firing, retaliation or discrimination.
Fair runs both ways
Workers are encouraged, never forced, to give about two weeks' notice and leave on good terms. In return they get rehire priority and faster transition help. Nobody can be made to keep working. Walking off for three straight days without a word counts as quitting.
Who it covers
Every Colorado employer, from a two-person shop to the biggest company in the state. No size cutoff and no carve-outs. Genuine independent contractors aren't covered.
Why now
The last big at-will fight in Colorado collapsed in 2025 without settling anything. FWMRA is built to be ready when the issue comes back, with a version both sides can live with. It's built to work alongside CESA, and its safety net works best with CESA in place, but it's a standalone bill that can be passed on its own.
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