Support for Business

December 16, 2021

Internship Info Session

Jefferson County Public Health’s Fully Vaccinated Facility Program

New Laws that Will Impact Your Business in 2022

Interview Days hosted by Workforce

Internship Information Session

Is Your Company Interested In Hosting An Intern?

The Jefferson County Business & Workforce Center works to connect interns with local businesses to support them in developing new skills and experience. Hosting an intern is a great opportunity to access talent, develop leaders within your organization, and influence your industries future workforce.

Why get involved?

Opportunities for businesses to get engaged across all industries
Leadership and mentorship opportunities for your staff
Tap into a new talent pipeline
Interns can add a boost to your projects
Length & hours of internship are customized
Grant funding to cover wages and worker's compensation insurance at no cost to you

How to Learn More

If you would like to get more information, join us for a Virtual Work-Based Learning Information Session for Employers on Tuesday, January 11th from 9AM to 10AM.

Register Here

If you would additional information or are unable to attend, please contact the Business Services Team at [email protected].

Jefferson County Public Health’s Fully Vaccinated Facility Program

By verifying that 95% of the individuals (staff and patrons) in their indoor space are fully vaccinated, Approved Fully Vaccinated Facilities and Events receive an exemption to Jefferson County Public Health’s Indoor Mask Order (Public Health Order 21-006). Facilities can choose to have certain spaces or times of day designated as Fully Vaccinated to meet their individual needs.

Below is a list of businesses, organizations and events that have been approved as part of Jefferson County Public Health’s Fully Vaccinated Facility Program. Apply to have your business, facility or event approved.

Why Participate?

Because fully vaccinated individuals have a significantly lower risk of both transmitting and contracting COVID-19, Jefferson County Public Health is offering additional exceptions to the mask order for facilities and events that implement (and show proof of implementation) of a policy or policies that verify that 95% of all individuals within their public indoor space(s) are fully vaccinated. This is a voluntary program designed for businesses, facilities and events that choose to implement vaccine verification requirements for the indoor spaces. Jefferson County’s Approved Fully Vaccinated Facility Program is flexible. A facility or event may seek approval from JCPH in a way that meets their unique business and community needs.

Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities – Arvada, CO
Boettcher Mansion – Golden, CO
City of Lakewood Civic Center Offices – Lakewood, CO
CrossFit Common Fortitude – Lakewood, CO
Denver School of Gymnastic – Arvada, CO
Enduring Images, INC– Golden, CO
Energy Fuels Resources (USA) Inc. – Lakewood, CO
Eurofins TestAmerica Denver – Arvada, CO
FAST Sports Conditioning, Brute Force Training Center – Arvada CO
Feed Your Soul Fitness – Denver CO
Full Service Bicycle LLC – Lakewood CO
Geoetech LLC dba MedKeeper – Lakewood, CO
Global Weather & Climate Solutions, Inc. dba PlanetiQ – Golden, CO
Golden Optimists Bicycle Recycle Program – Golden, CO
Group Insurance Analysts, Inc. – Wheat Ridge, CO

IllFonic LLC – Lakewood, CO
M-E Engineers, Inc. – Golden, CO
Miranda L. Tucker, LCSW – Evergreen, CO
Motion Fitness Community, LLC – Wheat Ridge, CO
Mountain Therapeutic Massage LLC – Evergreen, CO
On The Move Fitness – Conifer, CO
School House Arvada LLC – Arvada, CO
Scrumptious – Arvada, CO
Square Halos – Lakewood, CO
The Architerra Group – Littleton, CO
The K9 Body Shop, PC – Arvada, CO
Unite Fitness- Golden, CO
Vitruvian Fitness - Wheat Ridge, CO
Wellness Center (West Metro Fire Rescue) – Lakewood, CO
Woodridge Software – Lakewood, CO

New Laws that Will Impact Your Business in 2022

Minimum Wage

The statewide minimum wage is set to increase Jan. 1 with an additional increase for the City and County of Denver. The state will increase to $12.56 per hour while businesses that operate in Denver will increase to $15.87 per hour. Tip credits of up to $3.02 per hour are allowed for both the state and the city minimum wages.

Unemployment Insurance

Right now, employers pay taxes on the first $13,600 of an employee’s wages a year. On Jan. 1, that number will increase from $13,600 to $17,000.

Additionally, employers will see increases because of our state's Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund (UITF) solvency issues. The state borrowed $1 billion from the federal government to continue paying unemployed workers after the fund was depleted in August 2020. Because the UITF receives no general fund money, the burden to repay the debt and get the fund back to solvency will fall solely upon employers.

Those changes will include a shift in the premium rate structure for unemployment insurance from the second highest rate schedule to the highest rate schedule on Jan. 1. Employers will also be hit with an interest surcharge to pay back the federal loan. An additional solvency surcharge will take effect in 2023 until the trust fund balance reaches 0.8% of the prior year’s wages — an amount that previously has been around $1.1 billion and likely will take several years to reach. And, as long as there is an outstanding loan balance to the federal government, Colorado employers won’t be eligible for the existing reduction they get via a Federal Unemployment Tax Act credit. That credit is about $21 per employee per year. The credit rollback could be in place for several years until the loan balance is paid off. The specific rate an employer will pay is based on their experience rating, which varies among employers. For more information and to reach out directly with questions, visit the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) website.

New Definition of Vacation Pay

The CDLE redefined “vacation pay” as “pay for leave, regardless of its label, that is usable at the employee’s discretion (other than procedural requirements, such as notice and approval of particular dates).” Before this change, paid leave applied only to qualifying events (for example, a medical need, caretaking requirement, bereavement or holiday). Because leave under Paid Time Off (PTO) policies (and potentially floating holidays) typically does not require any qualifying event for use, this type of leave now falls under the CDLE’s expanded definition of vacation. This is important because of a recent state Supreme Court decision. In Nieto v. Clark’s Market, the court held that employer policies cannot provide for the forfeiture of vacation pay. That means that vacation pay, under the CDLE's expanded definition, cannot be forfeited at year's end and must be paid upon the termination of an employee.

Paid Sick Leave

The CDLE has taken the position that the requirement to provide supplemental public health emergency (PHE) leave under Colorado's Healthy Families and Workplaces Act continues so long as there is a federal PHE in effect. In addition to this supplemental PHE leave, companies of any size will have to provide at least one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to a maximum of 48 hours per year. This went into effect for companies with 16 or more workers in 2021. An employee begins accruing paid sick leave when the employee's employment begins, may use paid sick leave as it is accrued, and may carry forward 48 hours of leave in the subsequent calendar year.

Many of these regulations began in some form as a bill at the legislature. What does the 2022 legislative session have in store for us? Hear directly from the leaders of the General Assembly at our Ninth Annual Business Legislative Preview Breakfast, presented by Fidelity Investments, on Jan. 10. Sponsorships are still available. Register today.

Hosted by Jefferson County Workforce

Jefferson County is providing secure, in person introductory interviews onsite at the Laramie Building

3500 Illinois Street, Golden, 80401

Between the hours of 10am and 12pm we will help schedule 15 minute interviews with interested job seekers to help fill your open positions.

All industries and opportunity levels are welcome. Allow Jefferson County Business Services help you find qualified talent.

The next interview day is scheduled for Thursday, January 20th, 2022

If interested in participating; please contact Phil Rohrbach at [email protected]

The Jefferson County Board of Health voted to require masks in local government buildings for individuals ages 2 and older.

The Public Health Order became effective on Saturday, Oct.9 at 12am and applies to all county and municipal government buildings. It will remain in effect until Jefferson County has experienced at least 21 consecutive days in CDC’s moderate or low transmission categories.

Jefferson County Business & Workforce Center
Business Services

Business Services offers a wide array of services and resources to help businesses of any size.

Information about layoff assistance and layoff aversion programs are available, please contact Jill Howard at [email protected] or call 303-271-4768.

If your business is currently hiring, we can assist with job postings, marketing to job seekers and virtual job fairs. Contact the Business Services team at [email protected] or call 303-271-4800.

Jefferson County Business & Workforce Center website:
https://www.jeffco.us/Business-Workforce-Center

Additional Resources

Jefferson County Business & Workforce Workshops: https://www.jeffco.us/calendar.aspx?CID=28

General Unemployment Insurance Information Related to Coronavirus
Up-to-date information for employers, employees and FAQ’s about Colorado Unemployment Insurance programs and other resources.
https://covid19.colorado.gov/

Colorado Unemployment Insurance Employer Services website
Information about layoffs, labor laws, incentives and tax credits, audits, posting jobs on Connecting Colorado and more.
https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdle/businesses-employers

Unemployment Insurance Guide for Employers
https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/sites/default/files/Employer_Guide.pdf

Families First Coronavirus Response Act
Learn what it means for employers.
https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/sites/default/files/families_first_coronavirus_response_act.pdf

U.S. Department of Labor
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidance for the workplace.
https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/osha/osha20200309

Small Business Guidance & Resources
Information about Economic Injury Disaster Loan Programs, Guidance for Businesses and Employers, SBA Products and Resources, Government Contracting and Local Assistance.
https://www.sba.gov/page/coronavirus-covid-19-small-business-guidance-loan-resources

SBA Disaster Loan Assistance
Federal Disaster Loans for Businesses, Private Nonprofits, Homeowners and Renters.
https://www.sba.gov/page/coronavirus-covid-19-small-business-guidance-loan-resources

Jefferson County Economic Development Corporation
Jeffco EDC is an advocate for the county’s business community and is dedicated to building economic prosperity in the community. Current resources for businesses are included on the website.
https://jeffcoedc.org/

Clear Creek Economic Development Corporation
The CCEDC works to create and offer programs for Clear Creek County businesses. Information about emergency working capital loan program is on the website.
http://www.clearcreekedc.org/our-programs

Arvada Economic Development Association
Arvada Economic Development Association has community, government, and civic partnerships which allow AEDA to provide your business with the latest business information and resources.
https://arvadaeconomicdevelopment.org/

City of Edgewater
The City's economic development programs are designed to bolster the economic health and opportunity within Edgewater and the surrounding area for residents and businesses alike.
https://edgewaterco.com/planning

Golden Community & Economic Development Division
The City of Golden Community & Economic Development Division provides a network of resources to support existing and growing businesses including grant opportunities.
https://www.cityofgolden.net/work/economic-development/

Lakewood Economic Development Division
The Economic Development Division of the City of Lakewood provides services to businesses, including business attraction, expansion, entrepreneurialism, marketing, communications and resources.
https://www.lakewood.org/Government/Departments/Economic-Development

Littleton Economic Development Department
The Economic Development Department of the City of Littleton focuses on business development, retention and attraction by providing business resources for companies operating in or planning to locate within the city.
https://www.littletongov.org/city-services/city-departments/economic-development

Westminster Economic Development Department
The City of Westminster Economic Development Division provides resources to existing and growing businesses.
https://www.westminstereconomicdevelopment.org/

Wheat Ridge Economic Development Division
The City of Wheat Ridge Economic Development Division is dedicated to both the businesses and citizens of Wheat Ridge by providing an array of resources for the community.
https://www.ci.wheatridge.co.us/269/Economic-Development

Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade
OEDIT has a hotline for small business owners to call with questions at (303) 860-5881 or email [email protected]
https://choosecolorado.com/

Chambers of Commerce

Chamber of Commerce associations promote and protect the interests of the business community in a local community, and offer valuable resources and education to businesses

West Metro Chamber
https://www.westmetrochamber.org/

Arvada Chamber
https://www.arvadachamber.org/

Conifer Chamber
https://www.goconifer.com/

Evergreen Chamber
https://www.evergreenchamber.org/

Golden Chamber
https://goldenchamber.org/

Littleton Chamber
http://littletonbusinesschamber.org/

Westminster Chamber
https://www.westminsterchamber.biz/

Wheat Ridge Chamber
http://www.wheatridgechamber.org/

Wheat Ridge Business Association
https://www.wheatridgebiz.com/

Jefferson County Business & Workforce Center serving Jefferson, Clear Creek and Gilpin counties is an equal opportunity program; auxiliary services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.