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Colorado Revised Statutes Title 23. Postsecondary Education § 23-20-303. Recovery-friendly workplace program--participants--certified recovery-friendly workplaces--requirements--renewal--termination

Current as of January 01, 2025 | Updated by Findlaw Staff

<For repeal of this section, see section 23-20-305.>

(1) An employer seeking to participate in the recovery-friendly workplace program may choose to do so as a participant or as a certified recovery-friendly workplace.

(2)(a) To become a participant in the program, an employer must:

(I) Submit a letter of intent to the program in a form and manner prescribed by the program that must include, at a minimum, the name and address of the employer and, if the employer has more than one workplace, the street address of each workplace to which the letter of intent applies;

(II) Complete the orientation process as required by the program, including completion of the orientation training module;

(III) Prepare a recovery-friendly workplace pledge or statement, or use a form provided by the program, that identifies the values or principles informing the commitment and briefly describes the key recovery-friendly workplace steps the employer must complete as a participant; and

(IV) Notify all employees and the members of the employer's board of directors, if any, in writing of the intent to become a participant, which the employer must submit to the program.

(b) Upon submission of the letter of intent, the program must assign the employer a recovery-friendly workplace advisor.

(c) After an employer completes the minimum requirements as set forth in subsection (2)(a) of this section, the program must:

(I) List the employer as a participant on the program website; and

(II) Provide the employer with a certificate or other documentation verifying the employer's status as a participant in the recovery-friendly workplace program, which certificate or documentation must include the date of issuance, the expiration date, and the address of each workplace covered by the certificate. The certificate must be valid for a period of at least one year after the date of issuance.

(3)(a) To become certified as a recovery-friendly workplace, an employer must:

(I) Complete all steps set forth in subsection (2)(a) of this section for becoming a participant;

(II) With the employer's recovery-friendly workplace advisor, complete a standardized assessment of the employer's current policies, procedures, and practices that impact current and prospective employees with substance use disorders and determine where improvements can be made; and

(III) With the recovery-friendly workplace advisor, set time-limited goals to make select improvements identified in subsection (3)(a)(II) of this section, which must be completed within the one-year term of the certification, unless an extension of time is granted by the program.

(b) The program shall list on the program website each employer that completes the minimum requirements as set forth in subsection (3)(a) of this section as a certified recovery-friendly workplace. If the employer has a logo, the program shall include the logo in the listing.

(c) Upon completion of the minimum requirements as set forth in subsection (3)(a) of this section, the program shall provide an employer with a certificate or other documentation suitable for display that verifies the employer's status as a certified recovery-friendly workplace. The certificate or other documentation must include the date of issuance, the expiration date, and the address of each workplace covered by the certificate. The certificate must be valid for one year after the date of issuance.

(4) The center shall recognize each certified recovery-friendly workplace employer through program press releases and program-sponsored events throughout the year.

(5) At least thirty days prior to the expiration of a certificate designating an employer as a participant or as a certified recovery-friendly workplace, the employer shall:

(a) Meet with the recovery-friendly workplace advisor to complete a review of the employer's recovery-friendly-related activities for the past year, including revising workplace policies to better assist employees with substance use disorders, implementing policies to encourage the hiring of individuals in recovery from substance use disorders, decreasing or eliminating barriers for employees seeking treatment, establishing a recovery-friendly workplace task force, and taking steps to reduce stigma in the workplace;

(b) In consultation with the recovery-friendly workplace advisor, set goals for the upcoming year; and

(c) Complete a written or electronic program satisfaction survey.

(6) An employer may choose to terminate its participation in the program if the termination:

(a) Takes effect prior to the expiration of the employer's current designation and the employer provides written notice to the program of the intent to terminate participation within thirty days prior to the proposed date of termination; or

(b) Takes effect on the expiration of the employer's current designation and the employer provides written notice to the program of the employer's intent not to renew its designation as a participant or a certified recovery-friendly workplace.

(7) The program may revoke or decline to renew the designation as a participant or certified recovery-friendly workplace for any employer that:

(a) Violates any of the requirements of this part 3; or

(b) Fails to take the necessary steps to renew its participation or certification within the time allowed by the program.

(8) The program shall remove all participants and certified recovery-friendly workplaces whose designation is revoked or who do not seek renewal from the program website and terminate all benefits associated with such designation.

(9) The program shall be flexible in granting extensions to participants and certified recovery-friendly workplaces that begin the process of renewing their designation but fail to complete the process before their current designation expires.

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Cite this article: FindLaw.com - Colorado Revised Statutes Title 23. Postsecondary Education § 23-20-303. Recovery-friendly workplace program--participants--certified recovery-friendly workplaces--requirements--renewal--termination - last updated January 01, 2025 | https://codes.findlaw.com/co/title-23-postsecondary-education/co-rev-st-sect-23-20-303/

FindLaw Codes may not reflect the most recent version of the law in your jurisdiction. Please verify the status of the code you are researching with the state legislature before relying on it for your legal needs.

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