Three bills are working their way through the Colorado legislature that impact how employers can run their workplace's COVID-19 immunization standards.
House Bill 1100 prohibits an employer from taking adverse action against an employee or an applicant based on their COVID-19 immunization status. It also allows an aggrieved employee or applicant to file a civil action lawsuit if the employer acted with malice or has repeatedly violated the law. This bill is sponsored by Rep. Kim Ransom (R-Douglas) and Rep. Shane Sandridge (R-El Paso).
House Bill 1144 requires an employer or a state agency that imposes a COVID-19 vaccine or testing requirement to allow a person subject to the requirement to instead provide documentation demonstrating that the person has naturally acquired immunity to the disease. This bill is sponsored by Rep. Mark Baisley (R-Douglas, Teller).
House Bill 1201 allows individuals who are required to receive an immunization to claim an exemption from the requirement if the immunization has not been approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has only received emergency use authorization, the manufacturer is not liable for injury or death caused by the immunization, or pivotal clinical trial the FDA relied on for approval did not evaluate the immunization's safety for at least one year after administration. This bill is sponsored by Rep. Tonya Van Beber (R-Weld) and Rep. Matt Soper (R-Delta, Mesa)
The Chamber opposes all three of these bills on the grounds that they infringe upon a business' right to implement and enforce health and safety standards for their own workplace.
We believe that businesses know the best way to protect their employees, property and business model. These bills create new mandates on business, increase the risk of litigation and undermine our ability to restore Colorado's economy.
We trust that each individual business takes seriously their responsibility to keep their employees and patrons safe as we find a new normal amid an evolving pandemic.
The Chamber's new vice president of government affairs, Adam Burg, delivered testimony in opposition of these three bills this week. Read the testimony and more on our current legislation page.
Bill Mandating Workplace Commute Restrictions Dies in Committee
This session, the Chamber took a stance in opposition to House Bill 1138, which would have created an income tax credit for employers that develop clean commuting plans, required the Department of Transportation to create an annual commuter survey for employers to determine how their employees commute to and from work and enforced clean commute mandates for employees with 100 or more employees.
After significant opposition from the business community, bill sponsor Rep. Matt Gray (D-Broomfield) brought forward amendments that removed both the tax credit and the mandate, removing all the incentives and deterrents fundamental to the legislation's goal. Despite the watering-down, the House Finance Committee voted 9-1 to postpone the bill indefinitely.
We believe that the clean commute mandates proposed in House Bill 1138 would have been a burden on employers at a time when many are struggling with increased costs due to inflation, supply chain problems and workforce shortages. Though the Chamber opposed House Bill 1138, we support an incentives-based approach to encourage employers and employees to take other modes of transportation, such as the strategies outlined in House Bill 1026.
The Chamber delivered testimony both in support of House Bill 1026 and in opposition to House Bill 1138.
Here are the bills we took a stance on this week.
Support
Oppose
Read our justifications for these positions and more on our current legislation page.
Have questions or concerns about policy? Contact our Government Affairs team.
Our members work hard every day to make the Denver metro area a great place to do business. We want to keep you in the know about the important work of our members, whether they are opening new business locations, hiring more people or creating new partnerships.
Read about our members in the news:
This week, the U.S. Chamber announced finalists for the 2021 Dream Big Awards. Sky Blue Builders was named one of three finalists for the 2021 Small Business of the Year Award. Congratulations to Chamber Board Member Mowa Haile and the entire team at Sky Blue Builders for this recognition! This year’s winners will be announced at the Dream Big Awards program on Oct. 21st at 3 p.m. MT. Read more.
Moye White announced the opening of a new office in Atlanta, Georgia, the first expansion outside Colorado in the firm’s 45-year history. The firm also welcomed four new attorneys and team members to its Business Section as it merged with Trusted Counsel (Ashley) LLC, a corporate and intellectual property boutique law firm. Get to know the new team members.
Nominate an ethical leader in our community. The University of Colorado Denver Business School is looking for inspirational leaders who are committed to ethics and integrity in our community. Submit a nomination for the 2021 Bill Daniels Ethical Leader of the Year award by Sept. 8.
HealthONE’s Rose Medical Center is hosting a hiring fair Thursday, Sept. 9 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for patient care technicians (CNAs), patient safety attendants, nurse externs and sterile processing technicians. COVID-19 vaccinations are required for all new hires. The job fair will be at 4567 E. 9th Ave. in Denver.
The Metro Denver Partnership for Health is interested in partnering with willing businesses on COVID prevention and mitigation strategies, including vaccination requirements, to ensure a thriving metro region economy. Learn more.
Kate Baker has been promoted to chief marketing and business development officer for Brinkman Construction. Baker previously served as the company’s director of marketing for more than a decade, directing and developing innovative marketing strategies. Learn more about Baker.
On Tuesday, Sept. 7 at 4:30 p.m. at Coffee at the Points, the Black Economic Opportunities Council will celebrate Colorado Black Women Business Leaders and Colorado Business Leaders who have demonstrated a commitment to social equity, diversity and inclusion in the Colorado and Denver business landscape. The event will recognize Chamber President and CEO Kelly Brough, Makisha Boothe, founder of Sistahbiz Global Network and Jice Johnson, founder and chief visionary officer for Black Business Initiative, among others. Contact John Bailey for more information.
On Thursday, Sept. 9, join Mile High Behavioral Healthcare for the Fourth Annual Miracles Fashion Show. Proceeds of the show will support the Miracles program, which provides women struggling with substance abuse and their mental health with an integrated treatment approach toward a path to recovery. Get your tickets.
Join Snell & Wilmer on Wednesday, Sept. 15 from 10 to 11 a.m. for the Denver Emerging Business Seminar Series on how to structure joint ventures. Partner Eric Kintner will discuss the structuring and formation of joint ventures. Register.
Take the Civic 50 Colorado survey by Sept. 17 to see if your company is one of the 50 most community-minded companies in Colorado. The complimentary survey, an initiative of Points of Light in partnership with CSR Solutions of Colorado, gives companies a scorecard to benchmark their programs, recognition as a leader in corporate social responsibility and opportunities to share best practices over the next year. Find out if you’re in the Civic 50.
Join Prosper CO and Bank of America on Sept. 22 for Invertir, where we’ll hear from three successful Latinx entrepreneurs who are seeking to invert the status quo for their businesses and our community, so we can build an economy that provides access to opportunities for everybody. Register.
Únase a Prosper CO y Bank of America el 22 de septiembre para Invertir, donde escucharemos a tres emprendedores latinos quien quieren invertir el status quo para sus empresas y nuestra comunidad para que podamos construir una economía en que el acceso a las oportunidades esté disponible para todos. Regístrese.
For over a year, we’ve been wearing masks, social distancing and staying home as much as possible – all with the focus on protecting others. Now, millions of Coloradans are getting vaccinated. The vaccine represents an end to this pandemic and the opportunity for Coloradans to get back to work and grow our economy.
In partnership with Chamber member SE2, we want you to join us in encouraging Coloradans to get vaccinated. Download the “V campaign,” a suite of graphics in English and Spanish, that you can:
We encourage all our members to connect a graphic with the reasons they got vaccinated. See below for examples.
I got the vaccine so I can:
A special thank you to SE2 for making these graphics available to our members! We’re excited to see how you use them. For more COVID-19 resources and information, visit denverchamber.org/COVID.
Colorado Launches CLIMBER Fund to Help Small Businesses
Speaking of COVID-19 resources, the Colorado Department of Treasury, Colorado Housing and Finance Authority and the Office of Economic Development and International Trade launched a new fund last week to help small businesses through 2023. The Colorado Loans for Increasing Mainstreet Business and Economic Recovery (CLIMBER) fund will provide loans from $30,000 to $500,000 at below-market interest rates and with a one-year deferred payment option. Special consideration will be made for businesses in rural, distressed and underserved areas, including communities with low to moderate incomes.
The CLIMBER fund is possible through a bill passed during the 2020 legislative session that the Chamber supported. The bill established the $250 million program with an oversight board and funding from state and private investors.
This great example of a public-private partnership is an incredible resource to businesses with five to 99 employees that are focused on recovering, creating jobs and rebuilding Colorado’s economy. Employers that are interested should apply through participating lenders. To learn more, visit climber-colorado.com.
Members Kept Us in Business During Pandemic
We’re always thankful for our members. The last year has really shown us how much you come together especially during challenging times to support our economy, our community – and most definitely the Chamber. Just like many of you, we had to change directions quickly when the pandemic hit to make sure we were still providing the value and benefits you expect from us every day. As we look back over the last year or so, there are a few of you who we want to recognize.
Perhaps nobody’s job changed more than our events team, which immediately jumped into action to bring our events to you at home. They couldn’t have done it without CEAVCO and Comcast. Both companies turned our in-person events into engaging video productions that we could bring directly to your homes and offices. On that note, Footers Catering & Events, KM Concessions and Occasions Catering helped us find innovative ways to serve you for events like Boots ‘n Business and the 2021 Business Awards.
In addition to video production, our Trustee Comcast has helped thousands of us stay connected as we work from home. Our ability to stay close and be productive really depended on the great service that so many of us receive from Comcast, AT&T and Xcel Energy.
Now, as our team returns to the office and we prepare to welcome you back to our building, we’ve tapped into the expertise of OfficeScapes to help us safely and smartly make this transition. Also, thank you to all our furniture providers, like Workplace Resource, who have been thinking about how we can create the best workplace environment for teams across our state.
About that team – our Chamber staff has done a tremendous job over the last year. I’m grateful for all our teammates who showed just how innovative and collaborative they can be in the face of challenge. Every employee put in the hard work during a challenging time to serve you. It’s been fun to see the pets and kids wander in on these Zoom calls, but I’ll really enjoy finally seeing these employees in person. I want to give a special shout-out to the communications and marketing staff who kept the lines of communication open with you, bringing you the most up-to-date resources and information to help your businesses navigate the pandemic.
And of course, thank you to all our 3,000 members – You are the key to putting more Coloradans to work!
Together, we are building an economy that works for everybody.
Kelly Brough is the president and CEO of the Denver Metro Chamber
We should be proud, Colorado – proud of everything we have done to protect ourselves and our neighbors from this pandemic. That includes employers who have gone to extraordinary efforts to keep their employees and customer safe.
We’re far from out of the woods. Our health care workers know this better than anyone and we can’t thank them enough for all they’re doing to care for our loved ones.
Although Colorado’s numbers have been trending down again, much of the rest of the nation is facing widespread infection rates and hospitals exceeding their capacity. We’re also all monitoring new virus variants that are more contagious than what we’ve already seen.
That means that although we all want to see our businesses begin opening up again, we must do it as safely as possible. That’s why the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment created the Five-Star Variance Program. This program allows businesses to apply for certification that indicates that they are implementing measures beyond what public health orders and guidelines already require in their counties. With that certification, businesses can expand their operations and increase their customer capacities.
The City and County of Denver applied to the state to allow Five-Star Certification on New Year’s Eve, and now in preparation for approval, they need our help.
As many as 7,000 businesses in Denver may be eligible for certification and as many as half of those are expected to apply. That includes restaurants and bars, retail shops, hotels, event venues and gyms.
To meet that demand, VISIT DENVER, Denver Mayor Hancock’s Economic Relief and Recovery Council and Denver’s Economic Development and Opportunity Department are seeking 150 volunteers to inspect businesses for certification. Volunteers will be asked to work a minimum of 20 hours a week for five weeks. Read volunteer guidelines.
If you have employees who would be willing to volunteer, VISIT Denver asks you to send the following information to volunteers@visitdenver.com by Wednesday, Jan. 13.
VISIT DENVER will follow up with an individual volunteer application for your team members to complete.
This is one more way we can support each other, help employers stay open and keep employees on payroll, all while keeping our community safe in this pandemic.
New Federal and State COVID Relief Funding Available
Small businesses can once again apply for federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans – beginning today for community financial institutions and Wednesday for all other participating lenders. Congress approved $284 billion in PPP funding nationally as part of its latest COVID relief bill.
Whether you’ve already received PPP funding or are a new applicant, our Denver Metro Small Business Development Center can help you find the information you need to apply. Contact them today at 303-620-8076 or info@denversbdc.org. You can also review a list of participating Colorado Community Development Financial Institutions.
The Colorado Department of Local Affairs also has $35.15 million in funding for small businesses. Restaurants and bars, including distilleries, wineries and breweries, caterers, movie theaters and fitness or recreational sports centers are eligible to apply but they must do so through their county, municipality or council of government. Front Range counties that already have applications available are:
Learn more about these and other small business funding programs on the Colorado Office of Economic Development and Trade website or on our COVID website at denverchamber.org/covid.
Stay safe and be well.
Kelly Brough is the president and CEO of the Denver Metro Chamber.
Our members work hard every day to make the Denver metro area a great place to do business. We want to keep you in the know about the important work of our members, whether they are opening new business locations, hiring more people or creating new partnerships.
Read about our members in the news:
The Denver Business Journal is now accepting nominations for the annual 40 Under 40 Awards. For the past 20 years, the award has recognized young business leaders across many industries. If you know a young professional who is driven in their career, deeply involved in their community and dedicated to causes important to them, nominate them today.
Comcast RISE (Representation, Investment, Strength and Empowerment), a program committed to supporting U.S. Black-owned small businesses hardest hit by the pandemic, announced that over 700 businesses nationwide received marketing and technology resources. Colorado small business MyKings Ice Cream, which opened March 1, was awarded a technology makeover to assist with the company’s website, payroll system and other tools that will enable MyKings to thrive.
The continuation of Comcast RISE, a multi-year, multi-faceted initiative launched in October, opens eligibility to include Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC)-owned, small businesses. Apply at www.ComcastRISE.com.
The Denver Broncos launched the “Broncos Business Boost” program, which encourages fans and the Colorado community to support local businesses. Individuals can nominate deserving local businesses for a chance to win various prizes including $1,000 U.S. Bank gift cards, United Airlines flight vouchers, an Xcel Energy Statement Credit and a Marketing 360 all-inclusive marketing campaign. The deadline for nominations is Dec. 31.
Additionally, prizes include a “Broncos Business Boost Combination,” consisting of digital advertising on DenverBroncos.com, social support from Broncos Promos social media accounts, inclusion in a BroncosTV campaign courtesy of Verizon, and tickets and gameday signage recognition (2021 season). Local businesses can nominate themselves, and fans can nominate their favorite local businesses for the chance to win prizes.
The Chambers for Innovation & Clean Energy is hosting the “Multi-Billion Dollar Colorado Renewable Energy Industry and Its Benefits for Colorado Communities” Webinar, focused on Colorado’s Eastern Plains. A recent Economic Impact Report identified more than $9.4 billion in renewable energy investment and construction activity in the Eastern Plains from 2020 to 2024, which will create more than 6,000 jobs and generate $23.1 million in annual tax revenues for local governments. The webinar will feature experts from The Western Way, Colorado Solar & Storage Association and Lightsource bp. Register today for the event on Dec. 17 at 11 a.m.
During a quick three-day special session, Colorado legislators sent 10 bills with $300 million in COVID-19-related relief to Gov. Jared Polis for signature. The funding will go toward a variety of areas, including small and minority-owned businesses, housing, internet access for students, child care providers and food pantries.
Certain businesses are in line for relief as a result of the special session. Specifically, bars, wineries, breweries, restaurants and mobile food services will be able to retain sales tax. Additionally, child care providers and industries that have faced severe capacity restrictions, such as gyms, movie theaters, entertainment venues and restaurants, will receive some direct assistance.
The Denver Metro Chamber took positions on three of those bills.
Here are the other bills that passed.
Read media coverage of this Special Session.
What’s Ahead in Policy in 2021
The 2021 legislative session is right around the corner. Hear from the Colorado General Assembly leadership at our Business Legislative Preview at 10 a.m., Tuesday, Jan. 12. Register today!
Our members work hard every day to make the Denver metro area a great place to do business. We want to keep you in the know about the important work of our members, whether they are opening new business locations, hiring more people or creating new partnerships.
Read about our members in the news:
RTD has joined a nationwide public transit “Health and Safety Commitments Program.” This program creates specific policies geared toward protecting riders and RTD employees by following public health guidelines from official sources, frequently cleaning and disinfecting transit vehicles and requiring customers and employees to avoid public transit if they have been exposed to COVID-19 or feel ill.
Brinkman Real Estate recently announced the hire of Brett Silverstein as its new director of acquisitions. In the role, Silverstein will identify and close on opportunistic acquisitions throughout the mountain states, all part of a firm-wide renewed focus on acquisitions in high-growth markets.
The vital role that early childhood education and child care play in a family’s ability to continue working has become more evident since the pandemic began. The Denver Preschool Program (DPP) has reaffirmed its commitment to addressing affordability by covering up to 100% of preschool tuition costs for families who live in the City and County of Denver and have a 4-year-old enrolled in a DPP-participating preschool in the year before kindergarten.
