Colorado overtime laws and even minimum wage has been updated in recent years to better protect employees. As of 2025, employers—especially those in fast-moving industries like construction, healthcare, and property services—must stay informed and compliant with both state and federal regulations.

Employers like you need to be crystal clear on when overtime kicks in, how much to pay, and how to track it—all without adding extra paperwork.

In this blog, we’ll break down Colorado overtime rules in a way that’s easy to understand—and even easier to act on.

What Are Colorado Overtime Pay Rates?

In Colorado, non-exempt employees must receive 1.5 times their regular hourly wage when they work:

• More than 40 hours in a workweek
  
• More than 12 hours in a single day
  
• Or more than 12 hours in a row, even if it’s across two calendar days
  

For example, if a home care worker makes $20/hour and works a 14-hour shift visiting multiple patients, they’re owed 2 hours of overtime at $30/hour. For added information, visit the state website.

Since the minimum wage in Colorado is $14.81, the lowest legal overtime wage is $22.22/hour.

💡 Heads up: Colorado doesn’t allow “comp time” (paid time off in place of overtime pay). You must pay employees for extra hours worked—that’s the law.

When Does Overtime Apply in Colorado?

This is where Colorado’s laws are a bit stricter than federal ones. Overtime in Colorado can kick in by the day or by the week—whichever results in more pay for the employee.

Let’s say you run a landscaping crew. One of your team members works 13 hours on Monday and only 30 hours the rest of the week. Even though they didn’t hit 40 weekly hours, they still get 1 hour of overtime for that long Monday shift. Why? Because they crossed the 12-hour daily limit.

That’s why it’s important to track both daily and weekly hours—not just weekly totals.

💡Pro tip: Automated time tracking with allGeo helps keep track of your field workforce in real-time with smart attendance monitoring. Instantly gain visibility into team availability and productivity, while identifying late punch-ins or early punch-outs. Try it for free.

Which Laws Control Overtime in Colorado?

Colorado state overtime laws are guided by three key regulations:

1. Colorado Wage Act

This law sets the rules for how and when wages—including overtime—must be paid. Employers must:

• Pay employees regularly (weekly, biweekly, or monthly)
• Provide final pay within 24 days of termination
• Avoid unauthorized deductions from pay
  

🧰 Example: If a field technician leaves the company, make sure their final check includes any owed overtime—especially if they’ve been working late or covering weekend jobs.

2. Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)

This is the federal law that covers overtime after 40 hours/week. It applies to:

• Businesses making $500,000+ annually
• Companies involved in interstate commerce
• All public agencies, hospitals, and schools
  

3. Colorado Overtime and Minimum Pay Standards (COMPS) Order

COMPS Order #39 is the rulebook for Colorado overtime laws. It includes:

• Daily/weekly overtime triggers
• Break requirements
• A ban on comp time
• A mandate to follow whichever law—state or federal—benefits the employee more
  

Mandatory Meal and Rest Breaks Under Colorado Law

Colorado doesn’t just regulate overtime—it also enforces break time. Here’s what you’re legally required to provide:

• 30-minute unpaid meal break if an employee works more than 5 hours
• 10-minute paid rest break for every 4 hours of continuous work
  

🧑‍🔧 Example: Say your appliance repair tech works an 8-hour shift with back-to-back appointments. Legally, you need to ensure they get at least one unpaid lunch break and two paid rest breaks.

If your team’s work doesn’t allow them to take a real break (like in urgent repair jobs), you’ll need to pay for that time.

Who Is Exempt from Overtime Pay in Colorado?

Not everyone qualifies for overtime—and knowing who’s exempt can help you avoid overpaying (or underpaying).

Here’s who typically does NOT qualify for overtime under Colorado overtime laws for salaried employees and others:

• Executives or managers making over $55,000/year
  
• Outside salespeople who spend most of their time in the field
  
• Commission-based retail workers making 50%+ of earnings from commissions
  
• DOT-regulated drivers, like those moving heavy equipment across state lines
  
• Ski resort staff in mountain operations
  
• Medical transport employees on 24-hour shifts
  

Tracking Overtime Hours in the Field

If your team works on the go—from job sites to customer homes—it’s tough to manage overtime by hand. Tracking overtime gets tricky when your team isn’t clocking in at a central location. In the field service world, you might have:

• A plumbing crew that hops between 3 job sites in a day
  
• A pest control technician starting at 6 AM and working until 7 PM
  
• A caregiver working a night shift followed by an early morning visit
  

Without real-time tracking, it’s easy to miss when someone crosses the daily 12-hour mark or racks up more than 40 hours in a week.

How Field Service Companies Can Simplify Overtime Compliance

Here’s the good news: You don’t need spreadsheets, guesswork, or manual timecards. With allGeo, you can:

• Track time automatically when an employee enters or leaves a job site
  
• Set alerts for 12-hour or 40-hour overtime triggers
  
• Pull reports by job, employee, or week to streamline payroll
  
• Have a custom workflow based on Colorado (or any state’s) labor laws or your company’s policies
  

🛠️ Example: If you have an HVAC tech scheduled for 4 jobs on Friday, allGeo can alert you if their hours are about to exceed 12—and help you reassign work to avoid overtime.

Final Thoughts: Stay Compliant, Stay Protected

Colorado overtime management is about protecting your business and your people. Failing to follow Colorado state overtime laws can result in:

• Fines up to $1,000 per employee per day
  
• Lawsuits for back wages or emotional distress
  
• Damage to your reputation as an employer
  

The solution? Know the law. Track time accurately. Automate where you can.

👉 Start your free trial or book a demo to see how allGeo can help your field team stay compliant with Colorado overtime laws without increasing paperwork.