Private Enterprise Employee Protection

C.R.S. tit. 24, art. 114

in effect

C.R.S. § 24-114-101 Definitions

24-114-101. Definitions. As used in this article, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) "Disciplinary action" means any direct or indirect form of discipline or penalty, including, but not limited to, dismissal, demotion, transfer, reassignment, suspension, corrective action, reprimand, admonishment, unsatisfactory or below standard performance evaluation, reduction in force, or withholding of work, or the threat of any such discipline or penalty. (2) "Disclosure of information" means the written provision of evidence to any person, or the testimony before any committee of the general assembly, regarding any action, policy, regulation, practice, or procedure regarding a private enterprise under contract with a state agency which, if not disclosed, could result in the waste of public funds, could endanger the public health, safety, or welfare, or could otherwise adversely affect the interests of the state. (3) "Employee" means any person employed by a private enterprise under contract with a state agency. (4) "Private enterprise under contract with a state agency" means any individual, firm, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, corporation, association, or other legal entity which is a party to any type of state agreement, regardless of what it may be called, for the procurement or disposal of supplies, services, or construction for any department, office, commission, institution, board, or other agency of state government. (5) "Supervisor" means any person who supervises or is responsible for the work of one or more employees.

C.R.S. § 24-114-102 Retaliation prohibited

24-114-102. Retaliation prohibited. (1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, no appointing authority or supervisor of a private enterprise under contract with a state agency shall initiate or administer any disciplinary action against any employee on account of the employee's disclosure of information concerning said private enterprise. This section shall not apply to: (a) An employee who discloses information that he knows to be false or who discloses information with disregard for the truth or falsity thereof; (b) An employee who discloses information which is confidential under any other provision of law. (2) It shall be the obligation of an employee who wishes to disclose information under the protection of this article to make a good faith effort to provide to his supervisor or appointing authority or to a member of the general assembly the information to be disclosed prior to the time of its disclosure. (3) An entity under contract with a state agency shall not initiate or administer any disciplinary action against any employee on account of the employee's disclosure of information to the fraud hotline administered by the state auditor in accordance with section 2-3-110.5; except that this subsection (3) does not apply to an employee who discloses information with disregard for the truth or falsity of the information.

C.R.S. § 24-114-103 Civil actions resulting from disciplinary actions or from disclosure of information

24-114-103. Civil actions resulting from disciplinary actions or from disclosure of information. Any employee may bring a civil action in the district court alleging a violation of section 24-114-102. If the employee prevails, the employee may recover damages, together with court costs, and the court may order such other relief as it deems appropriate.

Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/olls/crs2024-title-24.docxFetched: 10/6/2026