A ballot measure asking Colorado voters to approve a statewide family and medical leave insurance program is headed to the ballot in November.
Backers of submitted more than 205,000 signatures — well above the required 124,632 — to qualify for the ballot, the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office reported Tuesday.
The initiative is the 10th to make it onto the ballot. The Colorado Secretary of State’s Office is still reviewing the petition of one other potential measure.
Proponents of the paid family and medical leave program touted the benefits of such a program on a virtual news conference Tuesday, saying the measure would provide access to up 12 weeks of paid leave to more than 2.6 million Coloradans. Employers and their employees would each pay a fee of 0.45% of the employee’s wages, or employers can cover more of the cost.
Some companies that offer private plans would be able to opt out, and businesses with 10 or fewer employees would not be required to pay fees. The program would begin in 2023.