Protecting Employees in Boulder

Each year during Labor Rights Week, held the week before Labor Day, the U.S. Department of Labor and other federal agencies promote fundamental labor rights. All workers in the United States, regardless of where they're from, have the same right to a safe and healthful workplace and the full payment of wages. This annual observance helps ensure dignity, equity and justice for all workers.

Learn more about workplace rights on the Department of Labor’s website or call 1-866-4-USA-DOL with any questions. Assistance is available in Spanish and other languages.

Everyone should be paid fairly and in a timely manner for their labor. Unfortunately, sometimes employers illegally withhold pay. This is a crime known as wage theft, and it affects workers across a wide variety of industries.

In Boulder, an ordinance exists to protect workers from non-payment of wages owed to them. If you have been impacted by a failure to pay wages, you can submit a complaint through the city’s Office of Human Rights. Learn more on the city’s website.

The Human Rights Ordinance exists to protect against discrimination in Boulder and assist people who have been discriminated against in three areas, including:

• Housing
• Employment
• Public accommodation in places such as stores, restaurants, health clubs and movie theaters

Within these areas, the ordinance prohibits discrimination based on ancestry, color, creed, gender variance, genetic characteristics, immigration status, marital status, mental disability, national origin, physical disability, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation and source of income. In housing, it also prohibits discrimination based on custody of a minor child, parenthood and pregnancy. In employment, it also prohibits discrimination based on age, specifically 40 and older.

City Council enacted the Human Rights Ordinance in 1972 to create prompt, local protection and for classes not protected at the state or federal levels, such as sexual orientation, gender variance and genetic characteristics.

If you or someone you know has been the target of discrimination within city limits, you can file a claim through the City of Boulder’s Human Rights Ordinance. These services are available in any language. Learn more on the city’s website.

Last year, the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office hosted ‘What You Need to Know About Wage Theft’ presentations in both English and Spanish to education the community. Recordings of these presentations are available online.

• View the presentation in English.
• View the presentation in Spanish.