February 2021: Healthy Families & Workplaces Act and Tax Deadlines

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COLORADO EMPLOYERS AND REQUIRED PAID SICK LEAVE:

Information on the Healthy Families & Workplaces Act

On July 14, 2020, Governor Polis signed into law SB20-205, the Healthy Families & Workplaces Act. Certain provisions of the act were effective immediately; through the remainder of 2020, all Colorado employers, regardless of size, were required to provide each employee paid sick leave for reasons related to COVID-19, in the amounts specified in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.
As of January 1, 2021, the next phase of the act took effect. For Colorado employers with 16 or more employees, employers are now required to provide paid sick leave. The act requires one hour of paid sick leave to be accrued for every 30 hours worked, up to a maximum of 48 hours per year (or six days), for each employee.
Other provisions of the act include the following:
  • An employee begins accruing paid sick leave when the employee’s employment begins
  • Paid sick leave may be used as it is accrued
  • Part-time employees are eligible for this coverage at a prorated amount
  • Up to 48 hours of paid sick leave that is not used in the year in which it is accrued may carry forward and be used in subsequent calendar years
  • Employers are not required to allow the employee to use more than 48 hours of paid sick leave in a year
  • Employers are required, regardless of size, to provide their employees an additional amount of paid sick leave during a public health emergency in an amount based on the number of hours the employee works
Employers are required to notify employees of their rights under the act by providing employees with a written notice and displaying a poster, developed by the division of labor standards and statistics.
The act treats the employee and their family’s health information as confidential and prohibits an employer from disclosing such information or requiring an employee to do so. Additionally, employers are prohibited from retaliating against an employee for using paid sick leave.
Paid sick leave may be used for the following purposes:
  • The employee (or family member under the care of the employee) has a mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition; needs a medical diagnosis, care, or treatment related to such illness, injury, or condition; or needs to obtain preventive medical care;
  • The employee or family member has been the victim of domestic abuse, sexual assault, or harassment and needs to be absent from work for purposes related to such crime; or
  • A public official has ordered the closure of the school or place of care of the employee’s child or of the employee’s place of business due to a public health emergency, necessitating the employee’s absence from work
For all other employers (including those with less than 16 employees), the act goes into effect on January 1, 2022.
For more information on this act, please visit the Division of Labor Standards and Statistics at coloradolaborlaw.gov.

2021 SOUKUP BUSH DEADLINES

FEBRUARY 22, 2021 – Please provide all documents and required information for partnership and S-corporation tax returns by February 22, 2021. In order to provide our best service, your tax return will be extended and completed after April 15, 2021, if there is still outstanding information needed by February 22, 2021.
Please Note: extended business returns will be prepared after the individual filing deadline, April 15, 2021. Thus, we will also be filing an extension for your individual return if we extend your business return.
MARCH 22, 2021 – Please provide all documents and required information for individual and C-corporation tax returns by March 22, 2021. In order to provide our best service, your tax return will be extended and completed after April 15, 2021, if there is still outstanding information needed by March 22, 2021.
FILING DEADLINES
FEBRUARY 1, 2021 – Form 1099 NEC must be filed with the IRS for any non-employee compensation paid
MARCH 1, 2021 – Forms 1099 and 1096 must be filed with the IRS if filing by mail
MARCH 15, 2021 – Federal and state income tax returns are due for flow-through entities, including partnerships and S-Corporations
MARCH 31, 2021 – Forms 1099 and 1096 must be filed with the IRS if filing electronically
APRIL 15, 2021 – Federal and state income tax returns are due for individual taxpayers, C-Corporations, and Trusts
SEPTEMBER 15, 2021 – Federal and state income tax returns are due for flow-through entities, including partnerships and S-Corporations if extended
SEPTEMBER 30, 2021 – Federal and state income tax returns are due for trusts if extended
OCTOBER 15, 2021 – Federal and state income tax returns are due for individual taxpayers and C-Corporations
2021 ESTIMATED PAYMENT DEADLINES
JANUARY 15, 2021 – 4th quarter estimated payments for 2020 are due to the IRS and Colorado Department of Revenue
APRIL 15, 2021 – 1st quarter estimated payments for 2021 are due to the IRS and Colorado Department of Revenue
JUNE 15, 2021 – 2nd quarter estimated payments for 2021 are due to the IRS and Colorado Department of Revenue
SEPTEMBER 15, 2021 – 3rd quarter estimated payments for 2021 are due to the IRS and Colorado Department of Revenue

Elise Bush

Employee Spotlight | Elise Bush

Elise has been with the Soukup, Bush & Associates team since December 2015. She grew up in Loveland, Colorado, and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Colorado State University in the spring of 2015. She currently assists with all aspects of administrative management as well as processing both individual and corporate income tax returns.
In her spare time, Elise enjoys cooking, sewing, reading, and spending time with her husband, Nathan.