HB 22-1100

House Bill 22-1100 in Colorado prohibits employers from discriminating against employees or job applicants based on their COVID-19 vaccination status. This means that employers cannot take negative actions, like firing someone or not hiring them, just because they are vaccinated or not vaccinated for COVID-19. The bill also stops government agencies and private businesses from discriminating against people in similar ways. If someone feels they have been treated unfairly under this law, they can sue the offender and potentially receive damages if the discrimination was particularly severe or repeated. Since the bill has been signed into law, it is now enforceable and protects individuals from vaccine status-based discrimination in employment and public settings.

Official Summary

The bill prohibits an employer from taking adverse action against an employee or an applicant for employment based on the employee's or applicant's COVID-19 immunization status. The bill allows an aggrieved employee or applicant for employment to file a civil action for injunctive, affirmative, and equitable relief and, if the employer acted with malice or wanton or willful misconduct or has repeatedly violated the law, the court may also award punitive damages and attorney fees and costs. Additionally, the bill specifies that the COVID-19 vaccine is not mandatory, that the state cannot require any individual to obtain a COVID-19 vaccine, and that government agencies and private businesses, including health insurers, cannot discriminate against clients, patrons, or customers based on their COVID-19 vaccination status. A person aggrieved by a violation of these prohibitions may file a civil action for injunctive and other appropriate relief and may be awarded punitive damages and attorney fees and costs for wanton, willful, or repeated violations. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)