Overview
- Only furloughed federal employees in Colorado are eligible for state unemployment, while excepted workers still performing duties without pay are not eligible under federal guidance.
- Furloughed claimants are treated as job attached and do not have to search for work, whereas laid-off employees must meet work-search requirements and should report any subsequent separation on weekly certifications.
- Benefits taken by furloughed workers must be repaid at the gross, pre-tax amount once back pay is issued, with no interest and payment plans available; if back pay is not provided, repayment is not required.
- Applicants should use the shutdown checkbox, select layoff, and enter January 5, 2026 as the provisional return date; eligibility generally requires a Colorado duty station and about $2,500 in earnings over the past 18 months.
- CDLE says claims typically take 4–6 weeks to process and may be expedited with federal forms (SF-8 and SF-50) or Form ETA-935 supported by recent pay stubs and last year’s W-2, with benefits calculated at about 55% of average weekly wages.