Colorado: Split Shift Rules
Colorado split-shift premium: None. A split shift is two or more work blocks separated by an unpaid period that is longer than a meal break — typically three or more hours. The classic example is a transit operator working a morning peak, going off-duty, and returning for the evening peak. Colorado wage-and-hour bulletin
Where Colorado does not require a split-shift premium, the time off the clock is unpaid and there is no additional state penalty. Where the state does require a premium — California is the prominent example — the worker is owed an extra hour of pay at minimum wage when the spread of hours exceeds the threshold.
Use the ShiftClock split-shift penalty calculator to see whether a particular schedule triggers a premium in Colorado and what the additional gross pay would be. Operators planning new split shifts should also check predictive-scheduling ordinances at the city level, which sometimes apply on top of state law.
Across the ShiftClock directory, the rules in Colorado most often surface for workers on 12-hour rotations, split-shift transit and hospitality roles, and any 24/7 operation that pulls workers across the boundary between two pay periods. Match your schedule pattern in the schedules directory to see which calculators apply, then jump back here to confirm the Colorado-specific treatment. Where the rule references a dollar figure, remember that the Colorado 2025 minimum wage of $14.81 per hour anchors most premium and split-shift math.
If your employer disagrees with the calculation, document the schedule, the punches, and the pay-stub line items in writing before escalating. Colorado workers can file a wage claim with the state labor agency or the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division when the dispute cannot be resolved internally. ShiftClock's guide directory walks through the paperwork and the typical timelines for a wage claim in plain language.