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DENVER (KDVR) — The Problem Solvers are looking into a type of sick leave required in Colorado as long as a public health emergency is in effect.

The state passed a law back in July 2020 requiring employers to offer 80 hours of public health emergency leave, or PHE leave.

FOX31 viewers have asked a lot of questions about it. Here’s how it works.

PHE leave in Colorado: What to know

Employers are required to supply this type of leave. You don’t have to take all 80 hours, or 10 full-time workdays, at once.

It will last as long as there’s a public health emergency at the state or federal level. As of now, that’s at least into May.

Here’s the catch: You can only use this sick time for specific things that are related to COVID-19. The paid time off can be used if you’re out sick with COVID-19 or have symptoms.

You can also use it for things like testing or getting vaccinated. If you need to take care of a family member who is sick, you can use it then too.

So what if you’re having trouble using the benefit?

“We’ve gotten hundreds of complaints a year, we have launched a number of large, more systemic investigations of our own, and we’ve issued orders for employers to start giving paid sick leave under the law for all their employees,” said Scott Moss, director of the Division of Labor Standards and Statistics with the Department of Labor and Employment.

If your employer isn’t offering this leave, they could face fines north of $100 per worker. The public can send tips to the labor department or the Problem Solvers — KDVRProblemSolvers@digital-staging.kdvr.com — if your employer is not complying.