Paid sick leave policy
Required at this size/state — Basis: Colo. Rev. Stat. § 8-13.3-401 et seq. (Healthy Families and Workplaces Act)
Northwind Labs provides paid sick leave to every employee. This policy reflects a legal requirement for an employer of our size in Colorado under Colo. Rev. Stat. § 8-13.3-401 et seq. (Healthy Families and Workplaces Act). It applies to all of our employees, including those who work remotely.
How you earn sick leave
You earn one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours you work, up to a maximum of 48 hours in a year. Because our employees are salaried, we count your hours worked based on your normal workweek. If you are salaried and exempt from overtime, we treat you as working 40 hours per week unless your normal workweek is shorter, in which case we use your normal workweek. You begin earning sick leave when you start working for us, and you may use it as soon as you earn it.
Carrying over unused leave
Unused sick leave you have earned carries over from one year to the next. We may limit your use of paid sick leave to 48 hours in a single year. Unused sick leave is not paid out when your employment ends. If we rehire you within six months, we restore your previously earned, unused sick leave.
When you may use sick leave
You may use paid sick leave for the following reasons:
- Your own physical or mental illness, injury, or health condition, or to get a diagnosis, care, treatment, or preventive care.
- The same needs for a family member.
- Needs related to domestic abuse, sexual assault, or criminal harassment affecting you or a family member, such as seeking medical care, counseling, legal help, or relocation.
- A public health emergency closure of your workplace or of a child's school or place of care.
You are paid your normal rate of pay for sick leave you use. You may use sick leave in hourly increments.
How to request sick leave
Because we work remotely, notify your manager in writing, by email or our usual messaging channel, as soon as you can. If the need is foreseeable, such as a scheduled appointment, make a reasonable effort to give advance notice and schedule the time to limit disruption to your work. If the need is sudden, let your manager know as soon as practical. We may ask for reasonable documentation only if you use sick leave for four or more consecutive workdays.
No retaliation
We do not retaliate against anyone for requesting or using paid sick leave, for raising a question about this policy, or for exercising any right under the Healthy Families and Workplaces Act. Using sick leave is never counted against you as an absence that leads to discipline.
If you have questions about your sick leave balance or how this policy applies to you, contact your manager.
Equal employment opportunity & anti-discrimination policy
Required at this size/state — Basis: Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-34-402 (Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act)
Northwind Labs is committed to equal employment opportunity. We make employment decisions based on qualifications, job performance, and business needs, not on personal characteristics unrelated to the work. This policy reflects a legal requirement for this employer. The Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act, Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-34-402, applies to all Colorado employers regardless of size, so it applies to Northwind Labs as an employer of 6 employees.
We do not discriminate against applicants or employees on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, age, national origin, ancestry, or any other characteristic covered by Colorado law. This applies to every part of employment, including recruiting, hiring, job assignments, training, promotion, discipline, termination, and decisions about your salary and other compensation.
Because Northwind Labs is a remote workplace, this policy applies wherever and however our work happens. That includes video calls, phone calls, email, chat and messaging tools, shared documents, virtual meetings, and any in-person gatherings or work-related events. Conduct that would be unacceptable in a shared office is equally unacceptable online.
Harassment based on any of the characteristics listed above is a form of discrimination and is prohibited. Examples include slurs, offensive jokes or images, demeaning comments, unwelcome remarks about someone's background or identity, and messages or posts that target a person because of a listed characteristic.
If you need a reasonable accommodation for a disability or for religious reasons in order to apply for or perform your job, please let a member of company leadership know. We engage with you in good faith to discuss possible options.
If you experience or witness discrimination or harassment, we encourage you to report it promptly to a member of company leadership. You may report in writing or by video or phone call, whichever you prefer. We take every report seriously, look into concerns in a fair and timely way, and share information only with those who need it to address the matter.
Retaliation is prohibited. We do not tolerate adverse treatment of anyone who makes a good-faith report, participates in an investigation, or requests an accommodation. If you believe you have been retaliated against, report it the same way you would report any other concern.
Employees who violate this policy are subject to discipline, up to and including termination of employment. If you have questions about this policy, please ask a member of company leadership.
Pay transparency in postings & notices
Required at this size/state — Basis: Colo. Rev. Stat. § 8-5-101 et seq. (Equal Pay for Equal Work Act)
This section describes how Northwind Labs shares compensation information when we recruit new employees and when we offer advancement opportunities to current employees. This policy reflects a legal requirement for an employer of our size in Colorado under Colo. Rev. Stat. § 8-5-101 et seq. (Equal Pay for Equal Work Act). It applies to every position we post, whether the role is open to outside candidates, current employees, or both.
Job postings
When we post an opening for a position, the posting includes a good-faith compensation range for that role. Because our positions are salaried, we generally state the range as an annual salary. The range reflects what we believe in good faith we are prepared to pay for the position at the time we post it. Each posting also includes a general description of the benefits and any other forms of compensation that apply to the role. We do not post an opening without this information.
Promotion and advancement opportunities
When a promotion or other advancement opportunity becomes available, we make reasonable efforts to announce it to all employees before we make a selection decision. Because we are a remote team, we share these announcements through the electronic channels you already use for work. Each announcement includes the compensation range and a general description of benefits and other compensation for the opportunity, along with information about how to express interest or apply.
Our recruiting practice
Our recruiting practice follows this policy. Anyone who writes, approves, or publishes a job posting or opportunity announcement on behalf of Northwind Labs must include the required compensation and benefits information before the posting or announcement goes out. If you are involved in hiring and are unsure what range or description to use, ask before you publish.
Your role and your questions
You may discuss your own pay and ask questions about how we set compensation ranges. If you see a posting or announcement from Northwind Labs that appears to be missing compensation or benefits information, or if you believe an advancement opportunity was not shared with you, please raise it with the person responsible for hiring or with company leadership. We take these concerns seriously, and we do not retaliate against anyone for raising them in good faith.
We may update this section as our practices or the law change. When we do, we share the revised section with all employees.
Paid family & medical leave (FAMLI) policy
Required at this size/state — Basis: Colo. Rev. Stat. § 8-13.3-501 et seq.
Northwind Labs participates in Colorado's Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program. This policy reflects a legal requirement for an employer of our size in Colorado under Colo. Rev. Stat. § 8-13.3-501 et seq. The state runs the FAMLI program. Your benefit payments come from the state, not from Northwind Labs.
What FAMLI Covers
FAMLI provides partial wage replacement while you take leave for a qualifying reason. Qualifying reasons include:
- caring for a new child after birth, adoption, or foster placement
- caring for a family member with a serious health condition
- your own serious health condition
- certain needs arising from a family member's military deployment
- safe leave related to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking
The state sets the amount of leave available, the benefit amount, and the definitions of qualifying reasons and family members. These terms may change over time.
Eligibility
Eligibility is based on the wages you have earned in Colorado, not on your job title or on the fact that you work remotely. The FAMLI Division decides whether you qualify for benefits. Because you are salaried, the state calculates your benefit from your wage history.
Premiums
The state sets the FAMLI premium as a percentage of wages. State law allows employers and employees to share the cost. We deduct any employee share from your paycheck and send it, along with any required employer share, to the state. Your pay statement shows your premium deduction. If you have questions about how your premium is calculated, contact us.
How to Request Leave
1. Give us at least 30 days' notice when your need for leave is foreseeable.
2. If your need is not foreseeable, notify us as soon as practicable.
3. Apply for benefits directly through the Colorado FAMLI Division. The state may ask us to confirm your employment and wage information, and we respond to those requests.
You may take FAMLI leave all at once, in separate blocks, or on a reduced schedule, as the program allows. Please work with us to plan coverage for your responsibilities while you are away.
Your Rights During Leave
If you meet the state's length-of-employment requirement, you have the right to return to the same or an equivalent position after your leave. We maintain your existing health coverage during FAMLI leave on the same terms as if you were working.
We do not retaliate against anyone for requesting or taking FAMLI leave. We also do not retaliate against anyone for asking about FAMLI rights or for filing a complaint with the state.
Questions
For questions about this policy or about how leave affects your schedule and pay, contact Northwind Labs management. For questions about benefit amounts, eligibility decisions, or claim status, contact the Colorado FAMLI Division directly.
Pay practices (FLSA) section
Required at this size/state — Basis: Fair Labor Standards Act (recordkeeping & minimum wage/overtime)
This section describes how Northwind Labs pays you, how we classify your position, and how overtime and time records work. The pay rules here reflect legal requirements that apply to us as an employer in Colorado with 6 employees, under the Fair Labor Standards Act (recordkeeping & minimum wage/overtime). That law does not require a written policy, but we put these rules in writing so you know how pay works at our company.
Pay schedule. You are paid on a regular, recurring schedule. Your paydays and pay period are given to you in writing when you join. If the schedule ever changes, we give you notice in advance. If a payday falls on a weekend or holiday, contact your manager to confirm when you can expect payment.
Salary and classification. Northwind Labs pays its employees on a salaried basis. Being salaried does not by itself mean you are exempt from overtime. Every position is classified as either exempt or non-exempt based on its actual duties and pay, not its title. Your classification is stated in writing when you are hired. If you are unsure of your classification, or you believe your duties no longer match it, raise it with your manager. You are not penalized for asking.
Overtime. If your position is non-exempt, you are paid overtime at one and one-half times your regular rate for all hours worked over 40 in a workweek. You must get approval from your manager before working overtime. If you work overtime without approval, you are still paid for it, but working unapproved overtime may lead to corrective action. Exempt employees are not eligible for overtime pay.
Recording your time. Because we work remotely, accurate time records matter. If you are non-exempt, you must record all time worked, including time spent answering messages or email outside your normal hours. Do not work "off the clock," and do not let anyone ask you to. Falsifying time records, including recording time for someone else, is not allowed. We keep pay and time records as the law requires.
Deductions. We make only deductions that are required by law or that you have authorized in writing. We do not make improper deductions from an exempt employee's salary.
Questions and concerns. If you believe your pay is wrong, that you were not paid for time you worked, or that a deduction was improper, tell your manager promptly. We review every concern and correct any error we find. Retaliation against anyone who raises a pay concern in good faith is prohibited.