Applicability; nonpayment of wages prohibited.
Denver Revised Municipal Code § 58-24
in effectSec. 58-24. - Applicability; nonpayment of wages prohibited.
(a) Required. It shall be a violation of this division for any employer or any other person who is regularly engaged in business or commercial activity who has contracted with an employer or worker, directly or indirectly, for labor from which such person is the beneficiary, including general contractors, clients of staffing agencies, and labor brokers, to fail to ensure full payment of all wages lawfully due to a worker by the date required by a lawful agreement or by state or federal law. However, the rights created in this division shall not accrue until fourteen (14) days after the employer or other person has been provided notice of the violation by either the aggrieved party or the auditor and has failed to pay the wages lawfully due.
(b) Joint and several liability. An employer, or any other person who is regularly engaged in business or commercial activity who has contracted with an employer or worker, directly or indirectly, for labor from which such person is the beneficiary, including general contractors, clients of staffing agencies, and labor brokers, shall be jointly and severally liable for the payment of any penalty pursuant to a violation of this division, regardless of whether the employer is in a direct contractual relationship with the person who contracted for the labor. However, the auditor shall attempt to collect from the employer or person alleged to have committed the violation before attempting to collect from any other party who benefitted from the work, other than a client. Only once the auditor has attempted to collect from every other party may the auditor attempt to collect from a client.
(c) Indemnification. An employer or other person may seek indemnification or recovery from third parties for penalties they incur for failure to comply with the requirements of this division. However, any such rights shall in no way excuse an employer or other person from taking whatever steps are necessary to ensure compliance with this division by all persons and entities engaging in work on behalf of or for their benefit, nor serve as a basis for a person to avoid payment of any monetary penalties or occurrence of other consequences for violation(s) of this division.
(d) Exemptions and exclusions. This division does not apply to any state governmental agency, municipality, municipal corporation, quasi-municipal corporation, school district, or irrigation, reservoir, or drainage conservation company or district organized and existing under the laws of Colorado.
(Ord. No. 1614-22, § 3, 1-9-23)
Source: City and County of Denver, Revised Municipal Code and Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/co/denver/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TITIIREMUCO_CH58WAWOPR_ARTIWA_DIV3CIWATH_S58-24APNOWAPRFetched: 10/27/2026