The Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act

The Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act (CADA) was established to provide protection to employees against discrimination acts in the workplace. This act prohibits unfair and unjust treatment based on an employee’s protected personal characteristics. Protected characteristics include:

• Sex;
• Race;
• Color;
• National Origin;
• Age;
• Sexual orientation;
• Religion;
• Ancestry;
• Marriage to a co-worker

CADA makes it illegal for an employer in Colorado to reject employment, to discharge, to demote, to harass an active employee, or to discriminate an employee based on any of the personal characteristics listed above.

Affected Employers

Typically, federal anti-discrimination laws apply to employers with 15 or more employees. But CADA protections apply to all employers and are limited to certain religious associations or organizations. If the religious association or organization receives support from public funds or state taxes.