If you've lost your job in Colorado and need to file for unemployment or check on an existing claim, the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) is the state agency that handles unemployment insurance. Knowing how to reach them — and when — can save you significant time and frustration.
The primary phone number for unemployment insurance claims in Colorado is:
📞 303-318-9000 (Denver metro area and out-of-state callers) 1-800-388-5515 (outside the Denver metro area, within Colorado)
These lines connect you to MyUI+, Colorado's unemployment insurance system, and the staff who support it.
Colorado also operates a claimant assistance line specifically for people who need help with their online accounts, identity verification, or issues navigating the MyUI+ portal:
1-800-388-5515 — general claimant services
Hours of operation change periodically, and wait times can be long during high-volume periods. The CDLE website at coworkforce.com is the authoritative source for current hours and any updates to contact information.
Colorado has moved most of its unemployment insurance functions to its online system, MyUI+. Many tasks that once required a phone call can now be completed through that portal, including:
Phone contact is generally more useful when:
If your situation is straightforward — you were laid off, you've filed your claim, and you're just waiting — the online system may answer your questions faster than a phone call during peak periods.
Colorado's unemployment insurance program is administered by the CDLE under the federal framework that governs all state UI programs. Benefits are funded by employer payroll taxes, not by claimants themselves.
Eligibility in Colorado is based on three main factors:
| Factor | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Wage History | You must have earned enough during your base period (typically the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters) |
| Reason for Separation | Layoffs generally qualify; voluntary quits and terminations for misconduct are evaluated separately |
| Availability | You must be able to work, available to accept work, and actively searching for work each week you claim benefits |
Colorado uses a standard base period but also offers an alternate base period for workers who don't qualify under the standard calculation. Whether an alternate base period applies to your situation depends on your specific wage history.
Colorado calculates your weekly benefit amount (WBA) based on your earnings during the highest quarter of your base period. The state applies a formula to determine what percentage of those wages you receive as a weekly benefit.
Colorado's maximum weekly benefit amount and the maximum number of weeks available are set by state law and can change. The number of weeks you're eligible for depends on your total base period wages and the current state unemployment rate — Colorado uses a variable duration system where higher wages and certain labor market conditions can affect how many weeks of benefits you receive.
These figures are specific to your claim and cannot be accurately estimated without your full wage history and current program rules.
Once you file an initial claim, Colorado will review your wages and contact your former employer. If there's no dispute about why you left work, your claim will typically move through processing without a separate adjudication step.
If your employer contests your claim — or if there are questions about your reason for separation — your claim enters adjudication. During adjudication, a CDLE adjudicator reviews information from both you and your employer before issuing an eligibility determination.
You'll receive a written notice of the decision. If you disagree with the outcome, Colorado's appeals process allows you to request a hearing before an appeals referee. Appeals must generally be filed within a specific deadline from the date on your determination notice — missing that window typically forfeits your right to appeal that decision at the first level.
🔍 Colorado requires claimants to conduct a minimum number of work search activities each week they certify for benefits. These activities must be logged and may be audited. Qualifying activities typically include submitting job applications, attending interviews, using employment services, or completing certain job training programs.
Failure to meet Colorado's work search requirements can result in denial of benefits for that week — or a determination of overpayment if benefits were already paid for weeks when requirements weren't met.
The specific number of required work search activities per week, and what types of activities qualify, are defined by CDLE and can change. The MyUI+ portal and the CDLE website carry current requirements.
Colorado, like most states, uses identity verification tools to prevent fraud. If your identity can't be confirmed automatically, your claim may be held pending verification. This is a common reason claimants end up needing to call — or to appear in person at a CDLE office — rather than resolving everything online.
If your payments are delayed and you're not sure why, your MyUI+ account should show the status of your claim. If a hold is in place, the notice should explain what's needed to release it.
How quickly payments resume after a verification issue is resolved depends on your specific claim status, the nature of the hold, and CDLE's current processing volume.
The specific facts of your claim — your work history, your reason for leaving, and how your former employer responds — will shape what the process looks like from here.