Understanding Text Message Harassment Laws in Colorado

For industrial professionals, understanding the laws of the states they operate in is vital. For example, knowing when text message harassment laws in Colorado can be used to levy a sizable fine or lawsuit on a company can save you from a lot of trouble. But, you don’t have to be an HR professional or a corporate lawyer to know a lot about the laws governing text message use in your state. All you need to do is understand the requirements of being an industrial professional and make sure your communication with employees falls well within the bounds of to protect your company’s reputation.

Keep the following points in mind when developing best practices on communicating with employees through texts. When Colorado passed text message harassment laws, they were creating a means for employees to protect themselves from unwanted and repeated harassment from managers and other workers. In order to be protected under the text message harassment laws, the communications must be: In order to be proven harassment, the text messages must cause the other person: If these conditions are not met, you may not have a case of harassment. There is also protection in the text message harassment laws Colorado provides for individuals who are being harassed by a current, former, or prospective employer. For example, if a store manager is sending repeated text messages to an employee outside of work, the employee may be able to bring forth a case of harassment using Colorado’s text message harassment laws. This protection also extends to situations where someone has been “ghosted” from a workplace. Discrimination in the workplace or during the hiring process is the primary concern of text message harassment laws in Colorado.

As an industrial professional, you may not believe you have any business with the text message harassment laws in Colorado anyway. After all, workplaces like steel mills, foundries, and printing shops have tons of paperwork and few opportunities to send messages to employees without looking unprofessional. However, this could not be further from the truth. If a disgruntled employee wanted to harass you, they might be tempted to send repeated texts outside of business hours, which could lead you to making a mistake as you try to stop the unwanted communication. Understanding your rights will help you to understand when to involve the authorities and when you may simply need to take matters into your own hands.