The governor of Puerto Rico recently signed into law amendments to Act No. 54 of August 15, 1989, “Act for the Prevention and Intervention with Domestic Violence.” The amendments include “economic violence” as a form of domestic violence, and provide additional remedies for addressing this specific type of domestic
Articles About Puerto Rico Labor And Employment Law
Will the FLSA Regulations for Exempt Employees Apply to Puerto Rico Operations?
On August 30, 2023, the United States Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to update and revise the regulations under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act regarding exemptions from minimum wage and overtime pay requirements for executive, administrative, professional, outside sales,
First Circuit Holds That Puerto Rico’s Law 41-2022 Is Null and Void
On August 10, 2023, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit affirmed the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico’s decision declaring Law 41-2022 null and void ab initio.
Informal Caregivers in Puerto Rico Do Not Need to Satisfy Threshold Requirements for Requesting Work Schedule Changes
Pursuant to the recently enacted Act No. 82 of August 8, 2023, employers in Puerto Rico must consider an informal caregiver’s request for a work-schedule change without meeting some of the threshold requirements required by law. Act No. 82, Puerto Rico’s Informal Caregiver Public Policy Act (ICPPA), purports to
New Puerto Rico Law Grants Workers Registered as Informal Caregivers Additional Rights
Puerto Rico’s Informal Care Public Policy Act (ICPPA) amends the Puerto Rico Working Hours and Days Act to establish new rights and protections for individuals duly certified as “informal caregivers.”
Puerto Rico Governor Amends Workers’ Compensation Act to Provide Reduction of Employee Premiums for Safe Workplaces
On August 8, 2023, the Governor of Puerto Rico signed into law Act No. 85-2023, effective immediately. The statute amends Puerto Rico’s Workers’ Compensation Act by further incentivizing safe workplaces.
First Circuit Affirms Decision to Strike Down Amendments to Puerto Rico 2017 Employment Law Reform
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit has affirmed a federal district court’s decision that declared null and void ab initio Puerto Rico Act 41-2022. Financial Oversight Board v. Hernandez Montañez et al., No. 23-1267 (1st Cir. Aug. 10, 2023).
Supreme Court of Puerto Rico Rules PR-DOL Christmas Bonus Exemption Decree Was Inapplicable to Unionized Employees
On June 30, 2023, the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico issued an Opinion and Order interpreting an employer’s obligation to pay the Christmas Bonus to employees covered by a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Writing for the Court, Judge Rafael Martínez Torres reasoned that because the Puerto Rico Department of
How Puerto Rico’s New Minimum Wage Changes Impact the Retail Industry
When the Puerto Rico Minimum Wage Act, Act No. 47-2021, went into effect, in addition to the three hourly rate increases set out in the law, a new Minimum Wage Review Board appointed by the governor was to periodically review the minimum wage and announce increases every two years. However, the governor has not appointed all Board members and the Board has not begun operations. There is no certainty if or when the minimum wage will be increased again after the July 1, 2024, increase.
Next Puerto Rico Minimum Wage Increase: July 1, 2023
Puerto Rico’s second automatic increase in the minimum wage is July 1, 2023, from $8.50 per hour to $9.50 per hour.
Puerto Rico Five-Day Paid Leave for COVID-19 Ends as Governor Ends Related State of Emergency
The governor of Puerto Rico has issued Executive Order No. OE-2023-012, ending the state of emergency declared in 2020 due to the pandemic caused by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and repealing multiple Executive Orders issued to adopt preventive measures because of COVID-19. OE-2023-012, signed on May 11, 2023, went into effect immediately.
Littler Global Guide – Puerto Rico – Q1 2023
Browse through brief employment and labor law updates from around the globe. Contact a Littler attorney for more information or view our global locations.
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Puerto Rico House Seeks Injunction on Court Decision Striking Down 2022 Labor Reform
The struggle to provide certainty on employment issues to the private sector in Puerto Rico is not over.
Employee Benefits and Rights in Puerto Rico: What to Know Now That Law 41-2022 Has Been Declared Null and Void
On March 3, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico issued a decision declaring Law 41-2022 null and void, effectively reinstating the prior state of many of Puerto Rico’s employment statutory entitlements. The decision will impact employees’ statutory benefits and rights, including vacation pay and sick
Nullified ab initio: What Employers in Puerto Rico Need to Know About the Decision to Nullify the New Labor Reform Bill (Act No. 41-2022)
The District Court for the District of Puerto Rico has nullified Act No. 41-2022, enacted in June 2022, which had instituted significant changes to labor and employment laws in Puerto Rico. Employers in Puerto Rico are once again subject to the law as it was prior to the