Articles About Puerto Rico Labor And Employment Law

On June 20, 2022, Governor Pedro Pierluisi signed into law Act No. 41-2022, instituting drastic changes to labor and employment laws in Puerto Rico and extending employment rights for employees in the private sector. In doing so, the governor rejected the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico’s

Puerto Rico Governor Pedro Pierluisi has signed into law changes reversing portions of the 2017 employment reform law. House Bill 1244 (HB 1244) rolls back and changes the statutory probationary period, vacation and sick leave accrual, and eligibility for the annual Christmas Bonus, among other requirements. The changes go into effect for most employers on July 20, 2022. For certain “small” and “mid-size” businesses as defined in the new law, changes will be effective on September 18, 2022.

The Puerto Rico Department of Health (PR DOH) has issued new Guidelines for Case Investigation and Contact Tracing for COVID-19 (Guidelines). These provide updates to previously issued quarantine and isolation guidelines.

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In a recent case issued by the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico (“the Court”), the Court addressed the standard and level of proof that must be presented by employers when raising as an affirmative defense a corporate reorganization. In Segarra Rivera vs. International Shipping Agency, 2022 T.S.P.R. 33, 208 D.P.R. ____ (Mar.

With COVID-19 positivity rates falling below 3.4%, on March 7, 2022, Puerto Rico Governor Pedro Pierluisi issued Executive Order 2022-019 (EO), drastically changing previously issued COVID-19 measures and guidelines by eliminating most requirements regarding masks, capacity limits and vaccination mandates.

Based on declining COVID-19 positivity rates and hospitalizations, and like other states and jurisdictions, Puerto Rico Governor Pedro R. Pierluisi has issued an executive order essentially dropping all COVID-19 measures.

Months after its introduction, a proposal to reverse portions of the 2017 employment reform law sits on Puerto Rico Governor Pedro Pierluisi’s desk. By March 5, 2022, Governor Pierluisi must decide whether to veto House Bill 3 (HB 3) or sign into law a partial repeal of Law 4-2017, commonly known as the Employment Law Reform.

As COVID-19 positivity rates continue to decrease, on February 13, 2022, Puerto Rico Governor Pedro Pierluisi issued three news executive orders revising travelers’ declaration requirements, relaxing COVID-19 restrictions and providing for additional vaccine booster mandates for certain employees. The new executive orders are summarized as follows:  

Traveler Restrictions

On January 28, 2022, Puerto Rico Governor Pedro Pierluisi issued three additional executive orders in connection to COVID-19. These executive orders span a wide range of sectors, from travelers to private-sector employers and students. The most important aspects of each executive order (EO) are summarized below:

EO 2022-005 –

On January 14, 2022, the Puerto Rico Department of the Treasury issued Internal Revenue Circular Letter No. 22-01 (CL IR 22-01) announcing the applicable 2022 limits for Puerto Rico qualified retirement plans.

In his most recent attempt to curb the spread of COVID-19, on January 13, 2022, Puerto Rico Governor Pedro Pierluisi once again issued back-to-back executive orders (EO) implementing additional COVID-19 restrictions and extending vaccine booster requirements for employees in additional sectors.

EO 2022-002 – Attendance and Capacity Restrictions

On December 31, 2021, Puerto Rico Governor Pedro Pierluisi issued Executive Order No. 2021-87 (EO) requiring first responders and certain private sector personnel to receive the COVID-19 vaccine booster shot in order to be considered fully vaccinated. The EO took effect immediately and requires covered employees to receive the

Under the authority delegated by the different executive orders currently in effect, on January 4, 2022, the Puerto Rico Department of Health (PR DOH) updated its Protocol for COVID-19 Case Management in the Workplace (Protocol) to help prevent exposure and provide recommendations for case management in the workplace amid

A surge in positive COVID-19 cases in Puerto Rico has Governor Pedro R. Pierluisi issuing yet another round of executive orders, including one that expands the number of workers that must obtain COVID-19 booster shots.