News & Resources

Puerto Rico law requires employers to pay Christmas bonuses to their Puerto Rico employees.For employees who were hired before January 26, 2017, the date of enactment of the Puerto Rico Labor Reform of 2017 (“Law No. 4”), employers must pay a Christmas bonus to each employee who has worked for the company at least 700 hours or more within the 12 months between October 1 of 2023 and September 30 of 2024. This bonus is based on a percentage of the first $10,000.00 earned by the employee during the mentioned period. The maximum legally required bonus is 3% ($300) for employers with 15 employees or less or 6% ($600) for employers with more than 16 employees. For more information, click here: https://www.pmalaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LABOR-ALERT-CHRISTMAS-BONUS-2024.pdf

Private sector employers that choose to operate on Election Day must provide certain employees scheduled to work on that day paid time off during their scheduled work hours to exercise their right to vote. For more information, click here: https://www.pmalaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/PAID-LEAVE-FOR-EMPLOYEES-WORKING-ON-ELECTION-DAY.pdf

On August 20, 2024, a federal judge blocked the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) ban on noncompete agreements which was scheduled to come into effect on September 4, 2024. For more information, click here: https://www.pmalaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/LABOR-ALERT-FTCS-BAN-ON-NONCOMPETE-AGREEMENTS.pdf

The Minimum Wage Evaluation Commission (“Commission”) announced last night its approval of an increase in Puerto Rico’s minimum wage from $9.50 to $10.50 per hour, effective July 1, 2024. The Commission’s approval clears the way for the minimum wage increase to take place as set forth in Act No. 47 of 2021 (“Act 47”). For more information, click here: https://www.pmalaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Client-Alert-New-Minimum-Wage.pdf

Puerto Rico Act 74 of July 28, 2023 amends PR Act No. 54 of August 15, 1989, “Act for the Prevention and Intervention with Domestic Violence,” to add economic violence as a modality of prohibited domestic violence. For more information, click here: https://www.pmalaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/LABOR-ALERT-LEY-74-DE-2023.pdf

On February 22, 2023, the United States Supreme Court held in Helix Energy Solutions Group v. Hewitt that daily rate workers will not meet the “salary basis” test required to be exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act’s protection unless the conditions set forth in either §602(a) or §604(b) of the Act’s interpreting regulations are met. For more information, click here: https://www.pmalaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Labor-Alert-3.13.23.pdf

On June 20, 2022, Governor Pedro Pierluisi signed Act 41-2022, that amends several employment laws including Act 4-2017 (Labor Reform Act). For more information, click here: https://www.pmalaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/PMA-Labor-Alert-Act-No.-41-2022-.pdf

On January 13, 2022, the Supreme Court issued a Per Curiam opinion in the case of National Federation of Independent Business, et al., v. Department of Labor, OSHA, et al, 595 U. S. ____ (2022) which stayed implementation of the Occupational Safety and Health Act’s (OSHA) COVID–19 Vaccination and Testing; Emergency Temporary Standard, 86 Fed. Reg. 61402, pending disposition of the National Federation and the State of Ohio’s petitions for review in the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. For more information, click here: https://www.pmalaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/LABOR-ALERT-US-SUPREME-COURT-COVID-19-ETS-1.pdf

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued on November 4, 2021 a new Emergency Temporary Standard (“ETS”) which requires covered employers to: (1) develop, implement and enforce a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy, unless an employee seeks exemption based on recognized medical conditions or religious beliefs, observances or practices, in which case the employee must undergo regular COVID-19 testing and wear a face covering at work; or (2) adopt a policy requiring employees to choose either to be vaccinated or undergo regular COVID-19 testing and wear a face covering at work. For more information, click here: https://www.pmalaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/LABOR-ALERT-OSHA-ISSUES-COVID-19-ETS.pdf

On September 21, 2021, Governor Pedro Pierluisi signed into law Act No. 47, Puerto Rico’s new Minimum Wage Law, for more information, click here: https://www.pmalaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/LABOR-ALERT-PUERTO-RICO-MINIMUM-WAGE.pdf