Guidelines for the Interpretation of Puerto Rico Employment Legislation

By:  Yasthel Gonzalez

On May 8, 2019, the Puerto Rico Department of Labor issued its Guidelines for the Interpretation of Puerto Rico Employment Legislation.  The Guidelines include over two-hundred pages of interpretation and analysis of different employment legislation areas such as the most recent changes in our local legislation introduced by Act 4 of 2017, known as the Labor Transformation and Flexibility Act. In its introductory section, the Secretary for the Department of Labor stated that the Guidelines are not intended to create substantive or procedural rights, rather, they should serve only as a guide to employees and employers in Puerto Rico.  With this, they hope to standardize the application and interpretation of our local labor legislation. These guidelines are expected to be amended from time to time. After all, our local labor reform was predicated on a balance of interests, that includes the economic and social development of Puerto Rico and the essential rights of the employees.

For more information contact our Labor & Employment team at labor@estrellallc.com

https://www.trabajo.pr.gov/docs/Boletines/Guias_Legislacion_Laboral.pdf