Archives for May2012

Labor & Employment Laws in Puerto Rico

May 25, 2012 by Fleming Law Office in Laws of Puerto Rico | Comments Off

Federal labor and employment laws apply in Puerto Rico.  These include:

  • Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA)
  • American With Disabilities Act (ADA)
  • Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA)
  • Davis Bacon-Act of 1931
  • Equal Pay Act (EPA) of 1963
  • Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA)
  • Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA)
  • Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
  • Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
  • Fair Credit Reporting Act of 1970 (FCRA)
  • Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA)
  • Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
  • Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA)
  • National Labor Relations Act  and Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act
  • Title VII of the Civil Rights Act
  • Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)
  • USERRA
  • Worker Adjustment Retraining and Notification Act (WARN)

In addition, Puerto Rico has its own set of employment laws contained in  Title 29 of the Puerto Rico Code.  They are more comprehensive and protective than their federal counterparts.  These include:

  • 115-1991 (Whistle-blower)
  • 100 -1959 (General Discrimination Statute)
  • 69-1985 (Sex Discrimination)
  • 17 -1988 (Sexual Harassment)
  • 44 -1985 (Disability)
  • 3 -1942 (Pregnancy)
  • 217 -2006 (domestic violence issues in workplace)
  • 80 -1976 (wrongful discharge)
  • 379-1948 (hours of work)
  • 83 – 1995 (Flexible Work Schedule)
  • 289 -1946 (Day of Rest)
  • 148 -1969 (Christmas Bonus)
  • 59 – 1997 (Drug Testing)
  • 17 – 1931 (Payment of Wages)
  • 230 – 1942 (Employment of Minors)
  • 74 – 1956 (Unemployment Compensation)
  • 180 – 1998 (Vacation and Sick Leave)
  • 427 – 2000 (Breastfeeding)
  • 45 -1935 (Workers Compensation)
  • 139 – 1968 (Non-Occupational Disability)
  • 207 – 2006 (Restrictions Use of Social Security)
  • 130 – 1945 (PR Labor Relations Act – Applies where NLRA does not)

Federal employment laws are administered by the United States Department of Labor; federal labor laws by the National Labor Relations Board and   federal  discrimination laws by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) .  They all have offices in Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rico Department of labor administers local employment laws including unemployment & workers compensation.

Payroll taxes, including  income, social security, unemployment, and disability taxes, are subject to withholding, like in the United States.  An important difference is that income tax  goes  to the local government, not the IRS.

Sube el costo del afidávit

May 25, 2012 by Fleming Law Office in Noticias & Artículos | Comments Off

En Puerto Rico, cada vez que un notario certifica la firma de una persona,  tiene que cancelar un sello del gobierno en su libro.  Este sello ahora cuesta un 66% más.

Recientemente se aprobó una ley (83-2012) para aumentar  a   “cinco ($5.00) dólares el valor de la estampilla de la Sociedad para la Asistencia Legal que los notarios deben cancelar en su Registro de Testimonios; y disponer que los pagos realizados para la compra de aranceles por la vía electrónica estarán exentos del cobro de la retención de un cinco por ciento (5%) por parte del Departamento de Hacienda.”

 

Invalidan proceso eleccionario acelerado de la Junta Nacional (NLRB)

May 18, 2012 by Fleming Law Office in Noticias & Artículos | Comments Off

Un tribunal  federal  de Washington D.C., invalidó los cambios recientes a los procesos de elecciones sindicales que aprobó la Junta Nacional de Relaciones del Trabajo basado en un tecnicismo fundamental.   Las nuevas medidas vetadas  hacían más rápido y probable que un sindicato entrara a organizar los empleados en una empresa.

En Chamber of Commerce v. NLRB de 14 de mayo de 2012,   el tribunal determinó que la decisión  tomada por la Junta no había contado con el número necesario de miembros. Solo dos de los tres miembros de la Junta habían participado en la decisión de adoptar las reglas en controversia, y dos no era suficiente.” Simple y llanamente, el tribunal dictaminó que con sólo 2 miembros la Junta carecía de el quórum requerido por ley y por lo tanto no se configuraba  la debida autorización para emitir los cambios.

Con la promulgación de la Ley Taft-Hartley de 1947, el número de  miembros de la Junta fue aumentado de tres a cinco y el requisito del quórum se incrementó – “tres miembros de la Junta, en todo momento, constituirá el quórum.” Ver,  29 USC § 153 (b). Por lo tanto, actualmente se necesitan tres miembros para la Junta para hacer negocios.

Teniendo en cuenta la decisión del tribunal, ” las elecciones tendrán que seguir en los procedimientos anteriores”.  No obstante la decisión, nada impide  que la Junta decida convenir una nueva reunión que cumpla con la ley.  En estos momentos no se sabe si lo hará y cuando.

DC Court invalidates NLRB expedited election process

May 18, 2012 by Fleming Law Office in Puerto Rico Business-Law: News & Articles | Comments Off

In Chamber of Commerce v NLRB, decided may 14, 2012,    a U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia  invalidated the National Labor Relations Board new expedited election process  because the Board decided the issue without the required number of members. “Two members of the Board participated in the decision to adopt the final rule, and two is simply not enough.” Plain and simple, the court ruled that with only 2 out of 3 sitting members casting a vote at that time, the Board lacked the statutorily required  quorum and thus proper authority to issue the sweeping changes (“He need not necessarily have voted, but he had to at least show up”).

With the enactment of the Taft-Hartley Act in 1947,  the Board’s membership was increased from three to five and the quorum requirement  was increased – “three members of the Board shall, at all times, constitute a quorum.” See 29 U.S.C. § 153(b).   see also New Process Steel, 130 S. Ct. at 2638. Thus, it  takes three  members for the Board to do business.

Given the court decision,  “elections will have to continue under the old procedures” until and if the Board properly reconvenes (now with five members) and votes again.

Employee awarded100K under Puerto Rico’s Whistlerblower Act

May 8, 2012 by Fleming Law Office in Puerto Rico Business-Law: News & Articles | Comments Off

The Puerto Rico Supreme Court recently affirmed a lower court ruling awarding plaintiff $100,000. Plaintiff- was a maintenance worker who claimed that his employer had fired him in retaliation for requesting benefits under the local  workers’ compensation fund.   See, Rivera Menendez v. Action Service, Corp. 2012 TSPR 73 (Date: April 27, 2012).

The employer-   engaged in the commercial cleaning business- denied any retaliatory intent and contended that the employee had refused to show up for work.  The judge didn’t buy the employer’s version and awarded the worker double damages and attorney’s fees.

Puerto Rico law recognizes a retaliation cause of action in Act No. 115 of December 20, 1991, 29 L.P.R.A. § 194-194b (2001) (“Law No. 115”).  Law 115 states that an employer may not “discharge, threaten, or discriminate against an employee regarding the terms, conditions, compensation, location, benefits or privileges of the employment should the employee offer or attempt to offer, verbally or in writing, any testimony, expression or information before a legislative, administrative or judicial forum in Puerto Rico.” P.R. LAWS. Ann. Tit. 29, § 194a(a). 

Law No. 115 focuses on external not internal complaint.  Thus it only protects  “testimony, expression or information … before a legislative, administrative, or judicial forum” provided that such statements are not defamatory  nor result in the disclosure of privileged information.

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