Sara E. Colón-AcevedoBlog Posts

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  • Federal Court Strikes Down Amendments to Puerto Rico 2017 Employment Law Reform

    Less than a year after its enactment, a federal district court has declared null and void Puerto Rico Act 41-2022, a law that rolled back parts of the 2017 employment law reform. Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico v. Pierluisi Urrutia, No. 17 BK 3283-LTS (D. P.R. March 3, 2023). Accordingly, the 2017 Puerto Rico employment law... Continue Reading
    March 8, 2023
  • Puerto Rico Disability Discrimination Law Now Protects Medical Cannabis Users

    Puerto Rico’s disability discrimination statute (Law 44-1985), the local counterpart of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), has been amended to extend coverage to registered and authorized medical cannabis patients. The amendment (Law 90-2022) went into effect on October 14, 2022, upon Governor Pedro Pierluisi’s signing. Prior to the amendment, Law 44-1985’s definition of a...
    October 21, 2022
  • Puerto Rico Disability Discrimination Law Covers Registered and Authorized Medical Cannabis Patients

    Puerto Rico’s disability discrimination statute (Law 44-1985), the local counterpart of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), has been amended to extend coverage to registered and authorized medical cannabis patients. The amendment (Law 90-2022) went into effect on October 14, 2022, upon Governor Pedro Pierluisi’s signing. Read more here. Continue Reading
    October 21, 2022
  • Amendments to Puerto Rico 2017 Employment Law Reform Employers Need to Know

    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... Continue Reading
    June 22, 2022
  • Puerto Rico Governor Extends Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination to Additional Private Industries

    Puerto Rico Governor Pedro R. Pierluisi has expanded mandatory COVID-19 vaccination to additional private industries effective August 30, 2021. Under Executive Order 2021-064 (EO), all beauty salons, barber shops, aesthetics salons, spas, gyms, childcare centers, supermarkets, grocery stores (including stores authorized by the WIC Program), casinos, and gas station stores must require and ensure that... Continue Reading…
    August 23, 2021
  • Puerto Rico Extends Mandatory Vaccination to Dining and Entertainment Sectors

    Puerto Rico has made COVID-19 vaccination mandatory for additional industries after Governor Pedro R. Pierluisi extended vaccination requirements for employees in the health and hospitality sectors beginning August 16, 2021. Under new Executive Order (EO-2021-063), restaurants, theaters, and other establishments in the dining and entertainment industries must comply with requirements for mandatory vaccination beginning August 23,... Continue Reading
    August 13, 2021
  • Puerto Rico Extends Mandatory Vaccination to Dining and Entertainment Sectors

    Puerto Rico has made COVID-19 vaccination mandatory for additional industries after Governor Pedro R. Pierluisi extended vaccination requirements for employees in the health and hospitality sectors beginning August 16, 2021. Under new Executive Order (EO-2021-063), restaurants, theaters, and other establishments in the dining and entertainment industries must comply with requirements for mandatory vaccination beginning August 23,... Continue Reading…
    August 12, 2021
  • Medical Cannabis Patients in Puerto Rico Gain Employment Protections

    Registered and authorized patients of medical cannabis in Puerto Rico are considered a protected category for purposes of all employment laws under an amendment to the “Act to Manage the Study, Development and Investigation of Cannabis for Innovation, Applicable Norms and Limitations” signed by Governor Pedro R. Pierluisi on July 29, 2021.   The law took...… Continue Reading
    August 6, 2021
  • Puerto Rico Working Mothers Act Amended to Provide Additional Adoption Leave for Working Mothers

    On August 8, 2020, Wanda Vázquez Garced signed into law an amendment to the Puerto Rico Working Mothers Act. Under the amendment, adoption leave benefits were extended to female employees adopting minors 6 years old or older. Now, these adopting mothers will have a paid leave of 5 weeks. The leave will begin from the... Continue Reading
    August 14, 2020
  • Puerto Rico Senate Passes Reasonable Accommodation Bill for Certain Workers during COVID-19 Pandemic

    The Puerto Rico Senate has approved unanimously Senate Bill No. 1577 (SB 1577), which seeks to amend Section 9 of Puerto Rico Act No. 44 of July 2, 1985, known as the “Law Prohibiting Discrimination Against Disabled Persons,” to expand its protection and confer certain types of employees the right to a reasonable accommodation in... Continue Reading…
    May 14, 2020

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