Puerto Rico State Insurance Fund Clarifies Employer Obligations for Employees Working Remotely
Without requiring employers to make any changes to their relevant, existing workplace policy, on March 18, 2020, the Puerto Rico State Insurance Fund extended coverage to those employees who were sent to work from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic until April 30, 2020, or up to 10 days after services are restored. Now, the State Insurance Fund has advised employers that they must report the names of employees working remotely within 10 days after the agency resumes operations.
The agency is expected to resume operations once Executive Order No. 2020-038 expires on May 25, 2020.
The State Insurance Fund has created a form on which to report employees working remotely. It has advised employers that they can send the completed form by email, without having to wait until the agency opens its locations.
In addition, employers that will continue to have employees working from home after the expiration of the current lockdown should revise their policies to add the new classification of risk related to remote work.
Given the fluid situation as the government responds to the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses must be prepared. Jackson Lewis attorneys and the dedicated COVID-19 Task Force are ready to assist with any questions.
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