05/2018: Is Employment At Will A Solution?
Analysis of proposed changes to labor laws in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico is currently debating amendments to labor laws intended to improve competitiveness, attract investment, create new jobs, and halt migration, among other things. House Bill 1634 and Senate Bill 1011 – address the repeal of Law 80, which, among other things, provides a severance formula for computing the amount an employer must pay when a regular employee is dismissed without just cause. Although the Government is clear this “…will not create the jobs Puerto Rico needs, it justifies its support to repeal the law because “.it was necessary to reach an agreement with the Financial Oversight & Management Board (FOMB) and avoid eliminating the Christmas bonus for all workers, public and private, and the seven-day reduction to vacation and sick leave for private employees.” The Board argues repeal of Law 80 will contribute 1% to PR’s GNP. Senate Bill 919 aims to legislate the Labor Reform Law of 2018. Find out if the arguments for these bills are reasonable and documented.