Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the Northeastern Caribbean Sea. The territory is comprised of the main island, and a strand of smaller islands which include Vieques, Culebra, and Mona. San Juan is the most populous city, and the official languages of Puerto Rico are Spanish and English.

The US acquired Puerto Rico after the Spanish-American War, under the Treaty of Paris. It became a US territory on April 11, 1899. Those who are born in the island-country are in effect, US citizens, allowing them to freely move from the mainland and the US. The territory isn’t considered a US state, so doesn’t have the right to vote in Presidential Elections.

US Congress governs Puerto Rico’s political system under the Puerto Rico Federal Relations Act of 1950. The country’s judicial system also mimics that of the US, with the Puerto Rico Supreme Court and a United States District Court being appointed for the territory.

The US territory has been hit by many natural disasters throughout its history, including the latest, Hurricane Maria, in 2017. The category 4 storm greatly impacted the local communities, damaging most homes on the islands, and as of November 2017, only ⅔ of the home’s in the islands, had electric power fully restored. Over $95 billion in damages resulted on the island following the major storm, with FEMA having received over 1 million requests for aid by the end of 2017.

The country is subject to the plenary powers of the US under the territorial clause of Article IV in the US Constitutions. Natural born citizens are also considered US Citizens, which is governed by the Jones-Shafroth Act of 1917. Several executive branches also have a strong presence in Puerto Rico, including the FBI, TSA, FEMA, SSA, and other agencies. The island-nation is also limited in its foreign relations under the Territorial Clause of the US Constitution.

Puerto Rico is classified as a high-income economy by the World Bank, however the island-nation currently has a total debt of over $72 billion. Manufacturing is a primary driver of the economy. Textiles, pharmaceuticals, the service industry, real estate, and tourism, are also strong contributors to the territory’s economy. As a US territory, foreign policy, restricting shipping and trading with other nations, is governed by the US.

Hurricane damage and relief funds, the economy, trade, travel, and foreign relations, are some of the different forms of news coverage visitors to the National Law Review will find, as it relates to Puerto Rico and the United States. Environmental and energy news, equal pay and labor and employment law concerns, government aid, insurance claims, and tax-related news coverage, are all topics the National Law Review covers.

Custom text Title Organization
Oct
6
2020
Puerto Rico–Qualified Retirement Plans: 2020 Year-End Amendments Deadline Coming Soon Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
Aug
31
2020
TCPA Hits Close to Home: Unilateral Acts of Plaintiff Cannot Trigger Jurisdiction in Far-Flung Forums Troutman Amin, LLP
Aug
27
2020
Puerto Rico Health Department Adopts Additional Measures to Manage COVID-19 Pandemic Jackson Lewis P.C.
Aug
24
2020
New Puerto Rico COVID-19 Order Mandates Health Department Reporting, Sunday Closing Jackson Lewis P.C.
Aug
14
2020
Puerto Rico Working Mothers Act Amended to Provide Additional Adoption Leave for Working Mothers Jackson Lewis P.C.
Aug
7
2020
Puerto Rico Becomes First Jurisdiction to Adopt Law Against Workplace Bullying Jackson Lewis P.C.
Aug
4
2020
Puerto Rico May Become the First Jurisdiction to Adopt Law Against Workplace Bullying Jackson Lewis P.C.
Jul
16
2020
How Recent Changes to RMD Rules Apply to Puerto Rico Participants in Dual-Qualified Plans Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
Jun
26
2020
Puerto Rico Extends Due Date for Coronavirus-Related Distributions From Qualified Retirement Plans Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
Jun
19
2020
Puerto Rico’s Taxation of Severance Payments Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
Jun
9
2020
Supreme Court Clears Bankruptcy Restructuring of Puerto Rico Government Pension Plans Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
Jun
8
2020
Supreme Court Update: South Bay United Pentecostal Church v. Newsom (No. 19A1044), Financial Oversight and Management Bd. for Puerto Rico v. Aurelius Investment, LLC (No. 18-1334), GE Energy Power Conversion France SAS, Corp. v. Outokumpu Stainless USA Wiggin and Dana LLP
May
15
2020
Puerto Rico Senate Approves Reverting to Pre-2017 Employment Law Reform Sick, Vacation Leave Jackson Lewis P.C.
May
14
2020
Puerto Rico Senate Passes Reasonable Accommodation Bill for Certain Workers during COVID-19 Pandemic Jackson Lewis P.C.
May
4
2020
Puerto Rico Starts on Path to Reopening, Requires Employers to Certify Exposure Control Plan Jackson Lewis P.C.
Apr
17
2020
Puerto Rico Issues FAQs on Unemployment Benefits during COVID-19 Crisis Jackson Lewis P.C.
Apr
15
2020
Puerto Rico Enacts Five-Day Paid Emergency Leave for Pandemic Illness Jackson Lewis P.C.
Apr
7
2020
Puerto Rico Issues Rules on Coronavirus-Related Distributions From Qualified Retirement Plans Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
Apr
6
2020
Puerto Rico Secretary of Labor Announces New Unemployment Benefits Available for Private Employees Jackson Lewis P.C.
Apr
3
2020
Puerto Rico Extends Due Dates for Retirement Plan Tax Reporting and Withholding Obligations Due to COVID-19 Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
Mar
27
2020
Federal COVID-19 Emergency Paid Leave Rules Apply in Puerto Rico—But With Unique Tax Aspects Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
Mar
18
2020
State Insurance Department Office Closings and Updates Polsinelli PC
Mar
13
2020
Puerto Rico Senate Considers Unpaid Emergency Leave for Pandemic Illness Jackson Lewis P.C.
Mar
11
2020
Puerto Rico Issues Guidance for Disaster Relief Distributions From Tax-Qualified Retirement Plans Due to 2020 Earthquakes Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
Mar
5
2020
Puerto Rico Liquidator Compelled to Arbitrate Hurricane Reinsurance Disputes Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP
Jan
20
2020
Federal Court Dismisses Policyholder’s Third-Party Action Against Reinsurers Carlton Fields
Dec
30
2019
Policyholder’s Attempt to Third-Party Reinsurers Denied Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP
Dec
6
2019
Liquidator Compelled to Arbitrate Hurricane Reinsurance Disputes Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP
Nov
10
2019
New Puerto Rico Law Limits Employers’ Use of Credit Reports in Employment Decisions Jackson Lewis P.C.
Sep
6
2019
First Circuit Affirms Denial of Vacatur of Arbitration Award, Rejects Arguments That Parties Opted Out of FAA and Arbitrator Erred Carlton Fields
Sep
5
2019
What’s New in 2019? A Look at the Ever-Changing Leave and Accommodation Law Landscape Jackson Lewis P.C.
Aug
2
2019
Puerto Rico Enacts Leave for Victims of Domestic Violence, Sexual Harassment and Assault Jackson Lewis P.C.
Jul
16
2019
Puerto Rico Department of Labor Releases Guidelines for Interpreting the Country’s Employment Laws Proskauer Rose LLP
Jul
9
2019
How Specific Does a Specific Litigation Exclusion Have to Be? Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP
Jun
20
2019
The Energizer – Volume 47 K&L Gates
May
14
2019
Springtime Showers Brings State Legislation in the US Friendly to Solar and Wind Energy Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP
May
10
2019
Puerto Rico Department of Labor Issues First Comprehensive Guidelines on Employment Laws Jackson Lewis P.C.
Mar
21
2019
Rethinking Pay Equity: Who is ‘Comparable’ for Pay Equity Purposes? Jackson Lewis P.C.
Nov
12
2018
Puerto Rico Revises Form for Reporting Payments to Terminated Employees, Considers Credit History Ban Jackson Lewis P.C.
Aug
15
2018
Last Minute Extension, Discrimination & Due Process: Attorneys Fight for Victims of Hurricane Maria The National Law Review / The National Law Forum LLC
Jul
31
2018
Puerto Rico Law Authorizes Pay Deductions as Repayment for Employer-Provided Emergency Aid Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
Jun
21
2018
Despite A ‘Near-Average’ Forecast, Hurricane Flooding May Increase Risk and Insurance Management Society, Inc. (RIMS)
Jun
12
2018
Puerto Rico Heading Towards At-Will Employment Proskauer Rose LLP
Jun
5
2018
June 2018 Washington Update Mintz
Feb
15
2018
Puerto Rico Bars Use of Legitimate Absences in Performance Review, Adds Catastrophic Illness Leave Jackson Lewis P.C.
Feb
7
2018
The Bubbler – February 2018 Mintz
Jan
31
2018
Puerto Rico Announces Plan to Privatize Its Power Utility Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP
Dec
27
2017
Efforts Continue to Strengthen Equal Pay Laws in 2017 Epstein Becker & Green, P.C.
Nov
7
2017
Puerto Rico’s New Post-Hurricane Guidance: A How-To on Paying Exempt and Non-Exempt Workers Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
Oct
26
2017
Practical Considerations for Device Industry Policyholders Experiencing Puerto Rico Hurricane Losses Covington & Burling LLP
 

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