Employers in Puerto Rico must provide a model notice to employees in the event of a layoff or reduction in working hours. The Secretary of the Puerto Rico Department of Labor and Human Resources, Briseida Torres-Reyes, issued Circular Letter 2020-02 (only in Spanish) on April 16, 2020.
The notice can be provided by mail, email, or text message. For employees already laid off or already notified of a reduction in hours, the notice should be sent by mail, email, or text message.
The specific language of the model notice is in Section IV of Circular Letter 2020-02 and requires providing the following:
- The statute that establishes unemployment benefits;
- A statement that a claimant may request benefits during the first week in which the claimant ceased to work or had reduced hours;
- The website and call center number to file a claim or obtain more information about filing a claim for unemployment benefits;
- Information needed to file a claim; and
- The website, email, and telephone number for questions regarding unemployment benefits.