By The Star Staff
Gov. Pedro Pierluisi Urrutia signed Executive Order 2023-034 on Thursday to grant Friday, Nov. 24, 2023, as a day off without charge to vacation leave for public employees.
“I deeply recognize and value the commitment of our public employees,” the governor said in a written statement. “With this action, in addition to providing a well-deserved day of rest to our public servants to share with their loved ones, we seek to encourage economic development while supporting our merchants.”
Pierluisi also announced the payment of $1,000 to all public employees of central government agencies and public corporations.
The governor said the payment is to be broken down into the Christmas Bonus of $600 established by law and another $400 that includes a special bonus from the government’s debt adjustment plan (PAD by its Spanish acronym). Public servants will receive this payment next Wednesday, Nov. 22.
Regarding the payment of the Christmas Bonus, the governor stated: “My administration has been fiscally responsible, which has allowed us to have the funds available to, as we did last year, make this payment of the Christmas Bonus prior to the end of Thanksgiving holiday week.”
It was also announced that, like the Christmas Bonus, the PAD Bonus is considered part of the ordinary income of public servants and will be subject to the corresponding federal and state withholdings. The central government was immersed in a five-year bankruptcy process that culminated last year with the approval of an adjustment plan approved by the federal Title III court. The commonwealth plan included an 80% cut in central government debt payments.