Labor Dept. gets fewer requests for Yule bonus payment exemptions

Labor and Human Resources Secretary María del Pilar Vélez Casanova

By THE STAR STAFF

The island Department of Labor and Human Resources (DTRH by its initials in Spanish) received a total of 272 requests this year for full or partial exemption from paying the 2025 Christmas bonus. The figure represents 25 fewer requests than last year, when 297 employers sought exemptions.

DTRH Secretary María del Pilar Vélez Casanova noted Thursday that the decrease in exemption requests reflects a positive trend in employers’ ability to comply under Act No. 148 of June 30, 1969, as amended, known as the “Christmas Bonus Act for Workers and Employees of Private Companies.”

“This reduction demonstrates greater economic stability and the commitment of the business sector to an important benefit for thousands of workers in Puerto Rico and their families -- the Christmas bonus,” the official said.

Vélez Casanova noted that this year a specialized task force was created, composed of accountants working in different areas of the agency, to audit the cases received and support the Bureau of Labor Standards, which oversees the process. The creation of the specialized team addressed key needs such as speeding up the evaluation of requests and ensuring greater accuracy in the analysis, in line with the public policy of Gov. Jenniffer González Colón.

The DTRH secretary added that the verification and analysis process is currently in a semi-final stage. The team is conducting an exhaustive validation of the data associated with the requests received, a process she said is essential to guarantee transparency and accuracy of the information provided by employers who have requested full or partial exemption from paying the Christmas bonus. Once the process is completed, the DTRH will publish the official list of requesting employers, the final determination, and the impact on employees.