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    • Moisés Benmaman Pena
    • Luis M. Ferrer-Medina
    • Nerylú Figueroa-Estasie
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    • Ángel Muñoz-Noya
    • Carmen I. Muñoz-Noya
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Equal Payment Salary Act

    Home News Equal Payment Salary Act

    Equal Payment Salary Act

    By José M. Álvarez-Allende | News | Comments are Closed | 30 March, 2017 | 0

    On March 8, 2017, Act. # 17 of 2017, better known as the Puerto Rico Equal Pay Act, was approved. The Act establishes the public policy as to equal pay for equal work, seeking to eradicate the existing wage discrimination in both public and private sectors.

    Specifically, the Act prohibits employers from discriminating against employees due to their sex when they are working and performing comparable work and have equal functions, requires equal skill, effort and responsibilities under similar working conditions. It also establishes certain instances where, even though a difference in salary may exist, they will not be classified as salary discrimination, as long it is due to: (a) a bona fide system that rewards the employee’s seniority or merit; (B) a compensation system based on quantity or quality of production, sales or profits; (C) by education, training or experience, to the extent that such factors are reasonably related to the specific work; or (d) any other reasonable factor other than the person’s sex.

    It also defines as illegal practices by the employer, actions, such as: inquiring about the wage history of the employment applicant (unless an exception applies); establishing, as a condition of employment, the disclosure of their salary history dismissing, threatening, discriminating or penalizing the employee for carrying out certain actions established in the Act.

    Employees who are affected by sex pay discrimination have a period of one (1) year to file a claim under this Act. This term begins to run from the moment the affected employee becomes aware of a violation under the provisions of this Act.

    If the employer violates any provision of the Act, the employee has a civil cause of action to recover the unpaid amount (up to the total amount of salary that corresponds to the person) plus an amount equal to what was not received, as well as costs, and reasonable attorney’s fees.

    The Secretary of Labor and the Office of Women’s Advocacy have the obligation to ensure compliance with Act 17-2017. Among its faculties, the Secretary of Labor also has the authority to approve rules and regulations, as well as conduct any investigation or inspection deemed necessary to determine if an employer has complied with the Act.

     

    Ley de igualdad salarial

    El 8 de marzo de 2017, se aprobó la Ley Núm. 16 de 2017, mejor conocida como la Ley Igualdad Salarial de Puerto Rico. Esta Ley establece una política pública de igual paga por igual trabajo para erradicar el discrimen salarial existente en el sector laboral, tanto público como privado.

    Específicamente, la ley prohíbe a los patronos discriminar salarialmente, por razón de sexo, contra los empleados que laboran y llevan a cabo  trabajo comparable que tenga igual funciones, requiera igual destreza, esfuerzo y responsabilidades bajo condiciones de trabajo similares en Puerto Rico. La ley también presenta ciertas instancias donde pudieran existir diferencias en salario y las misma no serían catalogadas como discrimen salarial, siempre y cuando se deba a: (a) sistema bona fide que premie la antigüedad o el mérito del empleado; (b) sistema de compensación a base de la cantidad o calidad de producción, ventas o ganancias; (c) por educación, adiestramiento o experiencia, en la medida en que esos factores estén razonablemente relacionados con el trabajo específico; o (d) cualquier otro factor razonable que no sea el sexo de la persona.

    Así también, la Ley cataloga ciertas actuaciones por parte del patrono como prácticas ilegales, tales como: indagar sobre el historial de salarios de los aspirantes a empleo (salvo que aplique alguna excepción), establecer como condición de empleo la divulgación de su historial salarial y que el patrono despida, amenace, discrimine o penalice a un empleado por llevar a cabo ciertas acciones relacionadas a lo establecido por la Ley.

    Los empleados que se vean afectados por el discrimen salarial por razón de sexo, cuentan con un periodo de un (1) año para presentar una reclamación bajo esta Ley. Dicho término comienza a transcurrir desde que el empleado afectado advino en conocimiento de alguna violación bajo las disposiciones de esta Ley.

    Del patrono violar alguna disposición de la referida Ley, el empleado tendrá derecho a cobrar mediante acción civil la cantidad dejada de percibir (hasta cubrir el importe total del salario que le corresponda) más una cantidad igual a lo dejado de percibir, así como las costas, gastos y honorarios razonables de abogados

    El Secretario del Trabajo y a la Procuradora de la Mujer tiene la obligación de velar por el cumplimiento de la Ley 17-2017. Entre sus facultades, el Secretario del Trabajo tiene la potestad de aprobar cualesquiera reglas o reglamentos, así como realizar las investigaciones o inspecciones que entienda necesarias para determinar si el patrono ha cumplido con la Ley.

     

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    • About
    • Attorneys
      • Moisés Benmaman Pena
      • Luis M. Ferrer-Medina
      • Nerylú Figueroa-Estasie
      • Julio I. Lugo-Muñoz
      • Ángel Muñoz-Noya
      • Carmen I. Muñoz-Noya
      • Karen Ocasio-Cabrera
      • Claribel Ortiz-Rodríguez
      • Katia Verónica Recio Curet
      • Adrián Sánchez-Pagán
      • Luis Sánchez-Betances
      • Sergio Sánchez-Pagán
      • Vicente A. Sequeda-Torres
      • Roberto B. Suarez-Seín
      • Marta E. Vilá-Báez
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