Puerto Rico Working Mothers Act Amended to Provide Additional Adoption Leave for Working Mothers

Sara E. Colon-Acevedo

Jackson Lewis P.C.

On Aug. 8, 2020, Wanda Vázquez Garced signed into law an amendment to the Puerto Rico Working Mothers Act. Under the amendment, adoption leave benefits were extended to female employees adopting minors 6 years old or older. Now, these adopting mothers will have a paid leave of 5 weeks. The leave will begin from the date the child is received in the family nucleus. This amendment does not alter the adoption leave that was already provided for in the Working Mothers Act providing 8 weeks of paid leave to mothers adopting a child 5 years old or younger, not enrolled in school. Employees must provide 30 days’ notice to their employer of their leave request and intention to adopt a minor, as well as their return to work plans.

***This article originally appeared on the Jackson Lewis’ Disability, Leave & Health Management blog and was reposted on the DMEC website with their permission.***