Provisions dealing with meal periods are generally found at Puerto Rico
Laws Annotated Title 29, Part I, Chapter 13. Employers are urged to
give special consideration to petitions filed by mothers of minor
children and single fathers who have custody of their children, with
respect to requests for flexible work schedules. While the general
workweek is five (5) eight (8) hour days equaling forty (40) hours, the
law requires that the employers be flexible with their employees. The
employee must also have a break of twelve (12) hours between each
regular work period.
The employer must allow for a meal period lasting at least thirty (30)
minutes (with a few exceptions) and must take place between the end of
the third hour of work and the sixth hour of work. The employee cannot
be required to work for the more than five (5) hours without a break
for meals. Title 29, Part I, Chapter 13, Section 272a.
If the employer requires or permits an employee to work during a time
scheduled to be the employees meal period, the employer must pay for
that time at a wage rate equal to double the standard hourly rate.
Title 29, Part I, Chapter 13, Section 287.
Provisions dealing with meal periods for minors are located at Title 29, Part I, Chapter 19, Sections 431, 433 and 443.
Public and private employers are required to provide a break for
breastfeeding or extraction of mother's milk for nursing mothers for a
period of one year after the child is born. Puerto Rico Laws Annotated
at Title 29, Part 1, Chapter 19A, sections 478 through 478h.
Puerto Rican Law also provides for one 24-hour day of rest for every
six days worked. Puerto Rico Laws Annotated at Title 29, Part I,
Chapter 13, Sections 295 to 299.
On January 26, 2017, the Governor of Puerto Rico approved the Labor Transformation and Flexibility Act. The Act makes substantial changes to virtually all existing Puerto Rican employment laws. The law contains numerous changes on employment contracts, exclusions, independent contractors, employee rights, contract termination, statute of limitations, overtime, vacation and sick leave, gross income, and unemployment insurance.