The White House announced an $11.6 billion aid package to Puerto Rico on Sept. 18 to aid it in its recovery from Hurricane Maria, which devastated the island and its infrastructure in September 2017. The funds will be granted...more
The Puerto Rico Department of the Treasury (the PR Treasury) issued Internal Revenue Informative Bulletin No. 19-01 extending the deadline to March 31, 2019, to request the Federal Employee Retention Benefit related to...more
The Puerto Rico Department of the Treasury (“PR Treasury”) has issued Internal Revenue Informative Bulletin No. 19-01, extending until March 31, 2019 the deadline to request the Federal Employee Retention Benefit (“Benefit”)...more
Puerto Rico is still reeling from the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. Recently, the governor of Puerto Rico signed into law Act No. 115 of June 20, 2018, to promote recovery efforts and provide much-needed aid to affected...more
On September 29, 2018, the Disaster Tax Relief and Airport Extension Act of 2017, as amended (the “Act”), was adopted to, among other goals, provide tax relief to those affected by Hurricanes Irma and Maria. The Act includes...more
On October 4, 2017, the Puerto Rico Department of the Treasury (the "PR Treasury") issued Administrative Determination No. 17-21 (AD 17-21) to exclude from gross income certain payments employers made to employees for...more
On December 21, Congress passed a bill to continue funding the government through January 19, 2018, averting a potential government shutdown ahead of the December 22, 2017, deadline for the previous funding measure. The House...more
As previously discussed, on October 4, 2017, the Puerto Rico Department of the Treasury (the “PR Treasury”) issued Administrative Determination No. 17-21 (“AD 17-21”) granting temporary income tax exemption for payments...more
The passage of Hurricane María through Puerto Rico in September 2017 left catastrophic damages. In an effort to encourage employer assistance and provide temporary economic relief to employees in Puerto Rico, local government...more
• Four bills are currently pending in Congress to repeal or limit the reach of the Jones Act, including three that are focused upon relief efforts to assist Puerto Rico after the disastrous effects of Hurricane Maria. •...more
On October 4, 2017, the Puerto Rico Department of Treasury (Hacienda) issued Administrative Determination No. 17-21 (Notice), which clarifies the tax treatment of certain payments made to assist those affected by Hurricane...more
From hurricanes Harvey to Irma, Maria and Nate, how nongovernmental organizations, private enterprise, local groups, and transported not-for-profits help to make the system work....more
With the havoc wrought by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, employers are exploring options to provide emergency relief to those employees who have encountered financial hardship to meet their necessities and repair their homes...more
On October 17, 2017, the Puerto Rico Secretary of Labor and Human Resources (Secretary) issued Opinion No. 2017-001 (Opinion) regarding the compensation of exempt and non-exempt private sector employees for workdays...more
• Because of the damage Hurricanes Irma and Maria inflicted on the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, the IRS has relaxed the stringent physical presence requirements that individuals typically must satisfy to qualify as...more
On September 20, 2017, Puerto Rico suffered the catastrophic impact of Hurricane Maria, which savaged the Island, taking down all communications systems, severely damaging or completely destroying many homes and roads, and...more
On October 4, 2017, the Puerto Rico Department of the Treasury (the “PR Treasury”) issued Administrative Determination No. 17-21 (“AD 17-21”) granting temporary income tax exemptions for payments and certain benefits provided...more