In Puerto Rico, Representative Roberto J. López Román announced the filing of a bill, P. de la C. 1507, which amends the 'Ley del Sistema de Compensaciones por Accidentes del Trabajo' to establish a permanent and self-sustaining mechanism to refund up to 50% of the premium paid to private sector employers with excellent safety records and zero claims. The bill introduces the 'Lógica de Topes Actuariales’, a mathematical shield that segregates premiums from the Corporación del Fondo del Seguro del Estado (CFSE) to ensure that refunds come from the corporation’s net operational surplus, guaranteeing the payment of pensions to long-term injured workers and hospital operations.
The refunded money can only be used for areas such as productivity bonuses for employees, improvements to private medical insurance plans, and occupational safety and ergonomics equipment, and is 100% exempt from income tax contributions for the employer. The bill also addresses administrative inefficiencies exposed in a recent report by the Office of the Inspector General and creates a robust framework for oversight, including a monthly automated data crossing system with the Department of Labor and Human Resources and an anonymous alert channel with protection for whistleblowers.