Amendment to the Bill of Rights of the Puerto Rican Veteran for the 21st Century

Puerto Rico Governor Jenniffer González recently signed Act No. 26-2025 into law, amending Act No. 203-2007, known as the “Bill of Rights of the Puerto Rican Veteran for the 21st Century,” to strengthen employment rights and access to job opportunities for veterans.

Key Provisions of the Amendment:

The following entities are now required to comply with the amended law:

• The Government of Puerto Rico
• All public agencies and instrumentalities
• Public and quasi-public corporations
• Municipalities
• All private employers operating businesses in Puerto Rico

These entities must:

• Give employment and promotion preference to veterans when candidates are equally qualified in terms of academic background, technical skills, or experience. This preference applies to all categories of employment, including:
  • Regular or permanent positions
  • Temporary or transitory roles
  • Full-time or part-time jobs
  • Fixed-term employment

• Ensure that job openings subject to open competition are sent to the Puerto Rico Office of Veterans Affairs (Oficina del Procurador del Veterano). This office is responsible for:
  • Notifying organized veterans’ groups of such opportunities
  • Publishing postings through its official website, the Government of Puerto Rico’s portal, or any other appropriate public channel

Action Items for Employers:

• Review and update recruitment and promotion policies to reflect this preference requirement.
• Establish procedures for forwarding job announcements to the Office of the Veterans’ Advocate.
• Train HR personnel and hiring managers on compliance with this provision.

Please contact us if you need assistance in developing compliance policies or have questions about how this amendment affects your organization.

LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT LAW DEPARTMENT