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Resident Commissioner announces GAO report recommending Puerto Rico's inclusion in collection of labor statistics

September 30, 2018

Washington, DC – The Resident Commissioner, Jenniffer González Colón, announced that today the U.S. Governmental Accountability Office (GAO) issued the report 18-483 with the purpose of evaluating the economic situation of the island, as well as the effect of the rule issued in 2016 by the Departement of Labor on the payment of overtime.

As part of this study, the GAO reviewed federal legislation and regulations, judicial determinations, and guidelines related to the rule on overtime payment. The GAO also participated in discussion groups with Puerto Rican employers affected by the rule's approval, as well as interviews with stakeholders and labor organizations.

The recommendations included the suggestion of the inclusion of Puerto Rico in the Current Population Survey (CPS), produced by the Census Bureau, which is attached to the Federal Commerce Department. The GAO based this recommendation on the fact that the island does not have sufficient labor statistics to facilitate the assessment of the economic impact of legislation and programs managed at a national level.

CPS is the main monthly labor statistics source, as well as economic and social data. The content of the survey varies from month to month and covers various issues such as child support, volunteering, health insurance coverage, and education system tuition. Every two years, the agencies complete a survey which is tailored to the needs of each respective organization. Needs which are addressed include housing units, displaced workers, employment and occupational movement, contingent workers, composition and characteristics of families, use of tobacco, veterans living conditions, employment needs of people with disabilities, among others.

"GAO's latest report supports the claim that we have been presenting since January 2017, that Puerto Rico should receive equal treatment in the collection of statistics and data management. It is essential that the Census Bureau include the island in all the surveys and supplements so we can have reliable information about the impact of legislation and programs administered by the Federal Government. This is the only way to do justice to the 3.2 million of American citizens who reside in Puerto Rico, providing tools to reclaim the changes in policies that foster our economic development and job creation, "said González Colón.

The Resident Commissioner met this week with Census Bureau officials to discuss the need for Puerto Rico to be included in all surveys conducted by the broker.