PR DOL Offers Workforce Services to Laid-Off Baxter Workers in Guayama
Summary
The Puerto Rico Department of Labor and Human Resources (DTRH) announced it is making its agency services available to workers laid off by pharmaceutical company Baxter in Guayama. Secretary María del Pilar Vélez Casanova stated the company had not coordinated any assistance with the agency, but DTRH staff would request employer collaboration to connect displaced workers with available programs. Affected workers are being directed to file initial unemployment insurance claims through the trabajo.pr.gov portal, with qualifying individuals eligible for up to 26 weeks of benefits per year while transitioning to new employment.
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GovPing monitors PR DOL / PR OSHA Prensa for new labor & employment regulatory changes. Every update since tracking began is archived, classified, and available as free RSS or email alerts — 3 changes logged to date.
What changed
The DTRH announced it will deploy its workforce assistance programs to serve Baxter employees who were recently laid off in Guayama. The department did not coordinate with Baxter beforehand but is proactively reaching out to request the employer's collaboration in directing workers to available services.
Employers operating in Puerto Rico who undertake significant workforce reductions should note that the DTRH expects to be consulted and will offer assistance through its programs if notified. Workers affected by layoffs can access unemployment insurance (up to 26 weeks), job search assistance through the PERFIL AI-powered employment portal, and integration services through the Employment Service.
Archived snapshot
Apr 22, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
Departamento del Trabajo pone sus recursos a la disposición de empleados cesanteados de Baxter 20 de enero de 2026- El Departamento del Trabajo y Recursos Humanos (DTRH) puso
a disposición de los trabajadores cesanteados por la farmacéutica Baxter los servicios de la agencia tras el anuncio de la reducción de su plantilla en Guayama. La secretaria del Trabajo, María del Pilar Vélez Casanova, indicó que la empresa no ha coordinado con la agencia algún tipo de ayuda para dichos trabajadores. Sin embargo, afirmó que su personal estaría solicitándole al patrono la colaboración para asistirles a través de los programas disponibles.
"Como gobierno es nuestro compromiso apoyarles facilitando los recursos del
Departamento mediante los cuales podrán recibir orientación y acceso a programas que les permitan avanzar hacia nuevas oportunidades laborales. Les instamos a que llenen su reclamación inicial del Seguro por Desempleo accediendo a nuestro portal trabajo.pr.gov. Esta es una ayuda disponible mientras transicionan a un nuevo empleo y quienes califiquen podrán recibirlo hasta un máximo de 26 semanas al año", explicó la titular del DTRH. Por otro lado, Vélez Casanova puntualizó que el Servicio de Empleo les asistirá en la búsqueda de oportunidades laborales a través de su base de datos y el Portal de Empleo y Reclutamiento para Facilitar la Integración Laboral (PERFIL). Esta es una plataforma, impulsada por la inteligencia artificial, que conecta a aspirantes a empleo con ofertas laborales que se ajustan a sus conocimientos y capacidades. Es importante destacar que el Departamento del Trabajo se sumaría a los esfuerzos que realice el Departamento de Desarrollo Económico y Comercio (DDEC) para ofrecerles asistencia estos empleados.
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