(a) A Labor Relations Board is hereby created, constituted by a Chairperson and two (2) associate members appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate of Puerto Rico for a term of ten (10) years. The Governor may remove any member of the Board upon prior notice and hearing, for negligence or malfeasance in the performance of his or her duties.
(b) The Chairperson of the Board shall receive the salary [set] annually by the General Budget Act, and the Associate Members shall each receive per diems of seventy-five dollars ($75) for each day of session, and for travel expenses to attend the Board’s sessions, excluding those carried out within the metropolitan area of San Juan, which shall be reimbursed as specified in the law or applicable regulations for public officials and employees of the Department of the Treasury. As of January 1, 1997, the members of the Board shall receive per diems equal to the minimum per diems established in § 29 of Title 2 for members of the Legislature.
(c) The Chairperson shall be the executive officer of the Board and shall devote all of his time to the duties of his office as chairman, and during his incumbency he shall not engage in any private business, or in the practice of any profession or trade. The Chairperson shall appoint the necessary personnel for the performance of the functions and duties prescribed by this subchapter.
(d) A vacancy in the Board shall not impair the right of the remaining members to exercise all the powers of the Board. After all the members of the Board are appointed, two members thereof shall constitute a quorum. Business of a purely administrative nature shall be attended to by the Chairperson.
(e) The central office of the Board shall be in the city of San Juan, but the Board may exercise any or all of its powers in any place in Puerto Rico. A member of the Board taking part in any conference, investigation, hearing or election shall not be prevented from subsequently taking part in a decision of the Board in the same matter or in any other matter in which the parties or one of them may be affected.
(f) The Board shall have authority to make, amend, and repeal such rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this subchapter. Such rules and regulations shall have the force of law upon their due promulgation.
(g) The necessary appropriations to cover salaries, per diems, traveling expenses and other disbursements of the Board and its personnel shall be included in the General Budget of Expenses of the Government of Puerto Rico.
(h) The Board shall annually render to the Governor and the Legislature of Puerto Rico a report of its activities during the preceding year, including data and statistics and such recommendations as it may deem advisable.
(i) When the Chairperson of the Board is to be absent from his office, including the time authorized for his vacations or sick-leave, but in no case for a term exceeding two (2) months, the latter may delegate during said absence, provisionally, in an executive officer of the personnel under his direction, all or part of the executive functions of the office of Chairperson.
History —May 8, 1945, No. 130, p. 406, § 3; Mar. 7, 1946, No. 6, p. 18, § 1; May 14, 1947, No. 458, p. 994, § 1; Apr. 18, 1950, No. 49, p. 128, § 1; June 15, 1955, No. 71, p. 264; June 14, 1957, No. 62, p. 148; May 21, 1964, No. 30, p. 80, § 1; May 30, 1970, No. 70, p. 181; June 24, 1971, No. 114, p. 357, § 1; July 20, 1979, No. 128, p. 311; Aug. 12, 1996, No. 131, § 1; Dec. 28, 2000, No. 446, § 1.