P.R. Laws tit. 3, § 9023
Except as provided in § 9010 of this title, employees who contribute to Savings and Loan Fund may not avail themselves of the amounts deducted in accordance with the provisions of this Act, except in the event of definite separation from service or office, or when said funds are needed for the treatment of a catastrophic illness that endangers the life of the member him/herself or a member of his/her family unit, provided that said funds are not already pledged to secure a debt with the Association. It is hereby provided that any employee who separates from service to avail him/herself of a pension from any of the Retirement Systems of the Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico may continue to contribute uninterruptedly to the Savings and Loan Fund, if he/she so authorizes before retirement. In such a case, said member may not withdraw the savings and dividends accrued as of the effective date of his/her resignation from the agency where he/she worked. The Association shall pay the accrued savings of all deceased employees or covered pensioned members to their legal heirs. The handling of these files until their definitive closing, and the issue of the certifications thereof, shall be exempt from the payment of any fees.
The Assembly of Delegates shall establish through regulations the eligibility criteria to determine whether members can avail themselves of this exception and the procedure to process applications, taking into account the urgency with which they must be processed.
Members who apply for this exception and are on leave without pay, or have taken a leave to undergo treatment, shall be dropped from membership in the Association; however, those members who are able to continue working while undergoing treatment, or who request benefits because a member of their family unit is ill, shall not be dropped from membership, but rather shall open a new savings account without interruption.
History —Apr. 25, 2013, No. 9, § 24.