Or to paraphrase, "Puerto Rico pays average of $600 bonus to government workers (who make $20-40K) as required by law." "This year the payments will total $113

Or to paraphrase, "Puerto Rico pays average of $600 bonus to government workers (who make $20-40K) as required by law." "This year the payments will total $113 million, the government told Bloomberg News. Some 250,000 people get bonuses, with current workers averaging $600 bonus and retirees getting about $200, Bloomberg reported. For the majority of government employees who make between $20,000 and $40,000 it’s an important boost, said Carlos Mercader, who leads Puerto Rico’s office in Washington, D.C. He said the governor, in making the payments, is following the law. And he said members of Congress who are pondering the territory’s massive relief request should be aware of how much the governor has already done to control the budget, such as a 20 percent reduction in political appointees in the government and a 15 percent cut in the operating budget. “I would challenge whoever argues that the government hasn’t been austere in this whole process. The government has been saving money from the get-go,” Mr. Mercader said."