The Liberty Justice Center welcomes Ángel J. Valencia as the newest member of the team as Senior Counsel. Valencia, an accomplished litigator with deep experience defending workers’ First Amendment rights, will help lead LJC’s efforts to defend individual liberties and challenge government overreach.
Valencia brings with him a plethora of experience as well as the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation’s case Puerto Rico Police Bureau Civilian Employees v. Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB) and Union of Organized Civilian Employees. The case challenges the PRPB’s long-standing practice of paying a discretionary employer health care contribution only to union members, while denying the same benefit to eligible nonmembers.
Most recently on September 19, 2024, Judge William G. Young of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico granted declaratory and injunctive relief, holding that it is unconstitutional for a public employer to pay a discretionary monetary health benefit to union members while denying it to eligible nonmembers. The court enjoined PRPB from withholding the additional supplemental health benefit from nonmembers based solely on union membership status.
“I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to join the Liberty Justice Center and to work alongside such a talented group of litigators,” said Ángel Valencia, about beginning his new role. “The opportunity to contribute to LJC’s impactful work, including the ongoing fight defending workers’ constitutional rights in Puerto Rico and elsewhere, is one I embrace with enthusiasm and dedication.”
Despite the court’s ruling addressing the compelled speech issue and requiring the Bureau to make the discretionary health benefit available to all eligible employees, not just union members, to date, the Bureau has not complied. The plaintiffs have filed motions for sanctions and contempt, which remain pending before the court. As of now, the win applies only to the employer, not the union. The Liberty Justice Center is now taking the lead on the case moving forward and is grateful for the talented new addition to their staff.
The Liberty Justice Center has partnered with the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation on previous cases, including the landmark Supreme Court case win, Janus v. AFSCME, in 2018. The two organizations have no doubt that their combined efforts will benefit their clients in this case.
Additional information on Puerto Rico Police Bureau Civilian Employees v. Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB) and Union of Organized Civilian Employees, as well as all files pertaining to the case can be found here.