12 _ THE CUBA REVIEW 



The shiixnmer or any other person or concern having direct control of the vessel for 

 pecuniary gain shall he considered as employers. In case of injury or death, the compensation 

 and other rights belonging to the seami^n shah be designated by the provisions of this Law. 



If the vessel be lost or six months elapse without having received any news thereof, nor of 

 any of the crew, the compensation referred to by this Law shall be applied as in the case of 

 death of an employee. 



The captain or master of the vessel shall furnish the jiroper information in case of accident- 

 due to the work on board his vessel, stating the circumstances of the case, in accordance with 

 the prescribed in the respective articles of this Law; and if a physician be on board, his inter- 

 vention shall be requested about the circumstances, as well as the issuing of the proper certifi- 

 cate to that effect. In case of injury during the navigation, the time required for the notice 

 of the injury shall be within twenty-four hours, counted from the time the vessel casts anchor 

 in anj- port of its nationahty or in a foreign port having a consular or diplomatic representative 

 of Cuba, whose representative shall assume the duties prescriVjed in those cases for the Munici- 

 pal Judges. 



The managers or owners of places of business, factories, etc., shall be compelled to post in 

 and about their premises a copy of this La\\, under penalty of a fine of from one to three 

 hundred pescs in case of failure to do so. 



The provision of this Law shall not apply to men doing military duty, either at sea or 

 on land. 



Claims for damage for acts not comprised in the provisions of the present Law shall be 

 subject to the prescriptions of the Common Law. 



If the injury shall be caused by fraud, negligence or carelessness, which shall constitute 

 guilt or fault in accordance \\-ith the penalty laws in force, the respective judges or Courts 

 shall try the case, and in their judgments they shall fix the corresponding compensation. 



In regard to employees rendering their services directly to the Federal Government, the 

 Province or the Municipality, these bodies shall be exempt from the obligation of insuring 

 their employees for injuries occurring in the work, and each individual shall be considered as 

 his own insurer. 



The heads or emploj'ers of industries and concerns of a permanent character, having in 

 their emplojTnent persons subject to compulsory insurance, may be exempt from insuring 

 their employees, by assuming upon themselves upon previous authorization from the Presi- 

 dent of CuV)a, all the obhgations comprised in this Law relating to compensation. 



In order to obtain the authorization referred to in the preceding paragraph, it shall be 

 necessary to furnish proof of the solvency of the employer by means of a certificate issued by 

 the Secretary of Agriculture, Labor and Commerce, upon previous evidence on the part of the 

 emploj'er, concern or industry, of pos.sessing real estate, free of encumbrance and representing 

 a value of not less than one thousand pesos for each employee under his charge, provided they 

 do not exceed twenty in number; of five hundred pesos if over twenty and less than fifty, and 

 of two hundred pesos if the number be fifty or over. Said real estate shall at no time be at- 

 tachable while subject to the purpose intended, and shall be insured against fire if liable to 

 catch fire. 



Concerns or industries the property of foreigners shall besides be required to have in this 

 country' a legal representative, with sufficient authorization to transact anj' matter relating to 

 the compensation that has to be paid to the employees, being responsible, if necessary, to the 

 Government and to the Courts of this country for their actions, and can be sued before the 

 Courts of this country. 



The foregoing provisions apply to all Insurance Companies established or that may be 

 estabhshed in the Republic of Cuba. Those now in existence shall comply with this law 

 within sixty daj-s. 



The rights derived from this Law in favor of the employees cannot be renounced. 



This Law shall become effective six months after its enactment. 



Issued in Cuba, on July twelve of the year nineteen hundred and sixteen. 



(Signed) IMARIO G. MEXOCAL 

 EMILIO NUNEZ, President of Cuba. 



Secretary of Agriculture, Labor and Commerce. 



