EEOC Approves Model to Help American Indian Tribes

Native News Network Staff in Native Briefs. Discussion »

WASHINGTON – The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, EEOC, has unanimously approved a model plan that will help Indian tribes partner with the EEOC to combat employment discrimination, the agency announced.

Employment Justice with Protections

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's Model Memorandum of Understanding, or MOU, may be entered into by Equal Employment Opportunity Commission District Offices and individual Indian tribes. Each MOU will allow the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and an individual tribe to coordinate investigations, share information and provide reciprocal training in their mutual efforts to eradicate employment discrimination.

Conrad Edwards, CEO of the Council for Tribal Employment Rights, said;

“The Council is appreciative of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's perseverance in the pursuit of this agreement. We believe it respects the sovereignty of the Tribes, while ensuring protection of their workforce in an effective partnership.”

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission will enter into a MOU with an Indian tribe as long as it has an ordinance prohibiting employment discrimination on its reservation or lands which sets forth procedures for redressing allegations of unlawful employment discrimination, and a Tribal Employment Rights Office with the power and resources to enforce the tribe's non-discrimination ordinance.

The Model MOU provides for an interactive relationship between the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission District Office and the Indian tribe with respect to charge processing, training, and technical assistance.

“This new and innovative plan is a great leap forward with the federal government teaming up with tribal agencies to fight job discrimination in Native American lands and communities,”

said Claudia Withers, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Chief Operating Officer.

“These MOUs will not only promote employment justice with protections for Indian tribal members, they will also foster relationships between the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and tribes and promote enforcement of employment discrimination laws on and off Indian lands.”

posted September 18, 2012 6:30 am edt