EEOC Partners With TEROs to Support Tribal Members’ Employee Rights

WASHINGTON – Partnering with Tribal Employment Rights Offices (TERO) directors from the Nez Perce Tribe and Lummi Nation, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced today the release of new public service announcements in full-length, 60 second, 30 second, and 15 second video and downloadable audio formats to help educate Native Americans and Alaska Natives about their employment rights.

Most workers and job seekers in the U.S., including Native Americans and Alaska Natives, are covered by federal anti-discrimination laws which forbid discrimination, harassment and retaliation at work on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, sexual orientation, and gender identity), age, disability and genetic information.

“Protecting Native Americans and Alaska Natives and their communities from unlawful discrimination is enshrined in the EEOC’s Strategic Enforcement Plan,” said EEOC Chair Charlotte A. Burrows. “Outreach is a crucial part of this goal, for which this PSA is a significant, but by no means solitary, endeavor.” 

“The EEOC has partnered with TEROs since 1976 to help advance the Title VII Indian preference requirements on Tribal lands and to help inform Tribal members of their rights to equal employment,” said Cheryl Mabry, director of the EEOC’s Tribal Programs. “We hope these new resources are useful and will continue to help spread the word about rights in the workplace.”

The EEOC works with Tribal Employment Rights Offices (TEROs) and other Tribal organizations to address employment discrimination. Members of the public do not need a personal lawyer to contact the EEOC and there is no fee for services. For more information, call 800-669-4000 (ASL videophone 844-234-5122) or visit www.eeoc.gov to locate the nearest EEOC office.

The EEOC is committed to working with Native American and Alaska Native tribes in a manner that respects Tribal self-government and sovereignty, honors Tribal treaty and other rights, and meets the Federal Government’s Tribal trust responsibilities.

Learn more about EEOC and Tribal Programs at www.eeoc.gov/tribal-programs.

The EEOC advances opportunity in the workplace by enforcing federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. More information is available at www.eeoc.gov. Stay connected with the latest EEOC news by subscribing to our email updates.