TRIBAL TOPICS De mogr aphic s of Native Ame r ic an Pe ople T r - - PDF document

4/8/2016 1

& The Role of Human Resources

TRIBAL TOPICS

• De mogr

aphic s of Native Ame r ic an Pe ople

• T

r ibal Gove r nme nts

• T

r ibal Str uc tur e

• T

r ibal Highe r E duc ation

• Human R

e sour c e s in a T r ibal E nvir

• nme nt

DEMOGRAPHICS OF NATIVE AMERICAN PEOPLE INDIAN COUNTRY DEMGRAPHICS

• POPUL

AT ION

• T
• tal Ame r

ic an Indian/ Alaska Native (AI/ AN) alone population: 2.9 million or about 0.9 pe r c e nt of the US population.

• T
• tal AI/ AN population alone or

in c ombination with othe r r ac e s: 5.2 million or 1.7 pe r c e nt of the US population.

• About 32 pe r

c e nt of Native s ar e unde r the age of 18, c ompar e d to only 24% of the total population who ar e unde r the age of 18. T he me dian age for Ame r ic an Indians and Alaska Native s on r e se r vations is 26, c ompar e d to 37 for the e ntir e nation.

• T

he AIAN population fr

• m bir

th thr

• ugh age 24 make s up 42 pe r

c e nt of the total AIAN population; whe r e as the unde r 25 population for the Unite d State s is only 34 pe r c e nt of the total population.

• State s with the highe st pr
• por

tion of Ame r ic an Indians and Alaska Native s: Alaska (19.5%), Oklahoma (12.9%), Ne w Me xic o (10.7%). Sour c e

• So urc e : Natio nal Co ng re ss o f Ame ric an I

ndians (NCAI )

HEALTH DISPARITIES

 Native pe ople die at highe r rate s than othe r Ame ric ans from

• tub e rc ulo sis: 600% hig he r ? a lc o ho lism: 510% hig he r ? d ia b e te s: 189% hig he r
• ve hic le c ra she s: 229% hig he r ? injurie s: 152% hig he r ? suic id e : 62% hig he r

 Indian youth have the highe st rate of suic ide among all e thnic

groups in the US and is the se c ond-le ading c ause of de ath for Native youth age d 15-24. So urc e : Natio nal Co ng re ss o f Ame ric an I ndians (NCAI )

4/8/2016 2 TRIBAL STRUCTURE WHAT IS INDIAN COUNTRY?

 In Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure, Part I. Crimes, Chapter 53. Indians, or 18 USCS @1151, Indian Country was defined in 1948.  It says, "Except as otherwise provided in sections 1154 and 1156 of this title, the term 'Indian Country', as used in this chapter {18 USCS @ 1151 et. seq.}, means (a) all land within the limits of any Indian reservation under the jurisdiction of the United States  Government, notwithstanding the issuance of any patent, and, including rights-of-way running through the reservation, (b) all dependent Indian communities within the borders of the United States whether within the original or subsequently acquired territory thereof, and whether within or without the limits of a state, and (c) all Indian allotments, the Indian titles to which have not been extinguished, including rights-of-way running through the same".  The codified definition above was enacted in regard to criminal statutes. For application

• f the IRC as it pertains to Indian tribes, civil courts rely on this statute in part. There is

no generic definition for Indian Country applicable to all tribes. Treaties and more recent legislation, such as the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971, must be considered

• n a case-by-case basis.

SOURCE: USA Internal Revenue Service

 An Indian reservation is land a tribe reserved for itself when it relinquished its

• ther land areas to the U. S. through treaties.

 More recently, Congressional acts, Executive Orders and administrative acts have created reservations.  There are approximately 275 Indian land areas in the U. S. administered as Indian reservations (reservations, pueblos, rancherias, communities, etc.).  The largest is the Navajo Reservation of some 16 million acres of land in Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. Source: USA I nte rnal Re ve nue Se rvic e Many of the smaller reservations are less than 1,000 acres with the smallest less than 100 acres. On each reservation, the local governing authority is the tribal government.  The United States holds approximately 56.2 million acres of land in trust for various Indian tribes and individuals.  Much of this is reservation land; however, not all reservation land is trust land.  The states in which reservations are located have limited powers over them, and

• nly as provided by Federal law.

 On some reservations, however, a high percentage of land is owned and occupied by non-Indians. Some 140 reservations have entirely tribally owned land. Source: USA I nte rnal Re ve nue Se rvic e

TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS

 From the Indian General Allotment Act - " Allotted Indian lands held in trust by the United States are an instrumentality employed by the United States for the benefit and control of this dependent race, and so are immune from state taxation."  Trust status is what provides immunity from state taxes. Lands not held in trust by the Federal government for the benefit of the tribe would generally not share immunity and would, therefore, generally be subject to state property taxes. Source: USA I nte rnal Re ve nue Se rvic e

4/8/2016 3

 Whe n Indian tribe s first e nc ounte re d E

urope ans, the y we re de alt with be c ause of the ir stre ngth in numbe rs and we re tre ate d as sove r e ign gove r nme nts with whom tr e atie s we r e made . Whe n tr ibe s gave up the ir lands to the U. S., the y re taine d c e rtain sove re ignty

• ve r the lands the y ke pt.

 While suc h sove re ignty is limite d today, it is ne ve rthe le ss je alously

guarde d by the tribe s against e nc roac hme nts by othe r sove re ign e ntitie s suc h as State s. T ribe s e njoy a dire c t gove rnme nt-to- gove rnme nt re lationship with the U.S. gove rnme nt whe re in the y are c onsulte d about de c isions about the ir lands and pe ople .

Source: USA I nte rnal Re ve nue Se rvic e

 T

he Navajo T ax Commission has a jurisdic tion that inc lude s are as of thre e state s, Arizona, Ne w Me xic o and Utah.

 T

he re are many U.S. Distric t Court and Appe llate c ase s, whic h de fine jurisdic tional boundarie s for tribal taxing authoritie s. T he jurisdic tion of the tribal taxing author itie s e xists only within tribal boundaries.

 Non- tribal pe rsons and e ntitie s may be subje c t to a par

tic ular tr ibal tax c ode if the y are doing busine ss on tribal lands.

 T

he tr ibe s r e tain the authority "to tax the ac tivitie s or prope rty of non-Indians taking plac e or situate d on Indian lands, in c ase s whe re the tribe has a signific ant inte r e st in the subje c t matte r ." (Confe de r ate d T r ibe s of Colville Indian R e se rvation, 447 U.S. at 153)

 T

r ibal tax ac ts have to be appr

• ve d by the Se c r

e tar y of the Inte rior. Whe n tribal taxing authoritie s are c halle nge d, the outc ome is usually de c ide d in the Unite d State s F e de r al Cour t syste m. Sour c e :

• Source: USA I

nte rnal Re ve nue Se rvic e  PRE SIDE NT – E XE CUT IVE BRANCH – SINCE 1980

(1900 T HROUG H 1930’ S BIA SUPE R IMPOSE D T HE AME RIC AN GOVE RNME NT ST RUC UT URE – HOWE VE R T RIBE S DID HAVE A CHOICE )

 SPE AK E R OF T HE COUNCIL – L E GISL AT IVE BRANCH

SPE AK E R OF T HE COUNCI L COUNCI LDE L E GAT E S – 24 (RE DUCE D F ROM 88) CHAPT E R GOVE RNME NT S -110 CHAPT E R AGE NCI E S = 5

 SUPRE MECOURT– JUDICI ALBRANCH

CHI E F JUST I CE

• 1

SUPRE ME COURT JUST I CE S = 5

 OK L A, F L ORIDA AND MAINEUSE S T HECHIE FST RUCT URE  PUBE L O NAT IONS IN NE W ME XICO HAVE GOVE RNORS

SOURCE : Dr. L awre nc e I saac ,Jr., Navajo T e c hnic al Unive rsity

NAVAJO NATION GOVERNMENT

TRIBAL HIGHER EDUCATION

USA TRIBAL COLLEGES

 T

he numbe r

• f Ame r

ic an Indian and Alaska Native stude nts e nr

• lle d in

c olle ge s and unive r sitie s and the numbe r

• f postse c ondar

y de gr e e s awar de d has mor e than double d in the past 30 ye ar s.

 Only five pe r

c e nt of Ame r ic an Indians and Alaska Native s have r e c e ive d gr aduate or pr

• fe ssional de gr

e e s, c ompar e d to 10 pe r c e nt for the total population, and only nine pe r c e nt of Ame r ic an Indians have e a r ne d ba c he lor ’s de g r e e s c ompa r e d to 19 pe r c e nt for the US

• population. Sour

c e :

• So urc e : Natio nal Co ng re ss o f Ame ric an I

ndians (NCAI )

4/8/2016 4

 T OT AL NUMBE R OF COL L E GE S = 37  COMMUNIT Y COL L E GE =32  COL L E GE S & UNIVE RSIT IE S =5  DINE COL L E GE

T SAI L E , AZ 4-YE AR COL L E GE

 NAVAJO T E CHNIC AL UNIVE RSIT Y

NT U – CROWNPOI NT , NM 4-YR U NI VERSI T Y

 SOUT HWE ST INDIAN POL YT E CH INST IT UT E (BIA)

SIPI – AL BUQUE RQUE , NM 2 YR COL L EGE

 HASK E L L UNIVE RIST Y (BIA)

L AWERENCE K ANSAS 4-YR UNIVE RI SY

 AME RIC AN INST IT UE OF ART

IAIA – SANT E F E, NM 4 YR-COL L EGE

S OURCE : Dr. L awre nc e I saac ,Jr., Navajo T e c hnic al Unive rsity

TRIBAL COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES

HUMAN RESOURCES IN A TRIBAL ENVIRONMENT

THE ENVIRONMENT

MAINTANING PROFESSIONALISM IN A CULTURALLY SENSITIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT HIGH PREMIUM ON PRESERVATION OF VALUES AND BELEIFS ACCEPTING OF DIVERSITY FROM ALL 4 CORNERS OF THE WORLD CARING AND PASSIONATE ABOUT EDUCATION OPEN TO CHANGE AND NEW IDEAS REWARDING EXPERIENCE AND A PRIVILEDGE TO WORK ON THE RESERVATION

HIRING PROCESS

• QUAL

I F I E D NAVAJO T AK E S PRE CE DE NCE OVE R OT HE R APPL I CANT S

• T

HE NON-NAVAJO SPOUSE OF AN E NROL L E D NAVAJO ONL Y HAS PRE F E RE NCE I F OT HE R APPL I CANT S ARE NON-NAVAJO

• VE

T E RANS ARE GI VE N PRE F E RE NCE AL SO

• JOB MUST

BE POST E D F OR NO L E SS T HAN 10 WORK I NG DAYS

• T

HE HI RI NG PROCE SS MUST BE CONSI ST E NT AND SAME F OR AL L APPL I CANT S

EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK

• WRIT

T E N POL ICI E S AND PROCE DURE S ARE CRIT I CAL L Y IMPORT ANT

• MANY L

AWYE RS AND ORGANIZAT I ONS HAVE A DISCL AI ME R, “T

his is no t a c o ntra c t”. Ho we ve r, d e pe nd ing o n the jurisd ic tio n it is in fa c t a c o ntra c t

• ON T

HE NAVAJO NAT ION IT IS A COMPONE NT OF T HE WRIT T E N E MPL OYME NT CONT RACT

• T

HE HANDBOOK SE RVE S A GUIDE IN WHICH T HE E MPL OYE R AND T HE E MPL OYE E CAN F OST E R A HARMONOUS WORK ING RE L AT IONSHIP

• E

MPL OYE E S OF T E N WIT H A F AMIL Y ME MBE R ARE WE L L VE RSE D IN T HE CONT E NT S ON T HE E MPL OYE E HANDBOOK ON OR OF T HE RE SE RVAT ION

4/8/2016 5

AGGRIEVED EMPLOYEE RELIEF

• T

HE OF F I CE OF NAVAJO L ABOR RE L AT I ONS (ONL R)

SYMBOL I C OF T HE NE W ME XI CO HUMAN RI GHT S COMMI SSI ON

• T

YPE S OF CL AI MS ARE SI MI L AR T O ONE S HANDL E D BY NM HUMAN RI GHT S COMMI SSI ON

• I

NVE ST I GAT I ONS CONDUCT ED BY T HE ONL R

NO RE T AL IAT I ON ST AT UE AF T E R AN E MPL OYE E F I L E S A CHARGE

• CONCI

L I AT I ON PROCE SS

• RI

GHT T O SUE L E T T E R I SSUE D

REDUCING “ONLR” CLAIMS AND NM HUMAN RIGHTS CLAIMS

• T

HE HR DOOR MUST AL WAYS BE OPE N

• MUST

AL WAYS BE ACCE SSABL E AND APPROACHABL E

• MUST

L IST E N AND E NSURE T HE E MPL OYE E T HAT YOU ARE AT T E NT IVE

• E

VAL UAT E E MPL OYE E SIT UAT IONS WIT H BAL ANCE , F AIRNE SS AND F RE E OF ANY BIAS

• MAINT

AIN T HE CONF IDE NT IAL I T Y OF T HE COMPL AING PART Y

• DO NOT

RE INF ORCE T HE COMPL AINANT ’ S E XPE CT AT IONS  AS A HUMAN RE SOURCE PROF E SSIONAL , IT IS MORE APPROPRIAT E T O F OCUS ON DOING T HE RIGHT T HING IN E VE RY SIT UAT ION  DOING T HE RIGHT T HING WIL L RE DUCE T HE NUMBE R OF ONL R & HUMAN RIGHT S CL AIMS AS WE L L AS L AWSUIT S  RIGHT L Y DE VIDE T HE POL ICY AND E NSURE CONSIST E NCY IN POL ICY ADMINIST RAT ION  T HE MAJORIT Y OF L AWSUIT S F IL E D BY E MPL OYE E S ARE DIRE CT L Y T IE D T O T HE INCONSI ST E NCY IN POL ICY ADMINIST RAT ION.  AL WAYS OPE RAT E F ROM A POSIT ION OF RE SPE CT F OR E VE RYONE

EXPECTATIONS OF HR!

SUMMARY / CONCLUSION

• De mographic s of Native Ame r

ic an Pe ople

A pr

• ud pe ople
• T

ribal Gove rnme nts

T he syste m & se lf gove r nanc e

• T

ribal Struc ture

How it wor ks

• T

ribal Highe r E duc ation

Se lf r e silie nc e

• Human Re sourc e s in a T

ribal E nvironme nt

E xpe c tations

INDIAN COUNTRY GOVERNMENT & THE ROLE OF HUMAN RESOURCES

BY

KE N COOPE R

M.B.A., M.S., E mplo yme nt L a w Dire c to r o f Huma n Re so urc e s Na va jo T e c hnic a l Unive rsity

REFERENCES

 Na tio na l Co ng re ss o f Ame ric a n Ind ia ns (NCAI) http:/ / www.nc a i.o rg / a b o ut-trib e s  USA Inte rna l Re ve nue Se rvic e https:/ / www.irs.g o v/ Go ve rnme nt-E ntitie s/ Ind ia n-T rib a l-Go ve rnme nts/ IT G- F AQ-%234-Answe r-Wha t-is-Ind ia n-Co untry%3F  T rib a l Co lle g e , Jo urna l o f Ame ric a n Ind ia n Hig he r E d uc a tio n http:/ / www.trib a lc o lle g e jo urna l.o rg / ma p-o f-trib a l-c o lle g e s  Dr. L

a wre nc e I sa a c ,Jr., Na va jo T e c hnic a l Unive rsity E ma il: lisa a c s@ na va jo te c h.e d u

4/8/2016 6 QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Q & A