Things to know about the TERO Ordiance

Here is some information about the Tribal Employment Rights Office or TERO Ordinance:

The Tribal Employment Rights Office Ordinance (TERO) is Law. The Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Indian Reservation, Tribal Council adopted the TERO Ordinance February 24, 2015. The TERO compliance Fees / Taxes will be assessed to contractors, sub-contractors, employers, for the privilege of conducting business on or near the Warm Springs Reservation.

The purposes of the TERO Code are to: Prevent employment discrimination against American Indians; Ensure compliance with the code that is intended to give preference in employment, contracting and subcontracting and training to American Indians;  Maximize utilization of Indians workers in all employment opportunities on and near the Warm Springs Indian Reservation, and;  Ensure the Indian workforce on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation are trained and equipped to enter the workforce and maintain employment of their choosing

The code applies to all Employment and Construction employers located on or engaged in work on the Reservation as set forth in the TERO Code.

Compliance Agreements are agreements between an employer, construction employer, and the Tribal Employment Rights Office (TERO), setting forth how the employer will meet Indian preference hiring and subcontracting goals and that they will comply with this code. The compliance agreement must be executed prior to commencement of any portion of a construction contract or sub-contract within or near the Reservation. Each employer shall be required to meet with the program manager to negotiate, execute, and comply with compliance agreement which sets forth: minimum number of Indians that shall be hired for any particular project while employer or contractor is located on or engaged in work on the Reservation and applicable wage scale provisions, prevailing wages standards, and salary compensation terms that may be applicable to a project or contract.

Periodic reporting to the TERO program is required, regarding the number of Indians employed, record of persons hired, fired, promoted, and a statement regarding compliance with the hiring goals set forth in the compliance agreement.                 Every construction employer with construction, renovation, improvement, or expansion contract in the sum of $10,000 or more shall pay a fee of 2.5% of the total amount of the contract.  And, any violation  of an executed compliance agreement shall be a violation of the TERO code.

The phone number to the TERO is 541-615-0853.  The TERO Director is Wendell Jim.  He can be contacted through email – Wendell.jim@wstribes.org or on his cell 541-325-2147.  Mary Sando-Emhoolah is Dispatch/Compliance Officer and here is her contact information: Cell 541-325-6204, mary.emhoolah@wstribes.org.