November is National Native American Heritage Month

Celebrating the unique and rich history of American Indians and Alaskan Natives is a year-long commitment for the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs and its Indian and Native American Employment Rights Program.

This November, OFCCP commemorates National Native American Heritage Month by honoring the resilience of tribal leaders, frontline workers, and contractors working to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus throughout Indian Country and protect communities. The pandemic exacerbated preexisting inequities facing American Indians and Alaska Natives, including disproportionately higher rates of infection and mortality early in the pandemic.

As President Biden’s recent proclamation observed, “[f]ar too often in our founding era and in the centuries since, the promise of our Nation has been denied to Native Americans who have lived on this land since time immemorial. Despite a painful history marked by unjust Federal policies of assimilation and termination, American Indian and Alaska Native peoples have persevered.”

During National Native American Heritage Month, OFCCP recommits itself to advancing equity and opportunity for all American Indians and Alaska Natives. Through INAERP, OFCCP advances awareness of employment rights and job opportunities for American Indians and Alaska Natives who work for or seek employment with companies doing business with the federal government. INAERP accomplishes this mission through compliance assistance and outreach to federal contractors and coordination with tribal representatives, community-based organizations, apprenticeship programs, workforce development agencies, and other federal stakeholders.

OFCCP and INAERP have a long history of working with contractors to expand their employment opportunities to include Native Americans.  INAERP will continue to conduct virtual meetings with federal contractors and community organizations with the goal of connecting Native Americans with those who have job opportunities.

OFCCP says it will remain dedicated in its efforts to:

• Encourage federal contractors working on or near Indian reservations to implement Indian Preference in employment to American Indians and Alaska Natives.

• Focus on outreach and recruitment efforts between federal contractors and Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs). This includes promoting virtual career fair events for students and alumni of TCUs.

• Provide best practices resources for our stakeholders who work on or near Indian reservations. Best Practices: Creating an Inclusive Workforce for Native Americans gives federal contractors the tools they need to be successful in their efforts to recruit American Indians and Alaska Natives for job opportunities.

OFCCP’s INAERP staff are available to answer your questions and help your company locate recruitment sources that align with your employment needs. Contact INAERP directly at 1-844-206-1836 or OFCCP-INAERP@dol.gov.