Tribal Employment Rights Office
Contact Information
Phone
505-552-6604 x5542
Mailing Address
PO Box 309, Acoma, NM 87034
Physical Address
Community Development Office – Alvin Lewis Sr. Building Complex
35 Pinsbaari Drive, Acoma, NM 87034
Office Hours
Monday – Friday
8:00 AM – 4:30 PM
TERO
Erline Correa-TERO Program Manager
Mikalyn Romero – Business Manager
Raymond Concho Jr. – CDO Director
Tribal Employment Rights Office (TERO)
The Pueblo of Acoma Tribal Employment Rights Ordinance (TERO) establishes a comprehensive legal framework to promote employment equity, economic participation, and workforce development for Native American Indians on and near Acoma Pueblo lands. Enacted to address persistent unemployment and systemic barriers to employment, the TERO Ordinance ensures that employers operating within the exterior boundaries of the Pueblo comply with applicable federal and tribal laws prohibiting discrimination and mandating Native American Indian preference in employment, contracting, subcontracting, and training. The Ordinance reflects the Pueblo’s sovereign authority to regulate economic activity on its lands and to protect employment opportunities as a vital tribal resource.
The Acoma TERO Program requires all contractors—excluding the Pueblo as a direct employer—to execute a formal TERO Compliance Agreement prior to commencing work on Pueblo lands. Through the TERO Compliance Agreement, employers negotiate specific numerical hiring goals, timetables, and reporting obligations. The Program Manager is vested with broad administrative authority to implement and enforce the Pueblo of Acoma TERO Ordinance, including establishing recordkeeping requirements, conducting on-site inspections, certifying workforce availability, and continued monitoring of the TERO Compliance Fee by contractors and subcontractors.
TERO maintains a cooperative working relationship with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to strengthen the protection of employment rights for Native American Indians on and near Acoma Pueblo lands consistent with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, and the Pueblo’s inherent sovereign authority to regulate commercial activity within its jurisdiction. Through this partnership, TERO assists the EEOC by promoting awareness of workplace rights, addressing issues such as harassment and unequal terms and conditions of employment, and referring appropriate cases involving potential discrimination for federal review. The EEOC, in turn, provides contractual support and financial assistance to enhance TERO’s accessibility, outreach, training, and overall program capacity, reinforcing a coordinated approach to employment rights enforcement within tribal lands.
TERO Partnership
TERO Partnership
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) partners with Tribal Employment Rights Offices (TEROs) to protect the employment rights of Native Americans and Alaska Natives.
As specified in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, Tribal governments have the inherent sovereign power to regulate commercial dealings by all entities within their jurisdictions, which gives them the authority to require employers on the reservations to provide preference to Indians in employment and business opportunities.
TEROs assist the EEOC in carrying out the Commission’s responsibilities by ensuring that Native Americans and Alaska Natives know, understand and exercise their rights as they relate to, not only Indian preference requirements on reservations, but also other workplace issues such as harassment and different terms and conditions of employment.
In instances involving potential employment discrimination on or near reservations, TEROs are equipped to respond and refer cases to the EEOC as appropriate. The EEOC contracts with the TEROs and provides financial assistance to help support accessibility, training, outreach, and other programmatic needs.
In order to contract with the EEOC, certain criteria must be met. Please see the Contract Qualification for TEROs document.
The EEOC is interested in strengthening the enforcement relationship with Tribal governments by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Tribal nations that further enhances our work together. Please note this Model MOU may be revised through a collaborative process. Memorandum of Understanding Between the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the ______ Nation/Tribe
Frequently Asked Questions About Indian Tribes and Tribal Employment Rights Offices
Tribal Consultations and Collaboration - EEOC
Tribal Consultations and Collaboration
The EEOC is committed to working with Indian 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.
The EEOC in consultation with Indian tribes seeks to identify ways to provide information and access to our services.
The EEOC, jointly with the U.S. Department of Labor, consulted with Tribal Leaders in April 2021, regarding each agency’s Tribal Consultation process. As a result of the feedback received from the Tribes, the EEOC developed a Plan of Action for Tribal matters as well as a Tribal Consultation Process, which describes the process for engaging in consultation with the Tribes.
The EEOC’s State, Local and Tribal Programs Coordinators/Program Managers in our field offices around the country serve as the EEOC liaisons with the FEPAs and TEROs.