The Reality of Persistent Biases & Discrimination Against Indigenous Americans

Native American Heritage Month-I

The Reality of Persistent Biases & Discrimination Against Indigenous Americans

Indigenous Americans are often the “forgotten minority” because in most people’s minds, they have their own lands and government, and thus their own opportunities. Yet the reality is that Indigenous peoples are operating businesses on and off reservations, and they are also employed in the mainstream workforce. Yet they continue to struggle with continued biases about their history, culture, and potential.-Andrew Hale

Indigenous Americans include Native American Indians and Alaska Natives, people who were here long before European settlers settled the country. Most people are familiar with tales of the ‘Wild West’, territorial wars, and the eventual creation of reservations where Indigenous people were expected to live quietly. Today, the federal government recognizes 574 Native American tribes in Alaska and the continental U.S.

A lack of jobs and economic opportunity has led to a high unemployment rate on the reservations, so Indigenous people must look for work or start businesses outside the reservation. Unfortunately, what they encounter is another story of persistent bias and discrimination. As Indigenous Heritage Month unfolds, it is an excellent opportunity for employers to ensure their workforce is inclusive and supportive, and that it also delivers equal opportunities for Indigenous employees. Systemic racism in places of employment remains common, and now is an excellent time to change leadership practices and perspectives.

Employers Can Help Change a Grim Picture
Almost unbelievably, as recently as January 2022, the U.S. Department of Labor ignored Native Americans in its monthly jobs report. In February 2022, the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced it was now publishing separate monthly labor force estimates for American Indians and Alaska Natives. This was a significant step forward in tackling discrimination, because hiding the data in the “big picture” of data meant the status of Indigenous peoples could be mostly ignored. By publishing the data that shows the employment status of Indigenous people, a foundation for addressing critical issues is established. American Indians and Alaska Natives are less likely to be employed compared to the general population. Indigenous people experienced extremely high unemployment during the pandemic, hitting 28.6% in April 2020. As it declined over the next couple of years, the data clearly showed that this group of employees was still usually experiencing almost twice the unemployment rate of the general population. As of May 2023, the employment-to-population ratio was 56.9%.

A Senate report states it well. “The economic well-being and mobility of Native people are held back by persistent disparities in employment, income and education,” says the report. Indigenous people are more likely to be unemployed, meaning they are looking for work but do not have a job, are more likely to live in poverty compared to people in other minority groups, and earn less than non-Hispanic whites. They face barriers to wealth-building and inequities in accessing financing, which translates into fewer homeowners.

Native Americans also have the highest uninsured health rate compared to all other groups. The unemployment rate has averaged twice that of non-Hispanic whites since 2007. The report says, “The past 40 years have seen rising wage inequality and stagnating wage growth in the United States. Because Native workers are overrepresented at the bottom of the income distribution, even relative to Black and Hispanic workers, decades of anemic wage gains among low-income workers have hit the Native community especially hard. Approximately one in six Native American families live below the poverty level. Native Americans experience higher rates of poverty than white individuals, irrespective of age.”

Inclusive Remote Work
While this presents a grim picture, employers can play a big role in changing the narrative. However, they must first eliminate bias against Indigenous employees and businesses, and ensure they give them opportunities to succeed. For example, authors Matthew Gregg and Robert Maxim at the Brookings Institute addressed remote work, giving a clue to content with the article titled Native Americans are getting left behind in the remote work economy. During the pandemic, Native Americans worked remote jobs at a rate that was 8% lower compared to white workers. As workers returned to the office, they were still working remotely at a rate that was 2% lower. Yet remote work can drive poverty rates down while enabling tribal citizens to maintain cultural ties across generations, when people can remain with their tribal community.

Working remotely requires technology and space. Employment discrimination also plays a role. Some of the disparity in remote work opportunities is because Native Americans are overrepresented in frontline occupations and unable to work remotely. The other factors are lack of worker access to the necessary technology to do the work, family conditions, and structural conditions of the home. Numerous studies have found that Native Americans still “end up in jobs that require less education and have worse labor market outcomes,” says the Brookings Institute for example. Though the government is responsible for fulfilling its many commitments to tribes, employers can strive to help Native Americans who live in and off tribal lands gain access to better-paying jobs. This requires employee training programs, paying for workforce development opportunities, and working with advocacy organizations.

Inclusive Workforce for Native Americans
The Department of Labor lists a number of strategies to create an inclusive workforce for Native Americans. One is to implement an Indian employment preference when working near an Indian reservation, a preference allowed by law. Other strategies include utilizing Native American recruitment sources, collaborating with Tribal Employment Rights Organizations, networking with Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), and connecting with urban Indian centers (75% of the Native American population lives off-reservation). Still more strategies include creating an environment of inclusion and belonging in which employees are comfortable self-identifying, reconsidering standardized employment tests, taking advantage of organizations such as tribal vocational rehabilitation agencies and job centers, and using recruitment tools beyond the internet, such as advertisements in tribal newsletters.

Employers should also address the deeply ingrained biases against Native Americans. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s study found that nearly 1 in 3 Native Americans have experienced discrimination regarding pay, promotions, and job applications. Other ways they have been discriminated against include bullying via offensive jokes, racial slurs, unfair stereotypes and hourly workers getting their hours cut to give other employees preferential shifts.

Taking Action to Change the Story From Bias to Inclusion Organizations largely know how to address the same issues in the workforce concerning women, minorities, and people with disabilities, and it is important to take a similar approach to address bias and discrimination against Indigenous people. First, review all Human Resources policies and leadership practices, from recruitment and exit interviews to remote work and flexible scheduling. Review the data analytics in detail, to ensure qualified Indigenous people are not paid less or bypassed for training, development, and promotion opportunities. Analyze the recruitment procedures, to ensure TCUs are included. Consider partnering with one or more TCU, to establish training programs similar to the recruitment efforts at HBCUs for Black Americans. Also, verify that all claims of bias and discrimination are addressed. Hold themed events that share the Indigenous cultures, especially during Indigenous Heritage Month. Finally, educate employees on typical Indigenous stereotyping, and help them increase awareness. Ending workplace bias and discrimination is not easy, but it is worthwhile.