Ft. Hall reacts to government shutdown

The Fort Hall Business Council is taking steps to provide essential government services while minimizing the impact of a federal government shutdown on employees and the community.

In a statement, spokesperon Randy’L Teton confirmed local employees of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Indian Health Service, and other federal agencies are working without pay.

The Tribal Council has enacted a 2019 Tribal Closure Plan. It defines essential serices to include those that provide public safety, health, medical care, postal service, and key social and behavioral services. The plan will be in effect until February 2, 2019, by which time the Tribes hope the shutdown will be resolved.

Tribal departments will operated at 80% this week and offices will close on Friday, January 18.

Several specific strategies for Tribal employees have been adopted. They include:

A temporary exemption allowing tribal employees to moonlight on temporary second-jobs.

Allow personal leave to be accrued for those career-status employees impacted by work hour reductions.

Enable qualified Tribal employees to get unemployment benefits. Official letters are being developed.

Proving another week of employment for temporary employees through January 17, 2019.

In the community, the Tribal Housing Opportunity Program is offering workshops on crisis budgeting and offering to set appointments with people to help with personal finances. The program is also working with local lending institutions whose customers may be experiencing hardships caused by the shutdown.

Tribal leadership is also urging the community and tribal members to unify in support of the community and its collective response to the shutdown.

Additional information is available on the Tribes’ official Facebook page.