{"id":18401,"date":"2021-11-22T13:16:29","date_gmt":"2021-11-22T18:16:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/News\/?p=18401"},"modified":"2021-11-22T13:17:31","modified_gmt":"2021-11-22T18:17:31","slug":"chuck-hoskin-cherokee-nation-invests-in-our-workforce","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2021\/11\/22\/chuck-hoskin-cherokee-nation-invests-in-our-workforce\/","title":{"rendered":"Chuck Hoskin: Cherokee Nation invests in our workforce"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9\">\r\n<div class=\" content_cards_card content_cards_domain_youtu-be\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"content_cards_image\">\n\t\t\t\t<a class=\"content_cards_image_link\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/GKNK9sloqew\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/28\/maxresdefault-296.jpg\" alt=\"Cherokee Nation to study employee compensation, raise minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2025\">\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"content_cards_title\">\n\t\t<a class=\"content_cards_title_link\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/GKNK9sloqew\">\n\t\t\tCherokee Nation to study employee compensation, raise minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2025\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"content_cards_description\">\n\t\t<a class=\"content_cards_description_link\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/GKNK9sloqew\">\n\t\t\t<p>Cherokee Nation will launch a comprehensive study of its government workforce pay and target a gradual minimum wage increase to $15 per hour by 2025, Princip&#8230;<\/p>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"content_cards_site_name\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/s\/desktop\/ee8698c4\/img\/favicon.ico\" alt=\"YouTube\" class=\"content_cards_favicon\"\/>\t\tYouTube\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<figcaption class=\"figure-caption\">Cherokee Nation: <a href=https:\/\/youtu.be\/GKNK9sloqew>Cherokee Nation to study employee compensation, raise minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2025<\/a>\r\n<\/figcaption>\r\n<div class=\"h3-responsive font-weight-bold\">Investing in Our Cherokee Workforce<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"date\">Monday, November 22, 2021<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"byline\">By Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. <A href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ChuckHoskin_Jr\"><I aria-hidden=true class=\"fab fa-twitter\"><\/I><\/A><\/div>\r\n<div class=\"source\">Cherokee Nation<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"source-links\"><A \r\nhref=\"https:\/\/www.cherokee.org\/\">cherokee.org<\/A><\/div>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nThe workers employed by <a href=https:\/\/www.cherokee.org\/>Cherokee Nation<\/a> take care of all of us. Whether serving as clerks, doctors, nurses, food service workers, teachers, accountants, language preservation experts, maintenance technicians or another of the many occupations in our workforce, they help hundreds of thousands of Cherokees across our reservation and the country. Our government workforce is over 4,200 strong, and 82% of them are Cherokee.\r\n <p><\/p>\r\nA workforce that is fairly compensated and treated with respect is a workforce that can deliver for the Cherokee people. That\u2019s why when Deputy Chief Bryan Warner and I took office in 2019, we worked with the Council of the Cherokee Nation to raise the minimum wage to $11 per hour. Cherokee Nation employees also receive health insurance, life insurance and a retirement plan. They are eligible for annual pay increases, usually around 3%, as well as a $1,000 Christmas bonus. More recently, we added a paid \u201cwellness leave\u201d benefit, and we will be adding more amenities such as walking trails at our work sites.\r\n <p><\/p>\r\nDuring the <a href=\/covid19\/>COVID pandemic<\/a>, we have taken the need to protect workers very seriously. We invested millions in \u201cpremium pay\u201d for those who worked in public settings, paid leave for those who could not, and telework for those who worked remotely. We recently sent out a second round of premium pay, with mechanisms to pay them more if the risk of COVID increases.\r\n <p><\/p>\r\n<div class=\"fb-post\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TheCherokeeNation\/posts\/257812799711662\" data-width=\"500\" data-show-text=\"true\"><blockquote cite=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TheCherokeeNation\/posts\/257812799711662\" class=\"fb-xfbml-parse-ignore\"><p>#ICYMI: Cherokee Nation announced it will launch a comprehensive study of its government workforce pay and target a&#8230;<\/p>Posted by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TheCherokeeNation\">Cherokee Nation<\/a> on&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TheCherokeeNation\/posts\/257812799711662\">Wednesday, November 17, 2021<\/a><\/blockquote><\/div>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nWe aren\u2019t stopping there. Deputy Chief Warner recently told me, \u201cWhen we talk about increasing pay, we are really talking about investing in the Cherokee people.\u201d He is absolutely right, which is why I signed an executive order that sets us on a <a href=https:\/\/anadisgoi.com\/index.php\/government-stories\/757-cherokee-nation-to-study-employee-compensation-raise-minimum-wage-to-15-per-hour-by-2025>path to a $15 minimum wage by October 2025<\/a>, with the first increases toward that goal starting next fall.\r\n <p><\/p>\r\nJust as importantly, the order commissions an expert study of our entire government workforce pay structure. As we have grown over the years, pay adjustments have been uneven across the workforce. The comprehensive study will help correct this and ensure that, as we increase the minimum wage, we avoid \u201cwage compression,\u201d where long-tenured employees see the value of their years of service diminished by entry level workers starting at a higher minimum wage. We will also study any gender pay inequities in our workforce, because men and women deserve an equal chance at success.\r\n <p><\/p>\r\nThe order goes further for our workers earning minimum wage who have been hit hardest in the COVID-ravaged economy. We are developing a \u201cbridges to success\u201d program, launching early next year, to help them increase their earnings and achieve their career dreams.\r\n <p><\/p>\r\n <a href=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2021\/11\/22\/chuck-hoskin-cherokee-nation-invests-in-our-workforce\/cherokeenation-28\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-18406\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1500\" height=\"897\" data-attachment-id=\"18406\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2021\/11\/22\/chuck-hoskin-cherokee-nation-invests-in-our-workforce\/cherokeenation-28\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/22\/cherokeenation.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1500,897\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-title=\"Cherokee Nation\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Cherokee Nation will launch a comprehensive study of its government workforce pay and target a gradual minimum wage increase to $15 per hour by 2025, Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. and Deputy Chief Bryan Warner announced in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, on November 15, 2021. Photo: &lt;a href=https:\/\/anadisgoi.com\/index.php\/government-stories\/757-cherokee-nation-to-study-employee-compensation-raise-minimum-wage-to-15-per-hour-by-2025&gt;Anadisgoi \/ Cherokee Nation&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/22\/cherokeenation-1024x612.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/22\/cherokeenation.jpg\" alt=\"Cherokee Nation\"   class=\"size-full wp-image-18406\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"figure-caption\"> Cherokee Nation will launch a comprehensive study of its government workforce pay and target a gradual minimum wage increase to $15 per hour by 2025, Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. and Deputy Chief Bryan Warner announced in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, on November 15, 2021. Photo: <a href=https:\/\/anadisgoi.com\/index.php\/government-stories\/757-cherokee-nation-to-study-employee-compensation-raise-minimum-wage-to-15-per-hour-by-2025>Anadisgoi \/ Cherokee Nation<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n <p><\/p>\r\nNone of this focus on our government workforce should take away from the service provided by the thousands of workers in our businesses and other entities. For that reason, my executive order encourages management at all of our entities, including <a href=https:\/\/cherokeenationbusinesses.com\/>Cherokee Nation Businesses<\/a>, to make comparable efforts to improve compensation.  The entire Cherokee Nation work family \u2013 over 11,000 men and women \u2013 are worthy of our best efforts.\r\n <p><\/p>\r\nWe must continue exploring ways to go further, so that we always remain the employer of choice for talented Cherokees. From expanding benefits, to further addressing mental wellness, to improving a healthy work\/life balance, I am convinced we can do more.\r\n <p><\/p>\r\nThe Cherokee people deserve the best and brightest public servants in all positions. We have that now, but we will lose it if we do not take care of our employees and plan for the future.\r\n <p><\/p><div class=\"mt-1 mb-1\"><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block; text-align:center;\" data-ad-layout=\"in-article\" data-ad-format=\"fluid\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-8411603009680747\" data-ad-slot=\"6394965691\"><\/ins><script>(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<\/script><\/div>\r\n <p><\/p>\r\nI firmly believe that the steps we take today will ensure that the next generation of talented Cherokees living here and around the country will flock to government service with the Cherokee Nation. Jobs and skills that we have yet to even imagine are theirs to master and to harness for the good of the Cherokee people. The greatest aspirations we have for our great Nation are very much in the hands of Cherokee Nation employees today and in the future.\r\n <p><\/p>\r\nSo, to our workforce, let me simply say: wado and stay strong. Even better days are ahead as Deputy Chief Warner, the Council and I work hard to make sure you have a pay and benefits package that remains worthy of your great service. To our 400,000 plus citizens, if you see one of our workers, tell them wado for their service on behalf of a grateful Nation. \r\n <p><\/p>\r\nTo join our team, look for opportunities at <a href=https:\/\/jobs.cherokee.org\/>jobs.cherokee.org<\/a>.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<HR><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-3\">\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/23\/chuckhoskinavatar.jpg\" alt=\"Chuck Hoskin Jr\" width=\"140\" height=\"140\" class=\"rounded-circle\" \/><\/div>\r\n<div class=\"col-md-9\"><EM><A href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ChuckHoskin_Jr\">Chuck Hoskin Jr.<\/A> \r\nis the 18th elected Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, the largest Indian \r\ntribe in the United States. He is only the second elected Principal Chief of the \r\nCherokee Nation from Vinita, the first being Thomas Buffington, who served from \r\n1899-1903. Prior to being elected Principal Chief, Hoskin served as the tribe\u2019s \r\nSecretary of State. He also formerly served as a member of the Council of the \r\nCherokee Nation, representing District 11 for six years.<\/EM><\/div><\/div><HR>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The workers employed by Cherokee Nation take care of all of us.","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":18407,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_vp_format_video_url":"","_vp_image_focal_point":[],"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[10,9],"tags":[77,76,71,121,127],"class_list":["post-18401","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business","category-opinion","tag-cherokee","tag-chuck-hoskin","tag-economic-development","tag-employment","tag-oklahoma","no-wpautop"],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pcoJ7g-4MN","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/22\/cherokeenation.jpeg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18401","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18401"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18401\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18407"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18401"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18401"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18401"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}