Sauk-Suiattle Tribe accused of going after non-Indian employees

Wednesday, March 13, 2013  

A lawsuit that accuses the Sauk-Suiattle Tribe of Washington of discriminating against non-Indian employees is pending in tribal court.

The tribal council fired 11 non-Indian employees at a meeting in June 2011. Eight of them filed a lawsuit in January 2012 and beat back a motion to dismiss that the tribe filed based on sovereign immunity.

The tribe is appealing the decision and a hearing is scheduled for April 2, The Seattle Weekly reported. If the lawsuit is dismissed, the plaintiffs say they will contact federal agencies in hopes of forcing the tribe to adhere to federal employment discrimination laws.

Two non-Indian employees were terminated at a later date say they are considering lawsuits.

Get the Story:
Storming the Sovereign Gates (The Seattle Weekly 3/13)

Sauk-Suiattle Tribe claims immunity in employment lawsuit (3/29)