What is UTERO

UTERO stands for the Ute Tribe Employment Rights Office. UTERO exists to protect and promote the employment interests of the Ute Indian Tribe’s membership by ensuring fair access to jobs, training, and contracting opportunities for Tribal members and other qualified Indian workers.

UTERO plays a key role in supporting economic opportunity and workforce development within the Uintah & Ouray Indian Reservation and its exterior boundaries.

What is the UTERO Ordinance 18-004?

UTERO operates under the UTERO Ordinance 18-004, which is the Tribal law that guides how employment and contracting activities are carried out within the Uintah & Ouray Indian Reservation and its exterior boundaries. The Ordinance establishes the rules that companies must follow when hiring workers or performing work on Tribal lands and ensures that Tribal members are given fair opportunities.

UTERO Ordinance 18-004 is designed to:

• Promote Indian Preference by prioritizing qualified Ute Tribal members and other Indian workers for jobs, contracts, and subcontracts
• Support job training and workforce development to help Tribal members gain skills and long-term employment opportunities
• Prevent discrimination in hiring, employment, and workplace practices
• Set clear requirements for companies, including licensing, access permits, and compliance expectations
• Provide enforcement authority for inspections, citations, fines, and other corrective actions when violations occur

This Ordinance serves as the foundation for all UTERO activities, including licensing companies, monitoring job sites, investigating complaints, and enforcing compliance to ensure fair and consistent employment practices that benefit the Tribe and its membership.

Oversight

UTERO operates under the oversight of the UTERO Commission. The UTERO Commission is a Ute Indian Tribe Business Committee appointed body responsible for supporting the fair and consistent administration of UTERO Ordinance 18-004. The UTERO Commission provides oversight of UTERO enforcement and compliance activities, reviews meeting requests and appeals, and makes determinations or recommendations as authorized by the Ordinance 18-004. Acting under the inherent sovereign authority of the Ute Indian Tribe and in coordination with UTERO director and the Ute Indian Tribe Business Committee, the Commission helps ensure transparency, due process, and the protection of Indian Preference and employment rights for Tribal members and other Indian workers. Through this oversight structure, UTERO ensures employment activities are administered fairly, consistently, and in the best interest of the Tribe and its membership.