PRESS RELEASE, NAVAJO NATION OFFICE OF PRESIDENT & VICE PRESIDENT – (July 11, 2021) Job fairs scheduled to hire temporary workers and summer students to assist with the second phase of the CARES Act Hardship Program
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. – The Navajo Nation Office of the Controller will host three job fairs this week to seek applicants to serve as office specialists, office assistants, and interns to implement the final phase of the CARES Act Hardship Program at the following locations and times:
§ Shiprock Chapter House Tuesday, July 13th from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (MDT)
§ Chinle Chapter House Wednesday, July 14th from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (MDT)
§ St. Michaels Chapter House Thursday, July 15th from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (MDT)
To apply, please complete the Navajo Nation Employment Application on-site or you may download the application online at http://www.dpm.navajo-nsn.gov/ and bring the completed form to one of the job fairs along with a valid state driver’s license and Certificate of Indian Blood.
For intern positions, recent high school graduate will need to provide a copy of Letter of Acceptance/Admission and class schedule; current continuing students will need a copy of transcripts for most recent semester completed and class schedule for upcoming semester.
The Navajo Nation Department of Personnel Management will be on-site to assess the applications for immediate determination of qualifications to fill the open positions. The applicants will be notified on-site if hired. Hired applicants will need to provide a copy of his/her Social Security Card. If you have questions, please contact Ella Howard at ellahoward@nnooc.org or Laura Johnson at laurajohnson@nnooc.org. Officials will also be on-site to answer questions at the job fair events.
“This is a great opportunity for our Navajo people, including students who are home for the summer, to gain work experience and build their professional skills. This is a different approach from the first round of the Hardship Assistance Program that will help to provide employment and income for our own people. Please take advantage of this opportunity and come prepared to the job fair events with the required documents, driver’s license, and CIB,” said Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez.
On July 2, President Nez and Vice President Myron Lizer signed Resolution CJN-35-21 into law, approving the final phase of the CARES Act Hardship Program to allow remaining applicants to receive the direct relief funding, and to reopen the application process for enrolled members who did not apply for the relief funds last year.
The Office of the Controller will reopen the CARES Act Hardship Program application process on Aug. 1, 2021, for the 92,000 enrolled Navajo Nation members who did not apply for the relief funds last year. The Office of the Controller is currently in the process of contacting the 1,865 individuals who submitted an application prior to last November’s deadline, but were missing supporting documents – these applicants will have until the end of July to complete their application.
“The Office of the Controller is doing their best to make this entire process as beneficial as possible, from hiring our Navajo people to operate the program to help provide direct relief to families. This approach helps to create jobs and boost our own economy on the Navajo Nation. We appreciate the patience of our Navajo people and encourage those who have not applied for the Hardship Program to apply beginning in August,” said Vice President Lizer.
During the first phase of the Hardship Program last year, over $319 million in CARES Act funds was issued to approximately 308,000 enrolled members. $41,979,377 remains unspent and will be used for the final phase of the Hardship Program. The resolution for the final phase of the program included language stating that the 1,865 individuals currently on the waiting list will receive direct financial relief comparable to the $1,350 per adult and $450 per minor amounts that was distributed last year.
For those who did not apply during the first phase, there will be a 60-day time period beginning Aug. 1, 2021, to allow those enrolled members to submit applications and based on the number of applicants received, the remaining funds will be distributed. Details about the application process will be provided by the Office of the Controller.
The Nez-Lizer Administration, in coordination with the Office of the Controller, will host an online town hall on Monday, July 12th at 6:00 p.m. (MDT) on the Nez-Lizer Facebook page and YouTube channel to provide more information, which will air on local radio stations later in the week.
PRESS RELEASE – NAVAJO NATION COUNCIL (June 29, 2021) Navajo Nation Council Approves Phase II of Hardship Assistance for Remaining Tribal Members
Window Rock, Ariz. — The Budget & Finance Committee (BFC) of the 24th Navajo Nation Council received a report from the acting Navajo Nation Controller, Elizabeth Begay, on the status of applicants who did not receive financial assistance from the Navajo CARES Act Hardship Fund Assistance Program last year.
“We want to keep a transparent line of communication with the people as BFC receives the report from the acting controller in order to understand the challenges our people are facing,” said Council Delegate Amber Kanazbah Crotty (Cove, Toadlena/Two Grey Hills, Red Valley, Tsé’ałnáoozt’i’í, Sheepsprings, Beclabito, Gad’ii’áhí/Tó Kǫ’í).
Begay informed the Navajo Nation Council that out of the $361,508,000 allocated to the hardship program, $319,532,000 has been expended on approximately 308,000 enrolled members.
However, due to the change in the Navajo Nation’s enrollment count to 399,494 members, around 90,000+ members have yet to receive hardship assistance with a remaining balance of $41,979,377 to be allocated to them.
Out of those 90,000+ members, approximately 1,000 applicants who met the original Nov. 30th deadline did not provide necessary documents, like their C.I.B., to qualify to receive assistance. Additionally, about 9,000 applicants who missed the deadline have been placed on the waitlist.
The remaining 80,000+ members are those who did not apply for the hardship fund assistance.
Begay expressed her concern that the remaining balance would not accommodate the 90,000+ enrolled members. However, with various council delegates sponsored Legislation No. 0094-21, which enacts the Navajo Nation Cares Fund Phase II Hardship Assistance, all 90,000+ members would receive financial assistance.
“Our relatives who had challenges with their paperwork are left in the dark and it is up to leadership to make sure they can access these funds through legislation,” said Crotty.
Crotty — along with four other council delegates — expressed community members’ concerns and questions over the inability to check on their application statuses through the hardship hotline as they are waiting on the funds to pay bills and expenses.
However, Baker Tilly, the contractor that was assigned to oversee the portal and call center put their services and records on hold due to the expiration of the contract coming to a close in September 2021.
“There’s folks from my area that are really inquiring and keep inquiring with me as I speak right now asking when they will be given an answer,” said BFC Vice-Chair, Raymond Smith Jr. (Klagetoh, Wide Ruins, Houck, Lupton, Nahat’á Dziil).
As of Tuesday, the Office of the Controller has been able to retrieve those applicant’s information from the contractor, Baker Tilly.
On Friday, June 25, 2021, the 24th Navajo Nation Council voted to approve Legislation No. 0094-21 with a vote of 23 in favor and 0 opposed during a special session meeting. The legislation would grant those eligible Navajos who timely submitted their applications for Navajo CARES Act Hardship Fund Assistance Program, along with the necessary documents needed.
Those enrolled members shall be awarded funding that is comparable to the amount awarded to other Navajo Nation members who received the $1,350 assistance check for adults and $450 for kids.
If those enrolled members do not apply within 30-days after Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez signs and approves the legislation, then the legislation offers them to reapply under the Phase II Hardship Fund Assistance Program which utilizes the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.
