FILED: January 12, 2000
THE CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF THE
SILETZ INDIANS OF OREGON,
Petitioner,
v.
EMPLOYMENT DEPARTMENT and
GENEVA A. JOHNSON,
Respondents.
____________________________________________________________________
THE CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF THE
SILETZ INDIANS OF OREGON,
Petitioner,
v.
EMPLOYMENT DEPARTMENT and
DENISE L. PETERSON,
Respondents.
____________________________________________________________________
THE CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF THE
SILETZ INDIANS OF OREGON,
Petitioner,
v.
EMPLOYMENT DEPARTMENT and
LILLIE E. BUTLER,
Respondents.
Judicial Review from Employment Appeals Board.
Argued and submitted September 20, 1999.
Craig J. Dorsay argued the cause for petitioner. With him on the briefs was Jennifer K. De Wald.
Richard D. Wasserman, Assistant Attorney General, argued the cause for respondent Employment Department. With him on the brief were Hardy Myers, Attorney General, and Michael D. Reynolds, Solicitor General.
No appearance by respondent Geneva A. Johnson.
No appearance by respondent Denise L. Peterson.
No appearance by respondent Lillie E. Butler.
Before Landau, Presiding Judge, and Linder and Brewer, Judges.
BREWER, J.
Affirmed.
BREWER, J.
Employer, the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians of Oregon
(Siletz), a federally recognized Indian tribe, 63 Fed Reg 71942 (1998), seeks
consolidated review of three final orders of the Employment Appeals Board (EAB).
The challenged orders awarded unemployment compensation benefits to three former
members of Siletz' tribal council (claimants)(1) who were removed from office pursuant
to a recall election. Siletz contends that EAB erred in concluding that claimants'
services constituted employment, thus making them eligible for benefits under ORS
chapter 657. We review EAB's findings of fact for substantial evidence, its legal
conclusions for errors of law, and affirm. ORS 657.282; ORS 183.482(8)(a).
In 1979, Siletz executed a written notice of election (1979 election) to
become subject to ORS chapter 657, and the Employment Department (Department)
approved that election. The election provided, in part:
"[Siletz] being an employing unit under Oregon Department of
Employment Law, but not an employer subject thereto, does hereby elect
to become an employer subject to said law for all occupations and
employments in which [Siletz] is now engaged or may hereafter engage,
and hereby makes application for the written approval of this election by
the Department."
The election also described Siletz' "occupation or business" as that of "conducting the
business of an Indian Nation" and provided that a total of 11 employees would
become subject to ORS chapter 657.
Also in 1979, Siletz adopted a constitution establishing a tribal
government in order to, among other things, protect its "inherent rights * * * as a
sovereign Indian tribe." Article IV, section 1, of the Siletz Constitution established a
tribal council consisting of "nine members elected by the General Council to terms of
three years" and generally vested the council with "legislative authority" for the tribe.
The General Council consists of all duly enrolled members of Siletz who are 18 years
of age and older. Siletz Const, Art II, § 2. Each General Council member has the
right to cast one vote for each vacancy on the tribal council. Siletz Const, Art VI, § 3.
In 1996 and 1997, claimants were elected to the tribal council.
Claimants received an hourly wage for their services as council members. During
their tenure as council members, claimants did not work for Siletz in any other
capacity. In 1998, claimants were removed from office pursuant to a recall election.
Following their removal, they each filed claims for unemployment insurance benefits.
Claimants Geneva Johnson and Denise Peterson filed their claims at the
same time. Siletz disputed their claims, contending, among other things, that their
service as elected council members was exempt from the definition of "employment"(2)
by ORS 657.065.(3) The claims were heard by an administrative law judge (ALJ), who
ruled in favor of claimants. In so deciding, the ALJ implicitly determined that ORS
657.065 does not exclude elected tribal council members from the definition of
employment. Siletz sought review, and EAB affirmed the ALJ's decision.
The third recalled council member, Lillie Butler, filed her claim after the
first two were filed. Butler's claim was heard separately. The ALJ concluded that, as
a federally recognized tribe, Siletz was not subject to ORS chapter 657 in the absence
of an election to become subject. At the time of the hearing, Siletz had no copy of the
1979 election, and the Department was unable to locate its copy. The ALJ noted the
absence of evidence of a written election but nevertheless determined that Siletz had
consented to coverage because it paid "employment taxes with expectation of
coverage." The ALJ observed that ORS 657.065(2) exempted state and local elected
public officials from the statutory unemployment insurance scheme. The ALJ
determined that the exemption also applied to elected tribal officials. Accordingly,
the ALJ concluded that Butler was not eligible for unemployment benefits.
The Department appealed that decision to EAB. At the hearing before
EAB, the Department submitted a copy of Siletz' 1979 election. EAB took official
notice of that election, determined that the legislature did not intend to exclude tribal
council members from coverage by operation of ORS 657.065(2) and concluded,
based on the 1979 election, that Butler was eligible for unemployment insurance
benefits.
Siletz sought reconsideration of each of EAB's decisions, but EAB
denied reconsideration. ORS 657.290(1). Siletz then filed a petition with this court
and moved, pursuant to ORAP 2.30, for consolidation of the three cases. We granted
that motion and consolidated the cases. On review, Siletz contests EAB's conclusion
in each case that claimants "worked in employment subject to Chapter 657" by
performing services as tribal council members.
The parties agree that because Siletz is a federally recognized Indian
tribe, it is not subject to ORS chapter 657 in the absence of an election to be treated as
such. See Oklahoma Tax Com. v. Chickasaw Nation, 515 US__, 115 S Ct __, 132 L
Ed 2d 400, 409 (1995) (a state is generally without power to tax tribal members within
"Indian country"). The issues before us are whether Siletz was authorized to elect
coverage as an employing unit under Oregon's unemployment compensation system
and, if so, whether ORS 167.065 (1977) nonetheless prohibited election of coverage
for tribal council members. Finally, if Siletz was not prohibited from electing
coverage for tribal council members, we must determine whether Siletz intended to
include those persons within the scope of its 1979 election.
ORS 657.425(1) (1977) provided that
"[a]ny employing unit, for which services that do not constitute
employment as defined in [ORS Chapter 657] are performed, may file
with the assistant director [of the Department] a written election that all
such services performed by individuals in its employ in one or more
distinct establishments or places of business shall be deemed to
constitute employment * * * ." (Emphasis added.)
Siletz does not assert that it lacked inherent authority to subject itself voluntarily to
Oregon law. See 25 USC § 476 (authorizing Indian tribes to negotiate with state
governments).(4) See also Chance v. Coquille Indian Tribe ORS 657.020(1) (1977) defined "employing unit" to mean:
"(a) Any individual or type of organization * * *.
"(b) This state, including every state officer, board, commission,
department, institution, branch and agency of the state government.
"(c) Any people's utility district.
"(d) Any political subdivision." (Emphasis added).
It is readily apparent that Siletz does not qualify as an employing unit under
subsections (b)-(d) of the statute. Siletz is not a state. ORS 657.010(9) (1977). See
White Mountain Apache Tribe v. Bracker, 448 US 136, 142, 100 S Ct 2578, 65 L Ed
2d 665 (1980) ("tribes have retained a 'semi-independent position . . . not as States'").
Nor is it a "people's utility district" or "political subdivision" of the state. See ORS
657.097 (1977) (defines "political subdivision" for purposes of ORS chapter 657); see
also Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation v. Kurtz, 691 F2d 878, 880
(9th Cir 1982), cert den 460 US 1040 (1983) (Indian tribes are not political
subdivisions of the State of Oregon). Because Siletz is obviously not an "individual,"
in order to be an "employing unit" it had to qualify, if at all, as an "organization."
ORS 657.020(1) (1977) provided that the term "organization" includes
any
"partnership, association, trust, estate, joint stock company, insurance
company or corporation, whether domestic or foreign, or the receiver,
trustee in bankruptcy, trustee, or successor thereof, or the legal
representative of a deceased person, who has or had in its employ one or
more individuals performing services for it within this state."
Siletz argues that it is not an organization because it possesses "inherent attributes of
sovereignty" that the entities listed in the statute do not. We agree that Siletz
possesses limited sovereignty that distinguishes it from business organizations. See
United States v. Mazurie, 419 US 544, 557, 95 S Ct 710, 42 L Ed 2d 706 (1975).
However, the examples of organizations listed in ORS 657.020(1) do not limit the
meaning of the term. The statute merely provides that "organization" includes those
examples, not that it means only similar types of entities.
See State v. Haynes, 149 Or
73, 76-77, 942 P2d 295 (1997), rev den 328 Or 275 (1999) (what a statute includes
describes in particular those things embraced by the term; whereas, what a statute
means describes what a term is intended to signify). Furthermore, the examples listed
in the statute are not incompatible with the inclusion of Indian tribes within the
meaning of the term.
In its ordinary sense, "organization" means the "state or manner of being
organized." Webster's Third New Int'l Dictionary, 1590 (unabridged ed 1993).
"Organized" means "having * * * formal governmental institutions." Id. (emphasis
added). Siletz is organized in that sense, because it does have formal governmental
institutions. Namely, Siletz has a tribal government that includes a tribal council and a
tribal court. Siletz Const, Art IV, §§ 1 and 2.
Siletz expressly asserted in its 1979 election that it was an "employing
unit." To qualify as an "employing unit," Siletz had to satisfy one of the alternative
definitions specified in ORS 657.020(1) (1977). We conclude that the plain and
ordinary meaning of "organization" includes tribal governments and that, in 1979,
Siletz was an "employing unit" qualified to elect coverage pursuant to ORS 657.425
(1977). We must therefore determine whether ORS 657.065 (1977) prohibited Siletz
from electing coverage for its council members.
ORS 657.065 (1977) provided, in part:
"(1) 'Employment' does not include service performed in the
employ of the United States Government * * *.
"(2) 'Employment' does not include services which are performed
in the employ of the state or of any political subdivision or
instrumentality of the state:
"(a) As an elected public official.
" * * * * *
"(3) The provisions of ORS 657.425 permitting election of
coverage for services that do not constitute 'employment' do not apply to
services performed as an elected public official." (Emphasis added.)
Siletz asserts that its council members are "elected public officials"
within the meaning of ORS 657.065(3) and, as such, are ineligible for elective
coverage under ORS 657.425.(6) Department responds that "[ORS 657.065(3)] is most
sensibly read in * * * context to refer to an election under ORS 657.425(1) made by
one of the entities mentioned in ORS 657.065(1) and (2), services for which are
excluded from 'employment': federal and state governmental entities." Our resolution
of the parties' disagreement poses a question of statutory construction. Because the
legislature did not provide a definition of "elected public official," we first examine
the plain and ordinary meaning of the term. PGE V. Bureau of Labor and Industries,
317 Or 606, 610-12, 859 P2d 1143 (1993).
A "public official" is a person who holds "political office." Webster's at
1836. To "elect" means "to select (a person) for political office by vote." Id. at 731
(emphasis added). Thus, an "elected public official" is a person who holds political
office and who was selected for that office by vote. Claimants were selected as tribal
council members by a vote of the General Council. Claimants therefore appear to be
"elected public officials" within the dictionary meaning of the term, if the position of a
tribal council member is a "political office."
"Political" means "of or relating to government * * *, or the conduct of
governmental affairs." Id. at 1755. "Office" means "a position of authority to exercise
a public function." Id. at 1567. As such, a "political office" is a position of authority
relating to the conduct of governmental affairs. Because Siletz possesses limited
rights of tribal self-government, White Mountain Apache Tribe, 448 US at 143, and
because the Siletz Constitution provides that its tribal council members are generally
"empowered to exercise all legislative authority," claimants were in positions of
authority relating to the conduct of Siletz' governmental affairs. Thus, the ordinary
meaning of the term "elected public official" would appear to include Siletz's tribal
council members.
Department responds that such a construction ignores the statute's
context which, it asserts, reveals that the legislature did not intend for "elected public
officials" to refer to any category of officials except for those employed by state and
local governments and their instrumentalities. We agree that we may not simply rely
on the dictionary definition of a statutory term as conclusive proof of the legislature's
intent. State v. Atkeson, 152 Or App 360, 364, 954 P2d 181 (1998). We must
construe the statute in its context, which includes other provisions of the same statute
and other related statutes. PGE, 317 Or at 611.
Department argues that the legislature intended to forbid election of
coverage only for state and local elected public officials under ORS 657.065(3)
(1977), because ORS 657.065(2)(a) (1977) exempted only those elected public
officials from mandatory coverage. Siletz does not dispute that the exemption in ORS
657.065(2)(a) (1977) is limited to state and local elected public officials. Instead,
Siletz challenges the relevance of that subsection to the construction of ORS
657.065(3) (1977). Siletz contends that because ORS 657.065(3) (1977) does not
expressly limit "its coverage to state or local elected public officials," it must
encompass the entire meaning of the term, including tribal council members. We find
the parties' analysis to be incomplete.
Neither party examines statutory context beyond the provisions of ORS
657.065 (1977). Statutory context is not limited to the current version of a statute; it
also includes prior enacted versions. Krieger v. Just, 319 Or 328, 336, 876 P2d 754
(1994). ORS 657.065 (1975) is of particular importance here. That statute provided,
in part:
"(2) 'Employment' does not include, and nothing in this chapter
shall be construed to authorize the state or any political subdivision to
elect to have service deemed to constitute employment which are
performed in the employ of the state or of any political subdivision or
instrumentality of the state by:
"(a) Elected public officials." (Emphasis added).
Unlike ORS 657.065(2)(a) (1977), the 1975 version of that subsection did not merely
exempt elected public officials from mandatory coverage; it actually excluded them
from elective coverage. Notably, the preface to subsection (2) limited both the
exemption and exclusion to persons in the employ of the state, its political
subdivisions and instrumentalities. Thus, ORS 657.065 (1975) did not, under any
plausible construction, prohibit Siletz from electing coverage for its tribal council
members.
For purposes of this case, there are four significant differences between
the 1975 and 1977 versions of ORS 657.065. First, the legislature transferred the
exact limitation in scope of ORS 657.065(2)(a) (1975) to the exemption of state and
local elected public officials from "employment" status under subsection (2)(a) (1977).
Second, the exclusion of state and local elected public officials from elective coverage
contained in ORS 657.065(2)(a) (1975) was moved to ORS 657.065(3) (1977);
however, the 1977 legislature did not explicitly restrict that exclusion to state and local
government officials. Third, ORS 657.065(2) (1975) excluded nine categories of
public employees from elective coverage. See ORS 657.065(2)(a)-(i) (1975). Each of
those categories of employees was employed by state and local governments. The
1977 amendment reduced the scope of the exclusion to one category: elected public
officials. ORS 657.065(3) (1977).(7) Fourth, subsection (4) was added by the 1977
legislature, providing that, "[n]otwithstanding the provisions of ORS 657.025,
'employer' means any state government or political subdivision employing unit."
(Emphasis added).
In light of the totality of the text and context of ORS 657.065(3),
including the 1977 restructuring of the entire statute, two permissible inferences arise.
First, it is possible, as Siletz argues, that the legislature intended to broaden the
exclusion of "elected public officials" from elective coverage beyond the scope of
state and local government officials. Alternatively, for the following contextual
reasons, it is possible that the legislature did not intend for subsection (3) (1977) to
apply to a broader range of elected public officials than was previously excluded.
First, with the arguable exception of subsection (3) (1977), both the
1975 and 1977 statutes provided exemptions from the statutory definition of
employment and exclusions from elective coverage, only for federal, state and local
government employees. In fact, the only exemptions listed in both versions were for
various categories of such employees. Especially in light of the addition of subsection
(4) to the statute in 1977, it is also plausible to infer that the legislature intended to
retain that limitation in scope for the elected public official exclusion in subsection
(3).
Subsection (4) established that state and local government employing
units are "employers." Under ORS 657.025 (1977), an employer employs "one or
more persons in an employment subject to [ORS chapter 657] * * *." (Emphasis
added). Thus, subsection (4) also established, by necessary implication, that state and
local government employees are engaged in employment under ORS chapter 657,
unless they are otherwise exempt under subsection (2). Only state and local elected
public officials perform services that do not constitute employment under subsection
(2)(a). Subsection (3) refers to elections made under ORS 657.425 to provide
coverage for individuals performing services that do not constitute employment and
prohibits such elections for elected public officials. Because subsections (2) and (4)
deal exclusively with the employment status of individuals who perform services for
state and local governments, it makes sense in the surrounding context of those
subsections that the legislature had the same limitation in mind in excluding elected
public officials whose services do not constitute employment from elective coverage
in subsection (3).
Second, it would be illogical to presume that the legislature meant to
exempt the specific category of elected state and local public officials from mandatory
coverage and, yet, prohibit elective coverage for the broader category comprised of
any elected public official. In other words, if Siletz' interpretation were correct, why
not exempt all elected public officials from mandatory coverage in the first place,
because all are ultimately excluded from elective coverage? That conundrum was
created by the 1977 amendment, which, for the first time, uncoupled the exemption
and exclusion into different subsections. As a result, the rearranged subsections
interrelate in ways that do not make obvious sense if they are construed to refer to
different categories of employees.
In light of the plausible alternative meanings suggested by its text and
context, we conclude that ORS 657.065(3) (1977) is capable of more than one
reasonable interpretation. Although not directly in point, the Supreme Court's
decision in State ex rel OHSU v. Haas, 325 Or 492, 503, 942 P2d 261 (1997)
reinforces our conclusion.
In Haas, the court construed the evidentiary attorney-client privilege
found in OEC 503(1)(d)(B). In particular, the court was required to determine
whether OHSU faculty members constituted "employees" for purposes of the rule's
definition of "representative of a client." The rule provided that "'[r]epresentative of
the client' means a principal, an employee, an officer or a director of the client * * *. "
Id. The court concluded that it could not determine, at the first level of statutory
construction, whether the term "employee" was limited to persons holding high
ranking positions. The court recognized that, given its ordinary meaning, the term
readily encompassed the faculty members. Id. The court also acknowledged that it
could not "'insert what has been omitted' from a statute. PGE, 317 Or at 611; ORS
174.010." Id. However, in the context of the other listed examples, consisting of
principals, officers and directors, the court concluded that it was also plausible to infer
that the legislature intended to restrict the meaning of employee to persons of similarly
high rank. Id. Despite the fact that "employee" had no limiting adjective, in light of
the principle of ejusdem generis the context of the statute rendered the text
ambiguous. Id.
In this case, the term "elected public official" likewise has no further
limiting adjective. However, for the reasons explained above, the remaining
subsections of ORS 657.065 provide the context that renders the term ambiguous. We
therefore turn to legislative history for additional evidence of its intended meaning.
See Koitzsch v. Liberty Northwest Ins. Co., 125 Or App 666, 669, 866 P2d 514 (1994)
(a statute capable of more than one reasonable interpretation is ambiguous).
The amendments to ORS 657.065 (1975) originated in House Bill 2132.
That bill was introduced at the request of the Employment Division in order to comply
with "the mandatory and optional provisions" of Public Law 94-566 (1976).
Testimony, House Labor Committee, HB 2132, February 7, 1977, Ex D (statement of
Lee Russell, Tax Section, Employment Division). Russell testified as follows:
"[The Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA), 26 USC §§ 3301 to
3310 (1976)] requires, effective January 1, 1978, that all states extend
coverage to state and local government employees with certain
exceptions. [ORS] 657.065, which is the section being amended here,
has apparently contained certain exclusions for government from
unemployment insurance coverage. We are amending the exclusions to
coincide with those that are permitted by federal law." Tape recording,
House Committee on Labor, HB 2132, February 7, 1977, Tape 5, Side 1
(statement of Lee Russell, Tax Section, Employment Division).
(Emphasis added.)
That testimony reveals that the focus of HB 2132 was on coverage of "state and local
government employees" and was not concerned with tribal or other "public"
employees. In fact, nothing in the history of House Bill 2132 indicates that the
legislature intended to broaden any exclusions from coverage beyond the scope of
state and local elected public officials.
Siletz nevertheless insists that, because the legislature intended to
comply with FUTA by enacting HB 2132, it also meant to prohibit elective coverage
for tribal officials. Siletz relies on an Internal Revenue Service ruling, which held that
services performed by persons in their capacities as tribal council members do not
constitute employment for purposes of FUTA. See Rev. Rul. 59-354. We disagree
with the conclusion that Siletz reaches.
Siletz's premise that HB 2132 was intended to comply with federal law
is accurate. As the Oregon Supreme Court observed in Salem College & Academy,
Inc. v. Employment Division, 298 Or 471, 476, 695 P2d 25 (1985),
"The Congress that enacted [FUTA] in 1935 did not undertake to
create a nationally administered unemployment compensation system.
Whether by reason of constitutional misgivings, tradition or policy, the
choice was to leave unemployment insurance programs to the states, but
to impel them to adopt adequate programs whose costs individual states
were reluctant to impose on their domestic enterprises for fear of placing
them at a competitive disadvantage."
FUTA does not require states to maintain unemployment compensation programs; "it
relies on the incentive not to expose the state's employers to a federal payroll tax
without the credit allowed for a state tax." Id. Failure to meet federal standards does
not violate federal law, nor does it invalidate the state law; instead, the state forfeits
the federal benefit. Id. at 477. In this case, if Oregon's unemployment compensation
program did not conform to FUTA, Oregon employers would not be entitled to a
federal payroll tax credit for any contribution to Oregon's program.
Siletz argues that Department's interpretation of ORS 657.065(3) is in
conflict with FUTA. However, FUTA does not require states to exclude elected tribal
officials from unemployment coverage in order to maintain conformity with federal
law. See 26 USC § 3304 (outlining conditions of approval of state laws). In fact, the
only exemptions required by FUTA are those expressly contained in House Bill 2132,
section 3, which were ultimately compiled and enacted in ORS 657.065(2)(a)-(j)
(1977). Compare HB 2132, § 3, with 26 USC § 3309(b)(3)(A) to (E).
An Indian tribe may not have any obvious motive to elect coverage for
its tribal council members, because it will not receive a federal tax credit for
contributions paid to the state for such services. However, FUTA does not prohibit a
tribe from electing to cover council members. See Salem College and Academy, Inc.,
298 Or at 476 (FUTA does not prevent state from extending the coverage of its
unemployment insurance laws beyond federal limits); see also 25 USC Section 476
(Indian tribes are authorized to negotiate with state governments).
In sum, the legislative history of ORS 657.065 (1977) indicates that the
1977 amendments were only intended to affect the coverage of state and local
government employees and not to affect any other category of elected public officials,
including those in the employ of Indian tribes. Accordingly, we conclude that ORS
657.065(3) (1977) did not prohibit Siletz from electing coverage for its tribal council
members. The remaining question for decision is whether, in fact, Siletz elected such
coverage.
Whether Siletz elected coverage for its tribal council members is a
question of fact. We review EAB's findings of fact for substantial evidence. ORS
183.482(8)(c); Willamette Graystone Inc. v. Hammond, 151 Or App 561, 563, 951
P2d 166 (1997). Substantial evidence supports a finding when the record, viewed as a
whole, permits a reasonable person to make that finding. Garcia v. Boise Cascade
Corp., 309 Or 292, 295, 787 P2d 884 (1990).
Siletz contends that EAB erred in two respects in finding that the 1979
election included council members. First, Siletz argues that because the election
included a total of only eleven employees, it must have intended to limit the election to
non-council members. Again, we disagree. The record does not disclose the total
number of employees who worked for Siletz at the time of the election. Thus, it is not
possible to determine from the number of employees for whom coverage was elected
whether any employees were meant to be excluded. Therefore, the language of the
election does not override EAB's finding.(8)
Siletz next asserts that it meant to elect coverage only for services that
were otherwise subject to FUTA, which, it contends, exempts services performed by
tribal council members from mandatory coverage. However, the express terms of the
1979 election belie Siletz's contention. In its election, Siletz made a broad election of
coverage for "all occupations and employments." That election did not exclude
services exempt from FUTA. Because Siletz expressly and unambiguously elected
coverage for "all occupations and employments," EAB's finding that Siletz elected
coverage for all of its employees, including tribal council members, is supported by
substantial evidence.
Affirmed.
1. None of the three claimants filed briefs or otherwise participated in this
judicial review.
Return to previous location.
2. ORS 657.030(1) (1977) defined employment as "service for an
employer, including service in interstate commerce, within or outside the United
States, performed for remuneration or under any contract of hire, written or oral,
express or implied."
Return to previous location.
3. ORS 657.065 (1977) provided, in part:
"(1) 'Employment' does not include service performed in the employ of the United States Government or any instrumentality of the United States * * *.
"(2) 'Employment' does not include services which are performed in the employ of the state or of any political subdivision or instrumentality of the state:
"(a) As an elected public official."
ORS chapter 657 (1977) was in force at the time of the 1979 election. The relevant statutes within that chapter have not been amended in any material respect since 1977. We refer to those statutes in their form at the time of the 1979 election, because the scope and effect of that election under the law as it then existed is at issue in this case.
Return to previous location.
4. All references to the United States Code in this opinion are those versions that were in effect at the relevant times.
Return to previous location.
5. Department makes no argument that Siletz is estopped or otherwise precluded from denying that it is an "employing unit" in light of its express assertion in the 1979 election that it was an employing unit.
Return to previous location.
6. The parties agree that Siletz' election was made under ORS 657.425 (1977). We assume without deciding that they are correct. But see ORS 657.420 (1977).
Return to previous location.
7. The amendment also converted what were exclusions from elective coverage to mere exemptions from "employment" for some of the other state and local government employee categories. ORS 657.065(2)(b)-(f) (1977).
Return to previous location.
8. Siletz argues, in a footnote to its brief on review, that if EAB had granted its request for reconsideration, Siletz would have introduced affidavits by tribal members averring that the eleven employees for whom coverage was elected excluded tribal council members. In order to preserve the alleged error, Siletz was required to assign error in its opening brief to EAB's ruling denying reconsideration. See ORAP 5.45(2) (alleged error will not be considered on appeal unless it is assigned as error in the party's opening brief). We do not discuss it further.
Return to previous location.
![]() |
|

![]() |
Updated: 01/12/2000 Web authoring by Publishing & Distribution |