Title 25 — IndiansRelease 119-73not60
§3116 Obligated Service; Breach of Contract
Title 25 › Chapter 33— NATIONAL INDIAN FOREST RESOURCES MANAGEMENT › § 3116
Summary
When a person agrees to work in exchange for government financial help, the Secretary must make rules that include offering that person a job. If a fair job offer is not made, the person is not required to do the work. If the person turns down a reasonable job, quits without good reason, or fails to do the job, they must pay back the money. The payback is reduced for the time they did work and includes interest calculated as if the money had been a loan at the maximum legal rate set by the U.S. Treasurer.
Full Legal Text
Title 25, §3116
Indians — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Where an individual enters into an agreement for obligated service in return for financial assistance under any provision of this chapter, the Secretary shall adopt such regulations as are necessary to provide for the offer of employment to the recipient of such assistance as required by such provision. Where an offer of employment is not reasonably made, the regulations shall provide that such service shall no longer be required.
(b)Where an individual fails to accept a reasonable offer of employment in fulfillment of such obligated service or unreasonably terminates or fails to perform the duties of such employment, the Secretary shall require a repayment of the financial assistance provided, prorated for the amount of time of obligated service performed, together with interest on such amount which would be payable if at the time the amounts were paid they were loans bearing interest at the maximum legal prevailing rate, as determined by the Treasurer of the United States.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
25 U.S.C. § 3116
Title 25 — Indians
Last Updated
Apr 5, 2026
Release point: 119-73not60