A.             When conditions make it necessary to reduce the bargaining unit by means of temporary and/or permanent layoff, the determination as to which jobs and/or individuals are to be eliminated shall be within the sole discretion of the Superintendent or the Superintendent's designee. In making such a determination, seniority shall be the determining factor if such factors as ability and qualifications, special training, experience in required tasks, performance on the job, evaluation reports, etc., are equal. Seniority shall be defined as continuous length of service since the last date of hire by the District within job classification consistent with appropriate State Law and Regulations. The job classifications for seniority purposes shall be as follows: teaching assistant, school monitor, bus attendant and separately, each such position within the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act, or any successor program.

B.             All employees except teaching assistants who lose their jobs as the result of a reduction in force shall be placed on a preferential rehire list for a period of one year. In the event there is a recall to work, employees on the preferential list will be offered, in order of seniority as determined on the list, job openings within their job classification for which they are available and qualified. The Superintendent of Schools or designee will determine whether or not an employee on the preferential list is qualified, taking into consideration such factors as experience in required tasks, performance on the job, ability and qualifications.

C.             The rights of teaching assistants in the event of a reduction in force shall be consistent with the provisions of State Education Law.

D.             All employees employed by the District on or before July 1, 1975, as teacher aides or teaching assistants who previously worked as teacher aides and accrued seniority in that job classification shall not lose any accrued seniority as a teacher aide as the result of their transfer into the position of teaching assistant.

There shall be no other exercise of seniority across job classifications or "bumping" within the bargaining unit the event of reduction in force.