Seniority - in Employment

In Employment

In unionised companies, employees with more seniority may enjoy more work privileges. Here are examples:

• Shift work at more favourable times
• Work that is deemed easier or more pleasurable
• Working hours at a more convenient time (convenience being relative to the employee)
• Assignment to work, when a work reduction, or a reduction in available work hours results in lay offs

Seniority also has an influence over bumping rights, which is a re-assignment of jobs, possibly for many people at a time.

Some traditionalist employers, common in smaller, single-operated business, take a "last in, first out" (LIFO) perspective, meaning those that have been there longest, or tenure employees have the right to stay, whereas others take a "first in, first out" (FIFO) or "inverse seniority" viewpoint, which tends to emphasize a new or "fresh start" for the company.