Opinion ID: 617237
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Reporting for Duty and Aftermath

Text: Balser first reported for work as a Zyglo Sorter on February 20, 2008. On or about March 3, 2008, [12] Doherty returned from medical leave and resumed his Zyglo Sorter position. Because GE had not yet released Sutherland from his prior position, Balser was able to remain in her position after Doherty's return. Sutherland first reported for his Zyglo Sorter position on March 17, 2008. Once Sutherland punched in for work, there were nine Zyglo Sorters, including Balser, doing the work generally done by seven or eight employees. Of the nine Zyglo Sorters, Balseras she herself concedeswas the least senior. [13] Factoring in the time required for Sutherland to undergo Zyglo training, and considering that Balser was the least senior of all the Zyglo Sorters, GE informed Balser that her position as a Zyglo Sorter would end on or about March 28, 2008. It is undisputed that it was company policy to lay off employees according to their seniority levels. GE offered Balser a position as a Stock Keeper on or about April 1, 2008. Balser first reported to work as a Stock Keeper on April 7, 2008. GE rates a Stock Keeper position, R-16, and a Zyglo Sorter position, IR-16. Pursuant to the CBA's Layoff and Transfer Supplement, if an employee transfers as a day worker to an open job with the specific intent of remaining in [her] department, [the employee] will be recalled only to previously held high rated classifications in [her] department. Further, under the CBA, [a]ny classification with the name numerical `IR' or `R' designation constitutes an equally rated classification. Thus, if an employee moves between two equally rated classifications, she will have no recall rights to the previous position. Applying these provisions to Balser, because both the Zyglo Sorter position and Stock Keeper position were equally rated classifications under the CBA, she did not have any recall rights to the Zyglo Sorter position.