Preferential hiring — Us Code Code § 797b
Us Code Code § 797b — Preferential hiring. Reproduced from the official United States Code, with a citation summary, verification link, and related provisions.
§ 797b. Preferential hiring
(a) General
Any employee who is deprived of employment shall have the first right of hire by any other railroad for a vacancy for which he is qualified in a class or craft (or in the case of a non-agreement employee, for a non-agreement vacancy) in which such employee was employed by the Corporation or a predecessor carrier for not less than one year, except where such a vacancy is covered by (1) an affirmative action plan, or a hiring plan designed to eliminate discrimination, that is required by Federal or State statute, regulation, or Executive order, or by the order of a Federal court or agency, or (2) a permissible voluntary affirmative action plan. For purposes of this section, a railroad shall not be considered to be hiring new employees when it recalls any of its own furloughed employees.
(b) Status
The first right of hire afforded to employees under this section shall be coequal to the first right of hire afforded under sections 907 and 1004 of this title.
(Pub. L. 93–236, title VII, §703, as added Pub. L. 97–35, title XI, §1143(a), Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 663.)
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Exemption of National Railroad Passenger Corporation in Hiring Qualified Train and Engine Employees
Pub. L. 99–272, title IV, §4011(c), Apr. 7, 1986, 100 Stat. 109, provided that: "The provisions of section 703 of the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 (45 U.S.C. 797b), section 8 of the Milwaukee Railroad Restructuring Act (45 U.S.C. 907), and section 105 of the Rock Island Railroad Transition and Employee Assistance Act (45 U.S.C. 1004) shall not apply to the National Railroad Passenger Corporation in the hiring of qualified train and engine employees who hold seniority rights to work in intercity rail passenger service in connection with the assumption by such Corporation of functions previously performed under contract by other carriers."
About This Section
45 U.S.C. § 797b is part of Title 45 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.
This section may be cited in legal writing as 45 U.S.C. § 797b. For the most current official text, including any recent amendments, use the official source links below. Do not rely on this page as the sole authority for legal citation or litigation.
How to Read This Statute
Statutes are organized by title, chapter, section, and subsection. Pay attention to words like "shall," "may," "and," and "or," because they determine whether a requirement is mandatory or permissive and whether multiple conditions must all be met. Historical notes and amendments often appear at the end of a section.
Using This Page
This page is intended for research and educational use. Lawyers, students, journalists, and compliance professionals can use it as a starting point, but should always verify the current text through an official government source before relying on it for legal advice, filings, or compliance decisions.