REDUCTION OF STAFF A. The term “seniority” in this Article shall mean length of service as a bus driver with the District. B. In the event staff reduction becomes necessary, the District will release personnel in the inverse order of their length of service but may give consideration to special qualifications and experience, and minority employment. In the absence of such considerations and exemptions, layoff shall be based on seniority. The ATU shall be provided the opportunity to consult with the District when the necessity of such reductions is determined. Whenever possible, two (2) weeks written notice of layoff shall be given to each employee to be laid off under the provisions of this Article. Persons given such notice may not exercise the paid leave provisions of Article 15, except for sick leave when supported by a doctor’s statement, quarantine, mandatory court appearances or jury duty. This provision applies only to regular employees. C. Reductions shall be by seniority within a classification; however, the District may assign employees from a higher classification to a lower classification within an employee group. The District shall not assign employees to a lower salary level without a corresponding change in job assignment or responsibility. D. An employee who rejects an assignment of equal pay and classification shall, by doing so, forfeit all rights under this Article. An employee offered an assignment of lower classification and salary, due to staff reduction, may elect layoff and retain the recall rights provided by this Article. E. An employee who is terminated due to such reduction in staff shall have preference in filling positions within their employee classification and shall be recalled by the District for employment in such classification based upon seniority with the District; provided, however, they are qualified for the assignment. Employees so terminated shall retain such right of recall for a period of three (3) years from the date of termination. Employees so recalled by the District shall be reinstated with seniority rights accumulated as of the date of their termination. Any employee recalled by the District for a position comparable to the one from which they were terminated and who rejects such an assignment shall relinquish all rights provided in this Article and Agreement. F. By May 30, the District shall attempt to notify employees, whose work years correspond with the school year, of the intended employment status with the District for the following school year. Failure by the District to provide such notice of changes in staffing plans following issuance of notification will not interfere with the authority of the District to reassign or terminate an employee.