78TH CONG., 1ST SESS.-CH. 10--MAR. 6 , 1943 tion or merger, and whose period of employment began on or before March 1, 1941, shall be employed by the carrier resulting from such consolidation or merger for a period of not less than four years from the date of the approval of such consolidation or merger, and during such period no such employee shall, without his consent, have his compensation reduced or be assigned to work which is inconsistent with his past training and experience in the telegraph industry. "(2) If any employee of any carrier which is a party to any such consolidation or merger, who was employed by such carrier immedi- ately preceding the approval of such consolidation or merger, and whose period of employment began after March 1, 1941, is discharged as a consequence of such consolidation or merger by the carrier result- ing therefrom, within four years from the date of approval of the consolidation or merger, such carrier shall pay such employee at the time he is discharged severance pay in cash equal to the amount of salary or compensation he would have received during the full four- week period immediately preceding such discharge at the rate of com- pensation or salary payable to him during such period, multiplied by the number of years he has been continuously employed immedi- ately preceding such discharge by one or another of such carriers who were parties to such consolidation or merger, but in no case shall any such employee receive less severance pay than the amount of salary or compensation he would have received at such rate if he were employed during such full four-week period: Provided, however, That such severance pay shall not be required to be paid to any employee who is discharged after the expiration of a period, following the date of approval of the consolidation or merger, equal to the aggregate period during which such employee was in the employ, prior to such date of approval, of one or more of the carriers which are parties to the consolidation or merger. "(3) For a period of four years after the date of approval of any such consolidation or merger, any employee of any carrier which is a party to such consolidation or merger who was such an employee on such date of approval, and who is discharged as a result of such con- solidation or merger, shall have a preferential hiring and employment status for any position for which he is qualified by training and expe- rience over any person who has not theretofore been an employee of any such carrier. a(4) If any employee is transferred from one community to another, as a result of any such consolidation or merger, the carrier resulting therefrom shall pay, in addition to such employee's regular compensation as an employee of such carrier, the actual traveling expenses of such employee and his family, including the cost of pack- ing, crating, drayage, and transportation of household goods and personal effects. "(5) In the case of any consolidation or merger pursuant to this section, the consolidated or merged carrier shall accord to every employee or former employee, or representative or beneficiary of an employee or former employee, of any carrier which is a party to such consolidation or merger, the same pension, health, disability, or death insurance benefits, as were provided for prior to the date of approval of the consolidation or merger, under any agreement or plan of any carrier which is a party to the consolidation or merger which covered the greatest number of the employees affected by the consolidation or merger; except that in any case in which, prior to the date of approval of the consolidation or merger, an individual has exercised his right of retirement, or any right to health, disability, or death insurance benefits has accrued, under any agreement or plan of any carrier which is a party to the consolidation or merger, pension, Severance pay- to certain discharged em- ployees. Preferential hiring and employment status. Traveling expenses. Pension, health, dis- ability, or death in- surance benefits. 9 57 STAT.]
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