How is the order of the unemployed list determined?

The IBEW 993 unemployed lists are ordered based on the number of days worked in the current year. Everyone is assigned a number, to which the number of days worked is added to, determining their position on the list.

Example: If someone has a number of 100 and they work 53 days, their new number when they’re added to the unemployed list will be 153.

At the beginning of each year, the lists are zeroed out and everyone is renumbered maintaining their current position on the list. This is done to ensure that the numbers don’t become unwieldy and to maintain fairness over time.

If you were laid off from a job that you started in the current year, the formula would be:

Number of Days Worked + Starting List Number = New Number

If you were laid off from a job that you started in the previous year, the formula would be:

  1. Number of Days from the Start Date to the Zero Out Date + Starting List Number = Number At The Beginning of the Previous Year
  2. The Number at the Beginning of the Previous Year is then compared to the Zero Out list so a new number for the Beginning of the Current Year can be determined.
  3. Number of Days from The Zero Out Date to the Last Day Worked + Number at the Beginning of the Current Year =  New Number

Dispatch, Unemployed List
Link to individual FAQ