Seniority is the length of time that an individual has served in a job or worked for an organization. Seniority can bring higher status, rank, or precedence to an employee who has served an organization for a longer period of time.
Seniority is important in some private sector workplaces, professions, skilled trades, and in union-represented workplaces. Forward thinking organizations are less likely to provide preference for senior employees unless the preference is part of a number of factors considered in salary, promotion, layoffs, and other workplace employment decisions.