((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.