5.1 Lower-level position
5.1.1 Surplus employees and laid-off persons appointed to a lower-level position under this Directive shall have their salary and pay equity equalization payments, if any, protected in accordance with the salary protection provisions of their collective agreement, or, in the absence of such provisions, the appropriate provisions of the Regulations Respecting Pay on Reclassification or Conversion.
5.1.2 Employees whose salary is protected pursuant to subsection 5.1.1 will benefit from salary protection until they are appointed or deployed into a position with a maximum rate of pay that is equal to or higher than the maximum rate of pay of the position from which they were declared surplus or laid off.