as a new hire, is there an equipment freeze imposed and how long?[/QUOTE]

There is no freeze for any pilot as long as you bid up. In other words you can move from the F/O on the 737 to the 757 to the 777 to PIC on the 737 to the 757 to the 777. In other words, maybe less confusing, you can move up in pay catogory with less than 2 years on the equipment. To bid down in pay catagory, you have to be on the equipment for two years.