Resignation and rehire

[vickyp]

#79596

If an employee resigns and then is rehired within 30 days do they return to their same status as if they had not left? IE seniority, salary, etc. Is this stated anywhere?

[vickyp]

#79597

If an employee resigns and is therefore released from their original contract, there is no regulation that enforces that the “boomerang employee” be hired back with any seniority or tenured compensation package. If there is a union contract though, there may be a clause within the contract stipulating some hire-back seniority process.
However, it is not uncommon for these things to be negotiated in the rehire.
Was it a mistake to resign? Was the grass not as green as it looked? Do you really want to punish the employee for looking over the fence and the realizing that things were actually pretty good where they were, especially in this present labour market? Sometimes the good will and loyalty created from welcoming back a prodigal son pays big dividends in productivity, efficiencies, and culture – it shows the entire team/organization that their current situation is actually pretty good when compared to what’s out there.
It’s worthwhile to look at the upsides of rehiring, like not having to spend all that money on recruitment and training, or the time it takes for a new employee to get their stride and be a productive contributor to the organization.
It’s easy to feel jaded and hurt when an employee resigns. The thought of rehiring without some “punishment” is likened by some to welcoming back a cheating ex and pretending nothing ever happened. I’m not sure that is the case though. It isn’t uncommon for employees to test out their value in the open market, and to look at change as an opportunity for growth, not just more money. The past few years have put a lot of new options in front of the labour force with WFH arrangements, flex time, and other additional benefits being normalized. I caution you not to feel like you have to “punish” the boomerang employee, there is a lot of upside in making the transition back easy and seamless. As well, its a great opportunity to find out what really attracted the employee to the other opportunity and why it failed to live up to expectations, maybe there is something to be learned that will make your organization more attractive to prospective employees while also helping you avoid the mistakes that made this employee reconsider and want to come back.
Of course, this answer assumes the employee is coming back to the same role and responsibilities they had when they left, you hadn’t already filled that position, and there was no ill will when they resigned… because sometimes, you may not want the employee back.

[Author]

Posts