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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesRehire a former employee when their record, current skills, reasons for returning, and the conditions of the job make a strong case—not simply because they are familiar. A prior working relationship offers useful evidence, but it does not replace a fair assessment for the vacancy as it exists today.
What is a boomerang employee?
A boomerang employee is a worker who leaves an employer and later returns to work there again, as SHRM explains. The former employee may already understand the organization’s products, culture, and processes, and may also bring skills or perspectives developed elsewhere. That familiarity is an advantage to assess, not a guarantee of fit.
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When should a company rehire a former employee?
A strong case exists when the person performed well, can meet the current role’s requirements, has clear reasons for returning, and the circumstances that contributed to their departure have changed or are no longer relevant. The organization also needs to be able to offer fair, clearly defined terms.
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Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Pause or decline when the same unresolved workplace or management issue remains, concerns about past performance have no credible evidence of improvement, or the candidate’s expectations do not match the role. A returning worker can leave again if the causes of the first departure persist. Practitioner guidance from SHRM and MRA supports weighing these factors; neither familiarity nor a former eligibility label should decide the matter on its own.
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How to evaluate and rehire a former employee
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Define the current vacancy
Set the responsibilities, required skills, level, compensation range, and selection criteria before judging a former employee. Use the same job-related standards you would apply to other candidates.
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Review the employment record
Look at documented performance, the circumstances and reason for departure, and any rehire-eligibility policy. Treat the record as evidence to investigate, not as a substitute for evaluating the person against today’s role.
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Discuss why they left and why they want to return
Ask what prompted the departure, what they did or learned in the interim, why they are interested now, and what they expect from this position. Establish whether the conditions that drove them away have actually changed. Be direct about any relevant changes on the employer’s side, too.
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Assess present-day fit
Evaluate current, role-related skills and relevant experience gained since the employee left. Compare their evidence against the same requirements and process used for other applicants. Their earlier familiarity with the workplace is one data point, not a shortcut around selection.
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Complete appropriate checks consistently
Use job-related standards and follow the laws applicable to the employer’s location, the work location, and the type of check. For U.S. employers, federal, state, and local rules may apply; check current requirements before using a background-screening policy.
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Agree on the terms for this job
Confirm the role’s scope, reporting line, pay, title, start date, work arrangement, and measures of success. Consider internal equity, particularly if the returning employee would receive a higher title or pay than before, and prepare an appropriate explanation for affected colleagues that respects privacy.
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Reboard the returning employee
Provide updates on policies, systems, security and access, team structure, training, and goals. Identify any skills refresh needed, clarify responsibilities and authority, and schedule check-ins. A previous stint at the organization does not mean nothing has changed.
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What to compare with other candidates
Use a consistent, job-related comparison rather than an informal “known quantity” advantage. The factors below are practical decision criteria drawn from SHRM and MRA guidance, not a validated scoring instrument.
| Factor | Question to answer |
|---|---|
| Current skill fit | Can the person meet the vacancy’s requirements now? |
| Past performance | What does the documented record show, and how relevant is it to this job? |
| Departure and change | Why did they leave, and have the relevant conditions changed? |
| New skills and experience | What useful capability have they gained since leaving? |
| Motivation and expectations | Why return now, and do their expectations match the actual role? |
| Retention risk | Could unresolved issues lead to another departure? |
| Pay and level fairness | Can the proposed compensation and title be justified consistently? |
| Reboarding needs | What has changed, and what training or access updates will be needed? |
U.S. background checks: steps for consumer reports
The joint EEOC and FTC employer guidance says hiring decisions based on background information must not discriminate under federal law and advises employers to apply standards consistently: “In all cases, make sure that you’re treating everyone equally.” The guidance is explanatory and does not itself have the force and effect of law; state and municipal requirements may also govern employment checks.
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When a U.S. employer obtains a consumer report from a company that compiles background information, the guidance describes these steps:
- Give the applicant a stand-alone written disclosure that a report may be obtained.
- Obtain the applicant’s written authorization.
- Certify to the reporting company that the employer will comply with applicable requirements.
- Before taking adverse action based on the report, provide the person a copy of the report and the FCRA rights summary.
- After adverse action, send the required notice identifying the reporting company and explaining the person’s rights.
These are U.S.-specific considerations, not a complete account of every jurisdiction’s requirements. Confirm current federal, state, local, and role-specific rules before putting a screening process into practice.
Keep the decision fair to the team
Returning employees may be offered a different level or compensation than they had previously, but the business rationale should be grounded in the current role and the person’s present qualifications. Consider how the decision will look to colleagues who stayed. Explain the role, responsibilities, and rationale as appropriate without disclosing private employment information. Make reporting lines and authority clear so that the returning person and the existing team understand how the arrangement works.
Do turnover figures prove rehiring saves money?
No universal rehire success rate, required waiting period, or guaranteed hiring-cost saving is established by the cited sources. The Conference Board reported that U.S. firms lost $950 billion to voluntary turnover in 2024, including replacement costs and team disruption. That is broad turnover context—not a measurement of savings attributable to rehiring former employees. See The Conference Board’s July 10, 2025 essay for the figure and its context.
Career-break returners are a related, different group
Someone returning to paid work after a career break is not necessarily a former employee of the same organization. UK government guidance published March 17, 2023 recommends considering returners’ individual needs and career goals, offering training or coaching where appropriate, and sharing induction materials with managers and employees.
The guidance cites around 86% for a specific UK population: people economically inactive because of family or home caring responsibilities who had previously worked, had not worked for at least 12 months, and wanted to return, based on analysis of the Office for National Statistics Annual Population Survey for 2021. This is not a statistic about boomerang hires or the likely success of a former employee’s rehire.
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