Is fire and rehire illegal?
Sarah Garza
Updated on March 26, 2026
Fire-and-rehire is not illegal, but employers have to follow a long process, formally consulting workers and unions and observing set notice periods. If it is not followed correctly, employers open themselves up to legal challenges through employment tribunals or the courts.
Who is considered a rehire?
Employees who were part of an involuntary reduction in force, as well as those employees who voluntarily resigned, will be eligible for rehire if they had a satisfactory work record while employed by [Company Name]. Former employees who had a less-than-satisfactory work record will not be considered for rehire.
What are fire and rehire tactics?
Fire and rehire involves an employer threatening an employee with the loss of their job if they do not sign up to new terms and conditions of an employment. It is typically used to impose changes on a workforce when they generally do not agree to the changes.
Will a company rehire me if I was fired?
It isn’t unheard of for someone to reapply for a job from which they were previously fired. Whether you’ll be considered for your old job heavily depends on the reason for your termination. In most cases, if you didn’t do something that was illegal or breached trust, an employer would consider rehiring you.
Can terminated employees be rehired?
Employees who were terminated for cause or abandoned their job aren’t eligible for rehiring. If there are good reasons why those employees should be rehired, senior management should first approve the decision. ‘Good’ reasons include but are not limited to: Court decisions that oblige our company to rehire an employee.
Does being fired go on record?
There is no record where it can be shown that an employee was fired. In some cases, companies put an employee in Performance Improvement Plan where they give you two weeks time to improve your performance or leave the company. Even that does not show on employee’s relieving letter.
Is hire and fire legal?
In short, although “fire and rehire” is potentially lawful, it can be a high-risk strategy which employers should not take on without understanding the risks and pitfalls involved. It is certainly an area where specialist legal advice will significantly reduce the risks.
Can a company rehire an employee that was fired?
If the employee was fired for misconduct or a violation of the terms of employment, you cannot rehire the person unless company policies have changed. If the employee was laid off due to business reasons, you can proceed. Review the former employee’s work history.
How can I find out if I can rehire a terminated employee?
Additionally, before rehiring a former employee, you can examine personnel records and ask former supervisors about the person’s level of job performance. You can often make a more informed decision about hiring a terminated employee than you can when hiring someone new.
How to find out why an employee was fired?
Review the employee’s personnel file from her previous tenure with the company. Examine performance appraisals, disciplinary and attendance records, commendations, peer evaluations and supervisor notes. Determine the reason why she was terminated.
How to rehire an employee after a layoff?
Contact the terminated employee and make a formal offer. Explain any repayment of compensation related to the layoff. Also explain the vacation, sick time and pension entitlements that the employee could receive. You must abide by federal and state anti-discrimination laws when hiring or rehiring employees.