Policies for job jumpers

I want to start off by expressing my sorrow for all Americans and especially those directly affected by this tragedy. This is a time for all of us to work together and to remember what it means to be a true American. While it is hard for me to focus on work with this in mind, I have a question.

I work in the blacktop maintanance business. It is our current practice to make any employee who leaves not on good standing to wait one year before we will consider rehire. My question is regarding employees leaving on good terms and wanting to come back. If an employee gives the two weeks, we enjoyed having him or her as an employee, and their new job just does not work out for them, should we just let them back? I don't want to set a policy that will encourage employees to leave because they know that we will take them back nomatter what. My thoughts are to have them re-apply, going through the interviews and being weighed against any new applicants. I also thought to consider a time limit, for instance within 30 days of leaving, they can come back with no penalty. If anyone has any thoughts, I would appreciate hearing them.

Regards from Wisconsin,
Aaron

Comments

  • 9 Comments sorted by Votes Date Added
  • I would simply say that they'll be considered alongside other applicants. I wouldn't give them any preferences or grace periods. Employees leave because they're unhappy with their jobs. If they quit and come back to the same job, the things that made them unhappy will still be there. I think you'd want to give yourself the flexibility to decide on a case-by-case basis whether to rehire someone and what job to put them in.

    James Sokolowski
    Senior Editor
    M. Lee Smith Publishers
  • With the labor pool drying up, I'd always leave the door open for good employees to return. I agree with James that you shouldn't put any time limits on it, but consider them with everyone else who applies. If they leave you, they run the risk that you won't have an opening when they return. However, "boomerangs" are great PR for you. They return and remind everybody that the grass is not always greener. You may want to consider limiting the number of times they can return, but I wouldn't.

    To encourage people to return, you might want to give them credit for past time employed as an incentive. If you want to talk about a way to do that as an attraction tool, call me at 615-371-8200.

    Margaret Morford
    theHRedge
  • my uncle michael used to say that "a leopard never changes his spots"...smart guy,good advice...unless you are desperate for a warm body,once a problem leaves don't bring them back...reagrds from texas,mike maslanka
  • Aaron,
    We currently allow our employees to return with their seniority if their absence was 60 days or less. Prior to my arrival, we had someone that was attracted by money to another financial institution. After 30 days, they asked to return to our company. Upon returning, they proceeded to tell all employees how well we treated our employees. She has been here an additional eight years and will be retiring with our company next year. I agree with Margaret, don't close that door, you may someday wish that you had left it open.

  • We let them back in if we liked them. We consider them agenst any other applications........none.
  • If they are good bring them back - less training etc. etc. Job hopping doesn't have as much as a negative connotation as was the case in the past - the average job tenure has dropped a lot. You have to weigh your concerns about appearing to have a revolving door with the bottom line benefits you have by bringing good employees back.
  • Most employers designate employees as eligible for rehire or not eligible for rehire when the employee leaves employment. If the employee is eligible for rehire (generally an employee who left with a good work record and on his or her own accord), that employee can reapply and be considered for vacancies along with other applicants.

    I had one employer who had numerous employees going to a competitor for higher pay. After about 2 weeks, some of the old employees asked to come back (the grass is not always greener). The employer decided that the best way to keep the employees it had left, was to let the old ones come back and they would let the remaining employees know that the competitor was not all it was cracked up to be.

    If an employee leaves for personal reasons or more pay and leaves on good terms, I don't see any reason why you would not want to hire them back.

    Good Luck!!
  • One over-riding reason to let the good ones return is that they will save you training dollars.
  • Thanks to everyone who responded to my question. It is nice to bounce ideas off of more than one person and get different points of view. I appreciate everything.

    Aaron Hart
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