What does reemployed mean?
Reemployed means employed again after a temporary interruption, such as a layoff, retirement, suspension, or period of unemployment. It may refer to a former employee returning to the same organization or to someone being appointed again to a comparable role. The word is especially associated with formal and historical contexts, such as workers rehired after a recession or public employees reinstated after a temporary break. “Reemployed” can function as a past-tense verb or as an adjective before a noun, as in “reemployed workers.” In ordinary conversation, “hired again,” “taken back on,” or “reinstated” may sound more natural, depending on the circumstances.
To employ someone again after they have ceased to be employed, or to appoint someone again to a role.
"The charity reemployed its former caretaker during the summer."
Often used where the previous employment was with the same employer, though it can also mean hiring someone for a new position again.
Employed again after a previous period of unemployment.
"The factory provided training for reemployed workers."
Usually occurs attributively before a noun such as “workers,” “staff,” or “employees.”
A job lost in one recession can become a job regained in the next: a person who is reemployed is back in work, not merely looking for it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does reemployed come from?
Reemployed was formed in English by combining the prefix re-, meaning “again,” with employed, the past participle of employ. Employ entered English in the late 16th century from French employer, ultimately deriving from Latin implicare, “to implicate” or “entangle,” in the sense of involving a person in an occupation or undertaking. Its relatives employee, employer, and employment preserve the same occupational root.
Related word forms
How reemployed is actually used
The word is formal and relatively uncommon in everyday speech, where “hired again” or “taken back on” is often more natural.
Easily confused with reemployed
Reemployed means employed again after an interruption, whereas unemployed means currently having no paid work.