What does rehired mean?
Rehired means to employ someone again after they have previously worked for the same organization or employer. The word often describes a return to a former job, whether the worker had retired, been laid off, resigned, or left for another position. It is especially common in business, news, and workplace reporting, where it emphasizes the employer’s decision to bring back experienced staff. Rehiring may be presented as a practical response to staff shortages, changing business needs, or a successful former employee’s desire to return. Unlike the simple verb hire, rehired specifically implies that an earlier employment relationship existed. It can therefore suggest recognition of experience and continuity, although the circumstances and reasons for the return can vary widely.
verbTo hire someone again, especially a former employee, or to employ someone anew after a previous employment relationship has ended.
- To hire someone again after a previous period of employment.
- To employ someone again after they have left a job, often following a retirement or layoff.
"The company rehired two experienced workers who had retired during the restructuring."
"After leaving the firm, she was rehired as a senior consultant."
"The restaurant rehired several of its former staff when business recovered."
Rehiring returns experienced workers to an organization without requiring them to begin as entirely new employees.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does rehired come from?
Rehired is formed by combining the prefix re-, meaning “again,” with the verb hire. The prefix re- was already widely used in English during the modern period to indicate repetition, and the compound became natural as employers began describing the rehiring of former staff. The word shares its base with hire, which has roots in Old English and refers to wages or payment for work.
Related word forms
How rehired is actually used
The word is common in news, business, and workplace contexts. It often implies returning a former employee, although it can also refer to hiring someone who has left another job elsewhere.