Getting laid off can often mark the end of an employee’s relationship with a company, however, at Amazon former workers are now receiving invitations to consider returning.
The technology and online retail company has been contacting eligible former employees, including some who were previously laid off, about open positions across the company, according to recruiter emails reviewed by Business Insider.
Amazon spokesperson Haley Silva told Moneywise that reconnecting with former employees is already a longstanding part of the company’s recruiting strategy.
“We’re always interested in connecting with talented people — both new candidates and former Amazonians — for open roles,” Silva said.
She added that rehiring former employees is a normal, longstanding part of Amazon’s recruitment process and that its rehire and interview practices are consistent across the company.
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One reported effort involved former artificial intelligence and machine-learning employees. Recruiters working with an organization led by AWS Vice President Swami Sivasubramanian contacted former workers through an initiative described in one email as the “Swami’s Boomerang Reengagement Initiative.” The outreach encouraged former employees to discuss potential opportunities at Amazon.
Amazon pushed back on the characterization of the outreach as a new AI-specific hiring strategy, saying its approach to rehiring former employees applies across the company.
The outreach comes after Amazon eliminated more than 30,000 positions through multiple rounds of layoffs.
At the same time, the company continues recruiting for positions it considers critical, particularly as technology companies compete for workers with artificial intelligence skills.
Amazon is not the only major technology company reducing its workforce while continuing to hire for selected positions.
Meta laid off roughly 8,000 employees earlier this year, Microsoft eliminated another 4,800 positions and Oracle cut about 21,000 jobs over the past year, according to the information provided.
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Other companies have also brought former employees back. Salesforce encouraged former workers to return in 2023, months after eliminating roughly 8,000 jobs.
Google has increasingly rehired former employees for AI roles, with CNBC reporting that about 20% of the software engineers it hired to work on AI in 2025 were boomerang employees.
Research from workforce analytics firm Visier found that companies eventually rehire about 5.3% of workers they have laid off.
Robert Half separately found that three in 10 U.S. hiring managers who eliminated positions after implementing AI later had to rehire people for the same or similar roles.
Amazon’s return-to-office policy also remains unchanged and corporate employees were required to return to the office five days a week beginning Jan. 2, 2025. Silva told Moneywise that Amazon’s return-to-office expectations remain unchanged.