My wife was recently laid off by her company. They were given 2 months of "garden leave" (she's technically employed, but no longer working) after which she will receive severance pay based on longevity with the company.

Her company is now hiring some positions back and she might reapply to keep multiple options going. She does have a concern about reapplying though. She is worried that if they offer her the new position and she declines it (because maybe she gets a better offer somewhere else), she will no longer receive the severance check because she told them no. I wouldn't think they can do that, but I have zero knowledge how it all works. Any advice or knowledge on the subject?

nm, ignore what I said. Looks like this is SWA. Don't have advice.

Was laid off in April 2024 by L3Harris. I asked this question as I was going out the door, because I had already applied for several jobs with them prior to the layoff, and was in the process of interviewing. According to HR, once I signed the layoff agreement that showed my severance payout, it was a done deal, and even if I hired back in before they cut the check they guaranteed I would still get the severance. But I asked the question and they ran it to ground all the way to corporate for me. But I was not rehired, so I have no proof.

My advice would be to ask. HR typically feels so guilty about the layoff process that they will bend over backwards to answer questions. Unfortunately, those poor people in HR often get the brunt of the anger from the folks being walked out, so they go through a lot. Being nice, polite, and acknowledging their painful experiences is not only appropriate but will typically make them much more likely to help you.

wangus12 said:

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My wife was recently laid off by her company. They were given 2 months of "garden leave" (she's technically employed, but no longer working) after which she will receive severance pay based on longevity with the company.

Her company is now hiring some positions back and she might reapply to keep multiple options going. She does have a concern about reapplying though. She is worried that if they offer her the new position and she declines it (because maybe she gets a better offer somewhere else), she will no longer receive the severance check because she told them no. I wouldn't think they can do that, but I have zero knowledge how it all works. Any advice or knowledge on the subject?

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How bad does she really want to rework for this company still versus go somewhere else? Is there a spot she wants to go back within the company that will take her?

The severance paperwork and check is practically in the mail. There isn't an easy unwinding of that. If the company wants your wife back, I would recommend taking like a 6 month break first. Two months garden leave plus lets just say 3 months of severance is enough time to figure out the direction you want the next step to be. I wouldn't jump right back in just yet.

I work for a very large company and there is generally a cooling off period for rehires even as contractors.

I was laid off a few years ago and the severance paperwork stipulated that if you were offered a position (even if you declined) you forfeited the remainder of the severance, but didn't have to pay anything back. I'd check the paperwork or just ask.