Companies Want Their Laid-Off Workers Back. Women Are Far Less Likely to Return

What this means for your job search: Expect companies to be eager to attract new talent given their difficulty re-hiring laid-off workers, especially women. Use this leverage to negotiate confidently for competitive offers and prioritize companies demonstrating strong employee support and fair practices. A survey of recently laid-off workers found a 14-point gender gap in willingness to return, driven partly by perceived unfairness and a lack of severance.