Fire me then try to hire me back a month later?

[Kreuz11]

Illinois. I was recently laid off from the company I worked for for 4 years, along with several hundred others. When I was laid off I was told that "the need for my position has been eliminated". Now, one month later, I get an e-mail from my old boss, offering me my old position back, albeit without any of the raises or bonuses that I had coming to me at the time of my firing. This amounted to around $10,000.00 in base pay, $2000.00 in bonuses, and an extra week of vacation time. So now it seems to me that the plan all along was to fire me, let me stew for a month (I did receive 4 weeks severance, so I have just now accepted a new job offer for a different company) and then attempt to hire me back on at a cheaper labor rate. I realize that Illinois is an "At Will" state, but is this kind of benefit dodging legal?

 

[fairisfair]

Illinois. I was recently laid off from the company I worked for for 4 years, along with several hundred others. When I was laid off I was told that "the need for my position has been eliminated". Now, one month later, I get an e-mail from my old boss, offering me my old position back, albeit without any of the raises or bonuses that I had coming to me at the time of my firing. This amounted to around $10,000.00 in base pay, $2000.00 in bonuses, and an extra week of vacation time. So now it seems to me that the plan all along was to fire me, let me stew for a month (I did receive 4 weeks severance, so I have just now accepted a new job offer for a different company) and then attempt to hire me back on at a cheaper labor rate. I realize that Illinois is an "At Will" state, but is this kind of benefit dodging legal?

Obviously the company has been restructured.

Yes it is legal.

You don't have to take the job.

 

[ecmst12]

Or you can use your leverage of a better offer to negotiate a better deal from your old company.