Amazon recruiters are reaching out to former employees, including some who were laid off, as the US-based technology and e-commerce giant looks to fill roles in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), according to a Business Insider report.
The outreach comes as Amazon continues to recruit for AI-related positions following multiple rounds of layoffs. The company has eliminated more than 30,000 positions through various job-cutting rounds over the past year.
Amazon's 'Boomerang Reengagement Initiative'
A recruiter from Amazon's AI agent organisation, overseen by AWS Vice President Swami Sivasubramanian, contacted former employees last month about available AI and machine learning roles.
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The recruiter described the outreach as "Swami's Boomerang Reengagement Initiative."
In a separate case, an AWS Finance recruiter contacted a former employee and offered an expedited interview process that could potentially lead to a job offer.
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The recruiter also asked whether Amazon's return-to-office policy had contributed to the employee's decision to leave the company.
"A lot has changed since you were here, and there's some really compelling work happening across AI/ML right now," the email read.
However, Amazon said rehiring former employees is a standard companywide practice. Haley Silva, speaking on behalf of the company, told Business Insider that former employees, including those who were laid off, may be considered for open positions.
Silva said the company's approach is focused on filling open roles based on current employment needs, rather than specifically targeting workers who left because of Amazon's return-to-office policy.
She added that Amazon's workplace attendance requirements remain unchanged.
"We're always interested in connecting with talented people — both new candidates and former Amazonians — for open roles," Silva said.
Amazon Layoffs In 2026
According to data from Layoffs.fyi, Amazon ranked second among companies with the highest number of layoffs, with 17,267 job cuts recorded so far in 2026.
In April this year, Amazon announced plans to temporarily shut a warehouse in Homestead, Florida, resulting in more than 600 job cuts. The layoffs were scheduled to begin in July and continue through September.
In May, the company announced additional job cuts in its Selling Partner Services organisation.
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Tech Layoffs Rise Globally
Amazon is not alone in cutting jobs. Major technology companies, including Oracle, Dell, Meta, Microsoft and PayPal, have also reported significant layoffs this year.
According to the same report, 128,536 tech employees across 299 companies had lost their jobs globally as of September 10, adding to the wave of job cuts in 2026.
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