What do employers think of employees who quit and then ask for their job back?

I would like to ask for my old job back, but I am worried about what they will think. I quit because of harassment from another employee, but I would no longer have contact with them. I was a good worker and I regret letting this person influence my decision. I also had some other problems but they are now resolved. Will they think i am unreliable? I am still incontact with them and still do some work for them.

It will depend on the reason you gave them when you left. If you left on good or neutral terms, you have a change. If the reason you actually gave them for leaving was "I'm getting harrassed by other employees", they will see you as a risk or troublemaker and probably not even consider you. I'm not saying you were a troublemaker by leaving, but they don't want to open themselves up to any type of drama or lawsuit if you should come in contact with these same people or people who know them. How badly do you really want to go back to a past employer where you were harrassed by another worker and nobody did anything and it got so bad that you quit?? Think about it.

Some will welcome you back in hopes that you have learned your lesson and be a better employee for the experience. Some will never even talk to you about re-hire. Depends on whether or not they need you and how you left.

I was always willing to take back former employees - at a pay cut - provided they didn't leave due to something illegal or grossly negligent.

I was a retail manger for over 10 years and my answer would be no way. Not because you may have been a great worker, but because you would cause strife in the workplace and may possibly hurt morale.

depends on if your old position or any position is still available for one thing

If you want to go back, I'd say tell them the truth and ask them if you can come back. Tell them about your regret and what you have resolved. Then they'll give you an answer and you will find out what they think. Good luck.

The worst that can happen is that they tell you no, so go for it.

You are not likely, however, to be rehired if you did not give proper notice, did not complete an exit interview if one was requested, spoke ill of a supervisor, complained about the work environment, etc. My guess is that you did none of these things, or they wouldn't have allowed you to do some work for them.

Keep in mind that it probably wasn't just the one person harassing you that caused you to quit and the environment hasn't likely changed.

In my career I went back to jobs that I had quit for two different companies. While most people welcomed me back, some managers considered me unreliable and unable to make a decision. In both instances the reasons that I had quit the first time came back and caused me to quit a second time. While you seem pretty sure that you would not have contact with the other employee who caused you problems, if the issue was more a lack of employer's protection against bullying, that attitude will still be there.

Since you still do some work for them why not explore additional work, maybe being an independent contractor, before you try and get your job back. Like other posters have said, it does not hurt to ask.