I can only imagine the hurdle you've been through in trying to restore an employee in QuickBooks Online, @BeccaTwig. I'm here to guide you through the process.

You can select the Include inactive box from the Employees page. By doing so, all deleted or deactivated employees will show up on the list. Here are the steps and a snapshot:

1. Open the Payroll menu. 
2. Select Employees.
3. Click on the Gear icon above the Action column.
4. Check the box for Include inactive.

Alternatively, if you have a different view, you can select Inactive Employees from the filter drop-down.

That should do it! Once everything is in order, feel free to read this guide about handling payroll in QuickBooks: Create and run payroll in QuickBooks Online.

Fill me in if you need more help managing workers or QuickBooks in particular. I'm always ready to back you up. Take the best care!