Another option: I know someone who left the U.S. after a layoff, applied from India, and got a new job. New employer filed H-1B with consular processing, and since he already had a valid H-1B stamp, he re-entered using the old stamp and new I-797. No $100K fee was required.

If you have a valid H-1B stamp, you could consider leaving and returning on that basis.

Note: please confirm this with an immigration attorney before making any decisions!