A Word to the Wise
furlough (noun)
A furlough (FUR-low) is a leave of absence. It usually refers to a leave granted to a member of the armed services, but lately we’ve been hearing it in a different context – employees being furloughed instead of being laid off. Here’s the difference. While laid off workers are sometimes rehired, there is no expectation that they will be. Furloughed employees, on the other hand, are expected to return to work. Importantly, they usually retain any benefits (e.g., health/life insurance) they may have through their employer. As I used it today: “In the April 1 blog, I talked about how, despite my instincts and objections, I agreed with some of my partners – particularly in restaurant, hotel, and apartment businesses – to slash every dollar of unnecessary expense and to put some non-essential employees on furlough.”