Furlough

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A furlough (pronounced /ˈfɜrloʊ/; from Dutch: "verlof") is a temporary leave of absence from employment, duty in the armed services, or from a prison term. It may be voluntary or involuntary.

Voluntary furloughs from employment or armed services are essentially a vacation (though those who take it may also pursue other activity). In some Commonwealth countries (such as Australia and New Zealand), furlough is an employee benefit known as long service leave.

Involuntary furloughs from employment may be mandated by employers. A furlough can also refer to time off based on a company-planned schedule. For example, with a "work 3 weeks, off 1 week" schedule, a company's workforce is divided into 4 groups. Each group, in turn, takes a week off on furlough while the remainder work. In other cases, a furlough is more like a temporary layoff, which may be due to economic conditions at the specific employer or in the economy as a whole. These involuntary furloughs may be short or long term, and many of those affected may seek other temporary employment during that time.

A furlough from prison may also be part of a work release program.

[edit] See also

• Long service leave
• Downsizing

[edit] External links

• Guidance and Information on Furloughs from the United States Office of Personnel Management
• Furlough: The worst cockpit terror of them all! What if it happens to you? - by Patrick Smith
• CNNMoney special report: Enjoy your forced vacation - March 11, 2009.