Being furloughed means you are temporarily not working (or working reduced hours) and usually not getting paid, but you still technically have your job and are expected to return when conditions improve.

Quick definition

  • A furlough is a temporary, usually unpaid leave from work, often used when an employer has money problems or not enough work.
  • You are still an employee on the books, with the idea that you’ll come back once the situation gets better.

Furlough vs. layoff

  • Furlough: Job relationship continues; work stops or hours are cut for a period, typically without pay, but with an expectation of returning.
  • Layoff: Employment is ended; your connection with the company is severed, and there is no guaranteed return.

How it works in practice

  • Employers may make staff take several unpaid days or weeks off, or permanently reduce weekly hours for a while (for example, from 40 hours to 30 hours a week).
  • It is often used in crises or budget cuts as an alternative to mass layoffs, so companies can keep trained staff on hold instead of firing them outright.

Other uses of “furlough”

  • The word can also mean a granted leave of absence for people like soldiers or prisoners (for example, a short, authorized time away from duty or prison).
  • In everyday news and workplace talk, though, “furloughed” almost always refers to employees put on temporary unpaid leave instead of being permanently laid off.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.