Catherwood LibraryILR School

Furlough, forced unpaid 'vacation' days have become an increasingly popular money-saving measure in today's economy, but the furlough is far from uniform in its implementation. Many workers only actually take off a portion of the time they are entitled to, staying in the office even on supposed 'furlough' days. Some workers feel guilty not working when others are swamped, some feel forced to come in and show their dedication in an economy where jobs are not as stable as they once were, others are even told they can't take their furlough because there is just too much work, especially where businesses are short-staffed. Labor Relations Professor Robert Bruno, at the University of Illinois, says that the furlough is "dangerous...because it severs the relationship between an employee and compensation...It begins to look punitive, intentional or not."