A furlough is a temporary leave of absence from a job, often unpaid, with the expectation that the worker will return (pronounced FUR-loh /ˈfɜːrloʊ/). Employers use furloughs to cut costs during downturns without permanently letting staff go, so the arrangement is meant to be a pause rather than an ending. The word appears often in news about economic slumps, government shutdowns, and seasonal slowdowns, and it also keeps its older military meaning of authorized leave.
What does furlough mean?
In its most common modern sense, a furlough is a period of mandatory, usually unpaid, time off imposed by an employer. It differs from a layoff in intent: a furloughed worker remains an employee and is expected to come back once conditions improve, and may keep certain benefits such as health insurance in the meantime. The word functions as both a noun (“on furlough”) and a verb (“to furlough staff”), and a furloughed employee is one placed on such leave.
The term also carries older meanings. It refers to authorized leave granted to soldiers or other institutional employees, the sense in which a service member goes home “on furlough.” In some justice systems it describes a temporary, supervised release of a prisoner, for example for work, education, or family reasons. All these uses share the idea of officially permitted time away with an expected return.
Where does furlough come from?
Furlough entered English in the 17th century from Dutch verlof, meaning “leave” or “permission,” related to Middle Low German verlof and to the idea of allowing or permitting. The earliest recorded uses appear in the mid-1600s, including in the writing of Ben Jonson, and it began as a military word for time off from duty. By the mid-20th century it was applied to temporary layoffs of civilian workers, originally civilian employees connected to the U.S. military, and later to conditional releases of prisoners. Over time it broadened from the barracks to the workplace and the justice system.
How is furlough used?
Furlough is standard, neutral vocabulary in business, government, and news, especially during economic slowdowns or government budget disputes. Common phrases include “placed on furlough,” “furlough days,” “unpaid furlough,” and “furloughed employees.” In military contexts it retains its original meaning of authorized leave. The word is widely understood and appropriate in both formal and everyday writing, and it usually signals a temporary, reversible situation rather than a permanent one.
Example sentences
- The airline placed thousands of workers on furlough during the slump.
- She used her furlough to visit family while awaiting recall.
- The company chose furloughs over layoffs to keep its skilled staff.
- The soldier returned home on a two-week furlough.
- Government employees faced an unpaid furlough during the shutdown.
- He was furloughed in the spring but rehired by the summer.
Related and confusable terms
Related terms include leave, leave of absence, sabbatical, layoff, downtime, and suspension. In the military sense, related words are leave and liberty. The word most often confused with furlough is layoff: a layoff typically ends employment, while a furlough is temporary and usually preserves the job. It is also distinct from a sabbatical, which is generally a planned, sometimes paid break for study or rest, and from redundancy, a British term for permanent job loss.
Common misconceptions
A common misconception is that furlough and layoff mean the same thing. A furlough is intended to be temporary, with the worker expected to return, whereas a layoff is usually permanent. Another misunderstanding is that furlough always means “no pay at all”; while many furloughs are unpaid, some arrangements preserve benefits or offer partial compensation, depending on the employer and applicable rules. A third is that furlough is only a business term, when in fact its oldest and still-current sense is military leave.
Furlough in the news and around the world
Furlough became especially familiar to the general public during large economic disruptions, when governments and employers turned to it as an alternative to mass permanent job losses. In the United States, the word appears often in coverage of federal government shutdowns, when budget standoffs leave many public employees temporarily off work, sometimes without pay until the dispute is resolved. During widespread economic emergencies, some governments have run formal furlough or job-retention schemes that subsidized wages so employers could keep staff on the books through a downturn, a use that pushed the word into everyday headlines. The details of who pays, whether benefits continue, and how long a furlough may last vary widely by country, employer, and the specific program involved. What stays constant across all these uses is the core idea: an official, temporary pause in work with an expectation of return, distinct from a permanent dismissal. That is why, whether the context is a barracks, a factory, a government office, or a correctional facility, the same word fits, and readers can usually infer the exact meaning from the surrounding situation. In short, furlough has traveled far from its Dutch and military roots, but across every context it keeps its promise of a pause rather than an ending.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does furlough mean in simple terms?
It means a temporary leave from work, often without pay, where you are expected to return to your job later.
What is the difference between a furlough and a layoff?
A layoff usually ends the job permanently, while a furlough is temporary and typically keeps your job and sometimes benefits intact.
Do you get paid during a furlough?
Often not. Many furloughs are unpaid, though some may be partly paid or preserve benefits, depending on the employer and rules.
How do you pronounce furlough?
It is pronounced FUR-loh (/ˈfɜːrloʊ/); the 'gh' is silent.
Where does the word furlough come from?
From Dutch verlof, meaning 'leave' or 'permission,' entering English in the 1600s and first used for military leave.
Can furlough refer to soldiers or prisoners?
Yes. It originally meant authorized leave for soldiers, and in some systems also refers to temporary releases of prisoners.