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The Responsibility Project®. Exploring what it means to do the right thing

Thursday Feb 09


Furlough: Would You Go?

43 Comments

April 27, 2009 by Kathy McManus

It’s the recession question being asked at factories, offices, workplaces, and dinner tables across America: would you volunteer for an unpaid furlough to keep your colleagues from losing their jobs?

Three days here. Six days there. A week, two weeks, a month. Thousands of workers in dozens of industries are making the trade-off of losing pay for saving jobs.

But is everyone stepping up simply because it’s the responsible thing to do?

When the University of New Mexico asked for furlough volunteers in order to avoid layoffs, a 30-year-old paid intern raised her hand and said, “I’m glad to do what little I can” to help the school weather the recession.

While one co-worker saw the move as “gracious,” another worker publicly questioned the young woman’s motivation, saying she was trying to “suck up” to her bosses for future employment. “Supervisors love that attitude,” said the critic. “What she has said will ensure her a good-paying job once she finishes (her) internship.”

The tension at the university “highlights a behind-the-scenes drama playing out in a growing number of workplaces,” reports The Wall Street Journal, where the question of whether to volunteer for a furlough has sparked contention and anxiety among workers.

Some employers are shielding the identity of furlough volunteers from the rest of the staff. “We didn’t want there to be any sense of competitiveness, like ‘I did this, why didn’t you?’” said an Iowa executive whose employees are taking secret furloughs.

Employment experts offer advice about the politics of volunteering for an unpaid furlough. “In this job market, the last thing you want is for people to think they can do without you,” one said, cautioning that an employee who sacrifices a lot of time off “may be viewed as expendable” rather than as a team player.

At the University of New Mexico, a staff head said employees are worried not just about image, but reality. “I have people emailing me and saying, ‘I’m one paycheck away from homelessness. I can’t miss one day of work.’”

Tell us what you think: Are you responsible for saving a colleague’s job by reducing your own hours and pay? If you were asked to volunteer for unpaid time off, what would you do?


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43 Comments

What do you think? Leave a comment

  • April 30, 2009 by Susan Mabe

    I am not in New Mexico, I want to help local people in Prince William County, Va. I am sorry.

    Reply

    • August 19, 2010 by ARU

      No matter where you are, the question remains. Would you take unpaid time off in order for someone else to keep their job? I've done this before and will do so again where the need arises. If we are "only it it for ourselves" we will all sink. It doesn't take much to stay afloat. It takes *much* less to exist or survive this horrid recession that we've come to believe is the American Dream. Let's pull together folks. Plywood is stronger than a single thin board.

      Reply

    • September 28, 2010 by Rissa

      I'm all for saving someone's job don't get me wrong. But my husband works for a state prison and we are getting 15% paycut which accumulates to 3 furlough days off a month. The problem with that is they are still working their furlough days and not getting paid for it. Prisons never close and that's what these politicians don't understand. If he was to actually be able to come home 3 extra days a month, then I wouldn't complain, but he's still working, putting himself in danger everyday and more and more C/O's are coming down with Valley Fever which not alot of people know about. It's a dangerous job and I worry about him everyday. What they need to think about is taking more benefits away from the inmates than us. You would all die if you only knew what these inmates get. Three hot meals a day, they need everything in the basic food group, medical/dental benefits, not generic medicine, everything is name brand. I could go on and on and it would make you sick. I think C/O's have done their fair share of trying to save California, so now it's someone elses turn.

      Reply

  • May 1, 2009 by Vix

    I would like to think that if a job could be saved with the small temporary sacrifice that most people would do so. Reality is such that unless it is mandated that is not likely to happen. To save a friends job I would take a temporary leave of short duration, and or a temporary pay cut. In the end I have a responsibility to my family and to my obligations (mortgage and bills) that comes first, so if I could help a friend without doing damage to these I would do so. How many of your co-workers are truly friends?

    Reply

  • May 14, 2009 by Dakota

    We are involved in the problems with San Bernadino County furlough program. Most co-workers are true friends, all taking a little cut for the benefit of all. We even took vote in support of this. The union called for the vote and then without employee input, they nullified the results. The result; flex schedules gone, furloughs to continue. Potentially, hundreds to lose jobs. My job is safe but others will likely not be so lucky. Why? Because some else got a better deal a year before. My answer to this mess, fire all union leadership. approve the vote as we all wanted. Everyone keep their jobs. Re-focus the SBPEA towards meeting member needs, not lining their own pockets with my dues money.

    Reply

  • May 17, 2009 by Stacy Boykin

    I work for a very small construction company in Va. We have been in dire straits since November. I work with a legal resident of America who is from El Salvador. He is terrified to collect unemployment, he fears it will affect his residency status. We both have families to care for. I gladly went on unemployment and let him have the few hours available. When we began to work again, I ceased to collect unemployment and we share the burden of a day's work here and a day's work there. We take turns, and share not to suck up to our boss, or get ahead (how ridiculous is that), but because we are human beings that care for another human being. We are all doing what we can to help each other and our company survive these very hard times. By taking turns working, we not only are each making a little money, we are also helping our company avoid going under. It's a care thing. When someone treats you decent you find it easy to return the favor, no matter how hard times are.

    Reply

    • May 29, 2009 by Rachel

      You are doing it the way it should be done! Not enough people think or act like you do.

      Reply

  • May 22, 2009 by Mike

    I am a City employee in Florida on a furlough day right now. In my case, the furlough was an easy way for management to save money without making any tough management decisions. They will save $180,000 with 2 furlough days this year. They gave each employee a $1000 raise this year. Without the raise, they would have saved at least $500,000. How does this make sense? The raise was not contractual. The furlough was easy, and makes it look like they are doing something. Doing "something" is not always the right thing to do! Lower wage employees are paying a much larger price. The City wants to be "fair" to it's employees, but the furlough impacts some, more than others. The Police union is suing the City because of the furlough. The Fire union stated " I don't care how many general employees are laid off, we will get our raise". This is the real world! We don't live in Utopia. The Police & Fire employees are NOT in their profession for service, they are in it for the money only. Their actions have proven this time and again.

    Reply

  • May 27, 2009 by Mary Hill

    His thought is there will not be a plant to come back to. During his furlough he cannot draw unemployment (OK), but he can't use any of the 8 weeks of vacation he has either. I understand the workings of a furlough, but does the company understand the workings of a household? Our bills are still due and we still have children to feed. It is everyone in his plant at the same time going out, from upper management to line workers. I smell something wrong here, something no amount of playing fair will help. At this point in our lives, I leave it to God, because I no longer trust the government, the company or the boss that told him it would all be OK. I trust my husband and he knows he can trust me, together we stand, divided we fall, and if we find ourselves with our backs against the wall...we will be together. Good Luck to all that deserve it, maintain and sustain, your life, your family, your friends, past that, Guard yours!

    Reply

  • June 2, 2009 by Vicky

    What a wonderful use of my time! I usually don't take time to watch commercials...but this family dinner-time conversation has been so well and it speaks to the heart of this nation at the most appropriate time. As I sit here, with tears running down my face, I want to thank you for making me aware that with small sacrifices on my part, it might make a difference. What a wonderful thought that with small sacrifices on the part of everyone, we might actually pull out of this mess...together.

    Reply

  • June 9, 2009 by John

    I understand what a furlough is supposed to accomplish: saving the company to continue the business. I just completed my first furlough, two weeks at a shot; boy let me tell you it reeks. I took a big hit on my salary; my car hit 100,000 miles and the engine blew up on me; and, gas is climbing to $3 to $4 bucks a gallon. I have next month’s rent in the bank. I am not going to make my medical bills, the electric, gas, water, or sewer bills. My wife shouldn't work due to her health, although she is applying for any job she can find. I am trying to find fill in work, for when I have to furlough next quarter and a part time night job to make ends meet. A furlough may help the company I am working for, but it will kill me. I am never going to be able to retire. I have been through this four times now and every time it is nothing more than someone balancing the economy by eliminating those that can no longer even minimally sustain themselves in the new model that emerges. What little I have was used to get me through to the next crisis and I have less for every new crisis. God, what a mess we have created for ourselves and those we leave behind. I am not ready to go, but I don't see a good alternative for the future.

    Reply

  • June 9, 2009 by celeste good

    I agree with all here: it’s good for the company, but where does that leave us that have to take the time off? My husband has been sent home involuntarily when he does work, and he's been denied raises (one he was promised seven months ago) and bonuses (based on how much money he has made for the company). And in all this, we can only say that we're lucky he kept his job. Meanwhile, we have three kids and one on the way. Our bills don't go away-we save the company money, but we all suffer. I just hope this economy turns for the better soon-I'm tired of worrying.

    Reply

  • June 14, 2009 by Joan

    I had never heard of furloughs or thought about it before the Governor of Hawaii decided to force all state workers to take three days off a month. Oh, I don't mean all state workers. The DOE and a few other departments are not forced. We will have the same workload, but no more overtime, and less pay. Is the answer to lay off people? No, but there are other answers. The county employees are not losing any days. I am worried about my mortgage, my car payment and how to feed my family. Oh and also they eliminated the EAP program so if it depresses us and we need counseling, we will have to access the insurance which payment is also being increased.

    Reply

  • June 18, 2009 by Erik

    Here right outside of Minneapolis, I work for a small, family-owned company. Within the last few years to the present, this company has "let go" about 2/3 of the entire company personnel. I'm lucky enough to be in a 'support' type position, so I'm at least valuable to the company, at this point. We've all taken numerous pay cuts, and a specified amount of unpaid days-off per pay period, and now they're cutting our days around the holidays where we can opt to be paid since they've gone to the PTO-time within the last year or so. We no longer get paid holiday days for free. The PTO (Paid Time Off) is a specified amount of hours allowed to a worker per quarter, to use at their leisure, for either sick-time or to be used toward holidays that the store is closed, but you opt to be paid for that day. We cannot do that anymore beginning today with one certain upcoming holiday. Everyone will be off for that particular holiday with No-Pay whatsoever. We cannot put in PTO time for that day either. Now, how many more holidays in the future will this happen with? I'm guessing that this is the new 'trick' to save the company mo-money. I have actually lost pay within the last couple of years from this company, instead of seeing any type of pay raises, bonuses, etc (which have been out of the question). I guess I 'should' be lucky that I still have a job at all, and haven't lost my house and vehicles yet. But, have been very close to that, and had to depend upon family to bail my family and me out. One of our vehicles did get repossessed, and that sucked. It wouldn't have happened if I hadn't had to take the pay cuts that I have in the past couple of years. I like to think that I'm like most people since I don't mind taking the pay cuts to help out the company (although I really hate to have to), and not have to see people that I actually like to see at work get the axe. I refuse to work for free though. But like any other 'head-of-the-household', I DO HAVE a family to support, a home to keep them in, as well as to provide food, clothing, and necessities for them. I don't want to have to do it, but I'm looking for another job and don't care if we have to move out of the state to put my family in a better, more stable position. Who knows if I'll be on their 'Axe-List' in the near future.

    Reply

  • June 21, 2009 by John Chapman

    My company has implemented various time periods making use of the Holidays and one's own vacation to temper the loss. For the most part it is a four day week with the weekends lengthened by using Fri and Mon as the "Idle" days. I appreciate that they help with the decision by scheduling these "furlough" days for us. Its good leadership and hopefully will result in a company that will survive and revive quickly. I learned in the Army not to volunteer; but know that it is the better choice for all concerned.

    Reply



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