Time Off Without Pay: Whose Responsibility?
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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Comments
Furlough vs Unemployment
Why are some people I know that get furloughed able to collect unemployment and others are not?
Diane Hebert | 7 months, 1 week ago
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none
I’ve been here since 1983, some good, some bad.
I saw it as a way to avoid being laid off, I asked if I could take extra to help someone else that might be more negitively affected by the furlough.
We were told to take one week off, I took two.
Bottom line is to do what’s best for your own survival.
Brad Maas | 5 months, 2 weeks ago
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USA
Ah!!! at last I found what I was looking for. Somtimes it takes so much effort to find even tiny useful piece of information.
Nice post. Thanks
Car Insurance Guy | 4 months, 1 week ago
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Computer technician
I have two questions for someone with knowledge or experience to answer: the Job is in Florida. Hours were reduced to everyone from 40 to 32 hrs.a week: 1) Can I collect unemployment on those 8 hours under the STC Program? 2) If I accept the furlough offering, can I collect unemployment benefits? Thank you!
Isabel Castillo | 4 months, 1 week ago
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furlough legislators of ca petition
Where can I sign, support, and join the movement to furlough legislators of ca petition?
best regards
iamgoodwin@yahoo.com
Bill Goodwin | 3 months, 1 week ago
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Working too hard for nothing
Worked for 2years for a small clothing store company long hours no breaks no lunch run 3 stores at a time was paid less than half in paycheck and the rest in cash brought in new ideas to company that helped a lot Now I feel use and abused sacrifice a lot for this people that decided to let me go kept my last paycheck because as the main man says HE RUNS HIS BUSSINESS HOWEVER HE WANTS BECAUSE Labor Department and ICE,an the IRS will never catch up with him.This kind of people should be penalized for all this violations but it almost feels as if he knew people in CONGRESS OR HIS PERSONAL ACCOUNTANT knows how to play our system.
tania lopez | 3 months ago
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Home Owner
Gov.Linda Lingle,
Please reconsider,and stop this damage you are causing the children of our City.We need to keep our children in school every day possible,What do you think a day off a week is doing to these children.When we are doing things to keep them off the street,this is not helping matters.Please consider helping our children to be educated.
Thank you very much,
Wilma
Wilma Wilson | 1 month, 4 weeks ago
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Furloughs-Paying Twice
I work for a state institution. We are now facing the prospect of furloughs, once per month. Generally speaking, it’s better try and maintain jobs given the recession, however here’s where I differ from this popular opinion. Some of the people I work with cheat the state taxpayers of thousands of dollars through false reporting of work hours. They do not show for work on time, sometimes hours late and leave early. They falsify documentation, sometimes only coming into the office to make a showing, then leave to perform other duties outside state work. Management offers they do not have the resources to investigate, yet they admit there is a problem. Those who have tried to expose the wrong-doings twist in the wind. It’s not just the issue of furloughs, it’s subsidizing criminal acts. Until management resolve this issue, I’m not too inclined to favor furloughs to any degree.
Elizabeth Fuy | 1 month, 1 week ago
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furlough
Doea this mean you were asked to take a furlough? We were told. I knew the last raise I got that amounted to $500 for the year was being taken back.My boss was given a promotion. His raise to be promoted is More than My whole annual pay. Threats and negativity with attempts to get me to quit my job. save them nothing especially when compared to what we are spending to buildings. I am hoping that the new buildings will be more handcapped friendly. One building has a huge restroom. Since my health is still improving. I think I could get down the stairs to get to the facilities. I am just not sure I could do the trip in time to avoid the humiliation for not making it on time. It has only been in the last few years that lunch was served to the volunteers. That is served upstairs this year. The building elevator does go there either. Dinner was always on the agenda for volunteers. I an not sure that is doable either. Not sure I can get there and have anybody left to even greet. Only strangers and wait staff who would not know what I was talking about for my ‘debriefing’of our event.
Pam Ketterlinus | 1 month ago
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Furlough Days
Could be called “shared misery” There has to be some fundamental changes to remedy our problems. Since the early 60’s the radicals have taken over the Gov’t. Education and the News Media while we sat back and did nothing to stop them. Now this present administration ts hell bent on forcing us fully into socialism. Two things we can do to counter them is (1) Elect people with conservative values. (2)Start a business of our own so we don’t have to be totally dependent on a job. On those furlough days take that time to learn new skills that will increase your value. Find a Network Marketing Co. to get involved in. I know most people cringe at the thought mainly because of tales they have heard about these companies.If it is so bad why has Donald Trump started his own network marketing company and guys like Robert Kiyosaki endorse it? I have taken responsibility and joined one that has digital education products and it only takes $25.00 to start. If you are ready to make a real difference. Start today it’s all you have when tomorrow gets here it is today yesterday is a pile of ashes from the time spent
J.C. McEver | 4 weeks, 1 day ago
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