Had anyone ever heard of furlough before this month?

[Thatbloodybear]

Just musing that furlough, along with social distancing and self isolation are phrases we probably all read hundreds of times a day on MN. Has anyone ever heard of furlough or experienced it before now?

Only heard of it on Veep

Yes, I am a forces brat.

Yes - I first came across it in 'What Katy Did Next' in relation to US naval leave (book dates from late 19th Century)

' ... a cheery call sounded from above and an unexpected surprise descended on them in the shape of Lieutenant Worthington, who, having secured another 15 days' furlough, had come to take his sister on to Venice'.

Yes US/Military use. Being paid but not working was called gardening leave when I was at work but I assume that's not really a term that would be acceptable in these circumstances.

Heard of it to do with the military and also on orange is the new black

I've heard of it, work in financial services and the less essential day rate contractors will get furlough over the Christmas period so they don't get paid for 3 weeks when the projects are slower and there isn't as much work for them.

Only in Orange Is The New Black - where they use it as a term for time out of prison for good behaviour.

Nope, I had to google it up find out what it meant.

Yes but unpaid.

Yes, I heard of it in the original Poldark series . I never thought I'd hear it in modern usage.

Only heard of it in OITNB

Orange is the New Black for me too!

Only on trashy American reality tv shows (little women LA)

As PP said, in orange is the new black it's when you get granted leave from prison on compassionate grounds.

I've never heard of it before all this started, I have been furloughed from my job now though until pubs and restaurants are allowed to open again.

I associate 'gardening leave' with someone not wanted in the workplace during their notice period for a particular reason; e.g. because they are moving to a competitor.

Yes - we put contractors on furlough at Christmas to avoid costs when project work is slow

I'd have said "laid off" as well. I've heard people use "gardening leave", although that's not technically correct.

I’d not heard of "proroguing" parliament before last year either.

I wonder what other terms Boris has for not doing any work.

I was just saying this. I had also never heard of a pangolin 2 weeks ago.

It was mentioned in an episode of Inspector Morse once

@Thatbloodybear
It’s been used more frequently by US airlines (post 9/11, during the 2008 on recession, now), but I just read that Virgin Australia has furloughed 80% of their workforce. It is particularly relevant to seniority-based employees (flight crew, cabin crew) as their pay is based on years of service and schedules are bid on based on seniority. So a furlough would keep their seniority number whereas a lay off would be like starting over. The European airlines often use other avenues to prevent mass layoffs. For example, British Airways and Aer Lingus have given an across the board 50% pay reduction to all pilots rather than utilize furloughs as of yet.

So was it just me who thought they were saying “furlong” when it first started until someone corrected me

Only in Chicago fire

But didn't know what it meant or what it was

Now I do cos I've been furloughed

It's normal term for me, contractors are often put on furlough over Xmas.