What is Furlough?

In the midst of the Coronavirus crisis, many people are now being put in situations they probably haven’t experienced before. One possible situation that people are confronting is being furloughed. But do you know what this term means? It’s OK if you don’t! I myself have never heard of the term before this pandemic, but I hope that this article can help others understand what furlough is and what you should do during these times.

What Is It? 

Being furloughed does not mean that you are being fired from the company or being laid off, so rest assured . Instead, think of it as a temporary leave. After a certain period of time, the company will decide when you will come back and continue your work. Because of restrictions to stay at home and to stop all non-essential work right now, companies must furlough employees in order to conserve costs and minimize future damage done to the company after work resumes. If you want more information on the current COVID-19 situation and unemployment, you can check out this Washington Post article here.

Positives and Negatives of Furlough  

A plus side of being furloughed is that you’re still able to retain your job benefits like health insurance. But of course, the downside of being furloughed is that it is an unpaid time of absence. During these circumstances, we recommend you look into unemployment benefits that your government offers. And although the situation makes it hard right now, be prepared to go back into the job hunt once this crisis is over. Ways you can prepare yourself is by restructuring your LinkedIn, resume, and cover letters. 

Don’t Stress! 

We know that many people are being put in tough personal and financial situations right now, but a way to maximize this time is to work on your own skills and build your network. While this quarantine can make all of us feel down in a dump, remember that just about everyone is at home trying to be productive as well! Go on your LinkedIn and reach out to professionals that you are interested in learning from. By effectively utilizing your tools, you can turn this time at home into something beneficial for your future. 

Thanks for reading this article I wrote about furlough! Hopefully you all know a bit more about what furlough is and how to effectively use your time during times like these!

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