furlough
n. C / Un. a period of time when an employee is away from work but still gets paid. It is often used when a company needs to reduce costs for a short time.
n. a period of temporary leave from work, typically unpaid or with reduced pay, granted by an employer. Often used in the context of economic downturns or seasonal business cycles.
The company placed many employees on furlough during the winter.
After the sudden drop in tourism, the hotel management decided to put half the staff on furlough for three months.
From Dutch verlof (“furlough”), probably from Middle Low German verlōf (“furlough, permission”) (possibly via German Verlaub), from the verb verlōven (“to allow”), from Old Saxon far- + lōvian (“to trust, believe”). From Middle Low German also German Verlaub, Danish forlov. Doublet of leave.