Readers are welcome to correct me – but isn’t it the case that when the “shutdown” is over that those workers who were “furloughed” will actually be receiving back-pay?
That’s not exactly what a furlough is. When my brother-in-law is furloughed from his job (he works in an alternator factory) he doesn’t get back pay, and in fact you mght think that by the time he gets back to work his pay will not only not be made up, but his future pay may even be lower.
And THAT is surely not the case for the “furloughed” government worker. Indeed, we may be watching live right now the HORRORS of paid-vacations being granted to a third of federal workers. Yes, there’s more to it. But it’s a weekend. I’m being paid for it too, or am I?
Great point. I’m not sure of the exact terms of the furlough, but you can be certain that the furloughed government workers will be far better off than the average furloughed private sector manufacturing worker. It’s quite likely that they are eligible for unemployment benefits as well. I also wonder if the US park workers charged with keeping visitors away are receiving overtime pay for their efforts.
My understanding is that they’re not paid or supposed to be paid while furloughed, but Congress inevitably passes a bill paying them retroactively after the government returns to work.
Yes, they are not being paid when “furloughed” but yes too, this is Newspeak for being furloughed,
When they lay people off at the alternator plant, it is done reluctantly, and not to make a vindictive point.