Tips on how workers can make the most of an unpaid furlough
— -- Whether employees have a day off a week, or one week a quarter, there are constructive ways to make the most of the time. Some guidance:
Before the leave
•Slice spending. Furloughed employees should have a cash reserve to help supplement lighter paychecks. "Stop spending money," says Lewis Maltby, president of The National Workrights Institute. While it might seem tempting, he cautions that furloughed workers shouldn't look at the time off as an opportunity to plan an expensive vacation to an exotic island. "You should be putting the money in the bank," he says.
•Buddy up to HR. All furloughs are not equal. For example, rules for exempt salaried employees and non-exempt hourly employees vary. Workers should check in with company human resources representatives to determine how the furlough will affect them — and their paycheck — personally. HR staffers, as well as a local labor department, should be able to provide guidance about unemployment benefits during a furlough.
•Become a master negotiator. Some creditors, such as landlords and child care providers, could be sympathetic to the furloughed worker's plight and reduce fees. If there seems to be wiggle room, ask for a discount.
With the economic crunch, "It's not business as usual," says Joseph Schumacher, chief operating officer of the child care franchise company Goddard Systems. "Things that might have been out of line or not subject to discussion last year are now subject to discussion."
During the furlough
•Plan a personal bailout. Use the time off to spruce up a résumé, network with other professionals and look for a more stable employer, says Maltby. "The company didn't lay you off for the week because they're doing well," he says. "In most, cases, furloughs happen because the company is in financial trouble." Case in point: This week, RV-maker Monaco Coach said it would permanently lay off workers who had been on furlough since mid-December.
•Explore new fields. Shelley Cox, a county planning director in North Carolina, is using her furlough days get a jump-start on a career change. "We have been required to take one day a month unpaid leave since January — and now there is talk that layoffs of county employees may begin soon," she says. "Because of the uncertainty in my current job, I have begun taking (online) classes for elementary education licensure. My furlough days are spent completing the observation hours that are required for my classes."
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