suspension or discharge of a worker or workers on account of economic conditions or shortage of work, especially when temporary

half of employers say they will put the majority of their staff on furlough

every morning we're hearing about significant furloughs among the airlines

suspend or discharge (a worker) from a job, especially temporarily, on account of economic conditions or shortage of work

the company temporarily shuttered two plants and furloughed 8,100 workers

state workers have been furloughed because of the budget crisis