furlough days

furloughとは、平たく言うと、労働者にとっては、休暇ということになるようですが、英和辞典を引くといろいろな日本語訳があり、その意味はコンテクストによって変わってくるようです。

Wikipediaによると、大別すると"voluntary furlough"と"involuntary furlough"に分けられるようですが、前者がいわゆる”有給休暇”にあたるのに対し、後者は（雇用者の都合による被雇用者の）”自宅待機”に相当するそうです。

コンテクストで解釈しなければならない用語になりますが、下記の例はどうでしょうか？


Chicago shuts down most city services for Furlough Day

You could not get a library book or see a doctor in a city health clinic Monday in Chicago, but you could pay a parking ticket or fight to un-boot your car, provided you'd wait in a line long enough for an amusement park ride. Police, firefighters and privatized parking meters were working, however, even if nothing else was.

From a security guard answering phones in the mayor's office at City Hall to a harried staff collecting payments of fines at one of the few city offices open Monday, confusion and frustration reigned in the City that Works, which by design wasn't officially working at all.

To save an estimated $8.3 million throughout the year in a tight budget crunch, Chicago picked three days, including Monday, to shut down most city services, leaving only a skeleton crew to handle emergencies and conduct necessary city business, such as collecting revenue.

About 11,000 workers stayed home Monday and will again the Friday after Thanksgiving and on Christmas Eve. City workers also have been taking furlough days throughout the year to help reduce payroll costs.
(Chicago Tribute, August 18, 2009.)


"to help reduce payroll costs"という表現からは、コスト削減というコンテクストが読み取れ、どうやら”有給休暇”ではなくて、”自宅待機”の部類に入るようです。