Re: What is this furloughing?
Hearing/seeing the term everywhere and understanding its meaning are two different things.
Even if the general meaning is understood, there may be nuances which can bend the meaning beyond its standard interpretation - as in this government scheme, specifically not being allowed to work whilst furloughed.
We shouldn't slate people for asking a reasonable question, especially for something which can take on a specific meaning in certain contexts.
Sure, [search-engine-of-choice] is your friend and it's not hard to look things up these days. But still, this may not address the specific nuances for each case.
So ask away, just keep in mind some people will get tetchy about it.