Furloughs for workers at Pella's window plant

MACOMB (AP) — Window manufacturer Pella Corp. is having workers at an Illinois plant take rotating furloughs this winter instead of voluntary layoffs.

The change affects 250 workers at the company's plant in the western Illinois city of Macomb. Each will have to take a week off without pay in rotations that will likely last until March.

The McDonough County Voice reports (http://bit.ly/AvjXrc ) Wednesday that plant officials view it as a better move for the company and its employees.

Plant manager Kevin Gaul says the previous three years had seen voluntary layoffs in winter, when business typically slows down.

He says furloughs will minimize disruption to the business and employees' lives. Gaul says many of the workers will receive unemployment benefits during the week they're furloughed.