Definition of "featherbedding" [featherbedding]

• The practice of requiring an employer to hire more workers than are needed or to limit their production in keeping with a safety regulation or union rule. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Let us look at the class of people who have the weak moral fibre sufficient to indulge in featherbedding."
• "Abramoff described his practice of "featherbedding" - making job offers to chiefs of staff in Congress."
• "I'm afraid I don't quite know what the $20 million is that you're referring to, and I certainly don't support "featherbedding", since I'm no friend of large, inefficient corporate consultancies."