Jewel-Osco office workers asked to take furloughs

Jewel-Osco workers in Itasca and Franklin Park have been asked to voluntarily take unpaid time off before Feb. 26, when parent SuperValu's fiscal year ends.

Before the holidays, SuperValu office workers nationwide were asked to take voluntary unpaid time off as arranged with their managers. This furlough time does not affect grocery store workers and those covered under various unions' bargaining agreements, said Mike Siemienas, a spokesman for SuperValu.

“This is a way for us to realize some cost savings,” Siemienas said Thursday.

SuperValu operates Jewel-Osco and Save-a-Lot stores around the Chicago and suburban market.

Itasca houses operations for Jewel-Osco while Franklin Park is the home office of SuperValu Pharmacies.

Siemienas could not immediately say how many workers were eligible for the furloughs or how much the company intends to save with the program. SuperValu is based in Eden Prarie, Minn.