1. characterized by the practice of featherbedding; involving unnecessary workers or overstaffing to maintain employment
Usage: business/labor context

1. past tense and past participle of featherbed; to engage in featherbedding, or to provide with excessive comfort and protection
Usage: labor/employment context

Examples

• The union was accused of featherbedded practices that kept unnecessary workers on the payroll.
• The company's featherbedded workforce made it difficult to compete with leaner competitors.
• Management featherbedded the department with extra staff to avoid layoffs.
• Critics argued the agency had become featherbedded with redundant positions.
• The railroad featherbedded its operations by requiring more crew members than necessary.
• Featherbedded jobs protected workers but increased operational costs significantly.