金融風暴席卷全球，一輪裁員風潮刮面而來，本期《雙語辦公室》讓你體驗一下歐美國家辭退職員的現(xiàn)場說法……

Situation: Robert Foster, a mid-level manager, has just been called into the office of his boss Lisa Gerard, and is expecting bad news …

情景：羅伯特?福斯特是一名中層管理者，他被老板麗莎?杰拉德叫到了辦公室，心里預(yù)感老板有什么壞消息要告訴他。

Robert: Hi Lisa - you wanted to see me?

Lisa: Robert, hi. (she sighs) I'm afraid there's no easy way to do this, really.

Robert: Ah.

Lisa: I'm really sorry, but I'm afraid we're going to have to let you go. It's nothing to do with your performance, you understand - it's just how things are. Hard times.

Robert: Well, I can't say this is a total surprise. Heard the rumours going round. But still …

Lisa: It's a hard blow, I know. You're not the only one. We're having to lose 20% of staff. Maybe 30%, the way things are going. You might thank me in the long run. There's downsizing all over the firm. Profits are down - and they're not looking any healthier this year.

Robert: At least you waited until after Christmas. Thank you for that, at least.

Lisa: Look, Robert, you know this doesn't have anything to do with you. You've been an excellent staff member - we simply can't afford to keep you. Most of your department's going. We'll give you great references, trust me.

Robert: That's something, I suppose. But … finding a new job in this climate - well … especially at my age. I'm nearly fifty - you really think anyone is going to hire me?

Lisa: I'd stress that your age had nothing to do with this.

Robert: I suppose you have to say that for legal reasons. But don't kid me - I know the old dogs get shot first.

Lisa: Your compensation package will be generous. You've been with this firm a long time. As per the contract, a year's salary, plus we'll roll your unused holiday time over into that time, and you'll keep medical and dental that whole year. That ought to be enough time to find something new.

Robert: I guess so. But… Well, you know how it is. Not the news I wanted to hear. Hardly the best way to start the New Year, is it?

Lisa: We've arranged for an outplacement agency to take you on - I have the number here.They're very good, I hear. I hate to say it, but we're sending them a lot of business.

Robert: I hope so. I mean, I hope they're good.

Lisa: Well … Bob, it's been a pleasure working with you. I'm dreadfully sorry it had to end this way.

Robert: Me too. Listen, I'm going to - I guess I'm just going to take off now. I need to be alone for a while. I'll come by to get my stuff later.

Lisa: I understand. Strictly speaking I should ask you to get your things now, for security reasons - but I think we can skip that. Take care of yourself.

Robert: I'll try. Goodbye.

羅伯特：嗨，麗莎——你找我？

麗莎：嗨，羅伯特。（嘆了嘆氣）要把這個消息告訴你，讓我很為難，真的。

羅伯特：啊。

麗莎：真的很抱歉，但我們恐怕要辭退你，這與你的工作表現(xiàn)無關(guān)，你能理解嗎——情況就

是這樣，艱難時期。

羅伯特：哦，對此我不感到很驚訝，我早就聽到了傳言。但是……

麗莎：我知道這是個沉重的打擊，被裁員的不止你一人。我們不得不裁去20%的員工，或許30%，事情現(xiàn)在就是這樣。從長遠來看，你或許會感謝我。整個公司正在精簡機構(gòu)，利潤在下降——而且今年不會有什么好轉(zhuǎn)。

羅伯特：至少你還等到圣誕節(jié)之后才告訴我這些，還是要謝謝你。

麗莎：聽我說，羅伯特，你要知道這與你本人沒有任何關(guān)系，你是一個很優(yōu)秀的員工——我們只是雇不起你了。你們部門大多數(shù)人都得走。我們會給你一些很好的推薦，相信我。

羅伯特：至少這還算是件好事?？墒恰谶@個時期找工作——你說……特別是在我這個年齡，我都快50了——你真的認為誰會聘用我嗎？

麗莎：我要強調(diào)，你的年齡與這件事毫無關(guān)系。

羅伯特：我想你是為了使理由合法才這么說的，但是不用耍我——我知道老犬總是第一個挨

槍。

麗莎：我們給你的補償會很豐厚。你為公司效力了很久。根據(jù)合同，除了一年的工資，我們還會給你加上你之前沒有休過的假期的日薪，整年你還可以繼續(xù)享有醫(yī)療和牙醫(yī)保險，這些應(yīng)該可以讓你有足夠的時間去找份新的工作。

羅伯特：我想是的。但是……你知道我的感受，這不是我想聽到的消息。作為新年的開始，

這是最糟糕的方式，不是嗎？

麗莎：我們會安排一個再就業(yè)服務(wù)機構(gòu)來幫助你——我這里有他們的電話，聽說他們很不錯。我很不樂意這么說，可我們正在給他們送去很多生意。

羅伯特：但愿如此，我的意思是，但愿他們很不錯。

麗莎：那么……鮑勃，與你共事很愉快，以這樣的方式來結(jié)束這一切，我真的感到很難過。

羅伯特：我也是。聽著，我現(xiàn)在要——我想我現(xiàn)在要休息，我需要一個人待一會兒，稍后我

再回來收拾我的東西。

麗莎：我理解。嚴格來說，出于安全起見，我應(yīng)該要求你現(xiàn)在收拾東西，但我想我們不需這樣。保重！

羅伯特：我會的，再見。

Notes

1. have nothing to do with

意為“與……無關(guān)”，have something to do with 則表示“與……有關(guān)”。

例句：It has nothing to do with us.

這事跟我們無關(guān)。

His job has something to do with oil.

他的工作與石油有關(guān)。

2. go round

意為“到處走動、流傳”，在文中指謠言四起。

例句：The joke went round.

這笑話到處流傳。

3. in the long run

意為“從長遠來看、最終、終究”。

例句：In the long run prices will rise.

從長遠看，物價肯定要漲。

The disquiet will boil over in the long run.

這種不安情緒終有一天會爆發(fā)的。

4. as per

意為“按照、根據(jù)”。

例句：As per the contract, the construction of the factory is now under way.

根據(jù)合同規(guī)定，工廠的建設(shè)正在進行當中。

5. arranged for

意為“為……作準備、為……作安排”。

例句：I have arranged for a car to pick them up at the station.

我已經(jīng)安排了車去車站接他們。

Deliberately arranged for effect

為結(jié)果而有意地安排。

6. take off

意為“離開、走開、起飛、取消、使停止”。

例句：It's time I took myself off.

現(xiàn)在我該走了。

The plane took off despite the fog.

盡管有霧，飛機照常起飛。

The show had to be taken off because of poor audiences.

演出因觀眾太少而取消了。

Doctors recommended that the drug should be taken off the market.

醫(yī)生建議市面上應(yīng)停止出售該類藥物。

7. strictly speaking

意為“嚴格來說”， properly speaking的意思與其相近，指“確切地說、嚴格地說”。

例句：Strictly speaking, all kinds of natural water are actually mixtures.

嚴格地說，各種天然水實際上都是混合物。

I'm not, properly speaking, a nurse, as I haven't been trained, but I've looked after many sick people.

嚴格地說，我并不是護士，因為我沒有受過訓練，不過我護理過許多病人。

Links

1. compensation package

指補償方案，有時特指補償金，在本文中指的是離職補償。國外企業(yè)當中如果無故辭退員工通常需要給予該員工一定的補償，比如在本文當中，羅伯特就獲得了一年的工資、未休過的假期薪水以及當前工作年的醫(yī)療和牙醫(yī)保險。這些往往都會在勞動合同中涉及。

2. outplacement agency

指提供被解雇員工再就業(yè)咨詢服務(wù)的機構(gòu)。英國有很多私營的求職中心，這些中心通過網(wǎng)絡(luò)系統(tǒng)為失業(yè)者提供便捷的就業(yè)服務(wù)，有的提供不同的職業(yè)技能培訓。除了私營的再就業(yè)求職中心，英國有公共再就業(yè)服務(wù)局，是英國就業(yè)部一個半獨立性質(zhì)的就業(yè)服務(wù)執(zhí)行機構(gòu)。為了幫助失業(yè)人員重新就業(yè)，它開發(fā)了許多就業(yè)服務(wù)項目和就業(yè)服務(wù)形式。這些服務(wù)項目的形式分別適用于不同的失業(yè)人員。英國就業(yè)局服務(wù)局要求失業(yè)人員在就業(yè)中心登記申請救濟金。失業(yè)人員可以要求與救濟金申請咨詢員見面，詢問有關(guān)在職補貼和其它補貼的情況,當?shù)貚徫豢杖鼻闆r及最佳就業(yè)方法等。就業(yè)服務(wù)人員也有權(quán)詢問失業(yè)人員的求職情況。英國政府還在全國各地開辦就業(yè)和培訓中心，對失業(yè)人員進行職業(yè)培訓，以幫助他們盡早找到工作。任何注冊申請進行各種技能學習的人都可以免費在這些中心接受職業(yè)培訓。申請者可以在附近的培訓中心學習，也可以選擇上網(wǎng)學習。