你被辞退了！

金融风暴席卷全球，一轮裁员风潮刮面而来，本期《双语办公室》让你体验一下欧美国家辞退职员的现场说法……

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：罗伯特•福斯特是一名中层管理者，他被老板丽莎•杰拉德叫到了办公室，心里预感老板有什么坏消息要告诉他。

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.

罗伯特：嗨，丽莎——你找我？

丽莎：嗨，罗伯特。（叹了叹气）要把这个消息告诉你，让我很为难，真的。

罗伯特：啊。

丽莎：真的很抱歉，但我们恐怕要辞退你，这与你的工作表现无关，你能理解吗——情况就

是这样，艰难时期。

罗伯特：哦，对此我不感到很惊讶，我早就听到了传言。但是……

丽莎：我知道这是个沉重的打击，被裁员的不止你一人。我们不得不裁去20%的员工，或许30%，事情现在就是这样。从长远来看，你或许会感谢我。整个公司正在精简机构，利润在下降——而且今年不会有什么好转。

罗伯特：至少你还等到圣诞节之后才告诉我这些，还是要谢谢你。

丽莎：听我说，罗伯特，你要知道这与你本人没有任何关系，你是一个很优秀的员工——我们只是雇不起你了。你们部门大多数人都得走。我们会给你一些很好的推荐，相信我。

罗伯特：至少这还算是件好事。可是……在这个时期找工作——你说……特别是在我这个年龄，我都快50了——你真的认为谁会聘用我吗？

丽莎：我要强调，你的年龄与这件事毫无关系。

罗伯特：我想你是为了使理由合法才这么说的，但是不用耍我——我知道老犬总是第一个挨

枪。

丽莎：我们给你的补偿会很丰厚。你为公司效力了很久。根据合同，除了一年的工资，我们还会给你加上你之前没有休过的假期的日薪，整年你还可以继续享有医疗和牙医保险，这些应该可以让你有足够的时间去找份新的工作。

罗伯特：我想是的。但是……你知道我的感受，这不是我想听到的消息。作为新年的开始，

这是最糟糕的方式，不是吗？

丽莎：我们会安排一个再就业服务机构来帮助你——我这里有他们的电话，听说他们很不错。我很不乐意这么说，可我们正在给他们送去很多生意。

罗伯特：但愿如此，我的意思是，但愿他们很不错。

丽莎：那么……鲍勃，与你共事很愉快，以这样的方式来结束这一切，我真的感到很难过。

罗伯特：我也是。听着，我现在要——我想我现在要休息，我需要一个人待一会儿，稍后我

再回来收拾我的东西。

丽莎：我理解。严格来说，出于安全起见，我应该要求你现在收拾东西，但我想我们不需这样。保重！

罗伯特：我会的，再见。

Notes

1. have nothing to do with

意为“与……无关”，have something to do with 则表示“与……有关”。

例句：It has nothing to do with us.

这事跟我们无关。

His job has something to do with oil.

他的工作与石油有关。

2. go round

意为“到处走动、流传”，在文中指谣言四起。

例句：The joke went round.

这笑话到处流传。

3. in the long run

意为“从长远来看、最终、终究”。

例句：In the long run prices will rise.

从长远看，物价肯定要涨。

The disquiet will boil over in the long run.

这种不安情绪终有一天会爆发的。

4. as per

意为“按照、根据”。

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

根据合同规定，工厂的建设正在进行当中。

5. arranged for

意为“为……作准备、为……作安排”。

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

我已经安排了车去车站接他们。

Deliberately arranged for effect

为结果而有意地安排。

6. take off

意为“离开、走开、起飞、取消、使停止”。

例句：It's time I took myself off.

现在我该走了。

The plane took off despite the fog.

尽管有雾，飞机照常起飞。

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

演出因观众太少而取消了。

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

医生建议市面上应停止出售该类药物。

7. strictly speaking

意为“严格来说”， properly speaking的意思与其相近，指“确切地说、严格地说”。

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

严格地说，各种天然水实际上都是混合物。

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

严格地说，我并不是护士，因为我没有受过训练，不过我护理过许多病人。

Links

1. compensation package

指补偿方案，有时特指补偿金，在本文中指的是离职补偿。国外企业当中如果无故辞退员工通常需要给予该员工一定的补偿，比如在本文当中，罗伯特就获得了一年的工资、未休过的假期薪水以及当前工作年的医疗和牙医保险。这些往往都会在劳动合同中涉及。

2. outplacement agency

指提供被解雇员工再就业咨询服务的机构。英国有很多私营的求职中心，这些中心通过网络系统为失业者提供便捷的就业服务，有的提供不同的职业技能培训。除了私营的再就业求职中心，英国有公共再就业服务局，是英国就业部一个半独立性质的就业服务执行机构。为了帮助失业人员重新就业，它开发了许多就业服务项目和就业服务形式。这些服务项目的形式分别适用于不同的失业人员。英国就业局服务局要求失业人员在就业中心登记申请救济金。失业人员可以要求与救济金申请咨询员见面，询问有关在职补贴和其它补贴的情况,当地岗位空缺情况及最佳就业方法等。就业服务人员也有权询问失业人员的求职情况。英国政府还在全国各地开办就业和培训中心，对失业人员进行职业培训，以帮助他们尽早找到工作。任何注册申请进行各种技能学习的人都可以免费在这些中心接受职业培训。申请者可以在附近的培训中心学习，也可以选择上网学习。