中英双语新闻——194 Labor laws protect against layoffs

 　　It’s a situation nobody likes to face. But there is always the possibility for any company employee to be confronted with the harsh reality of being fired.

 

　　这是一种所有人都不愿面对的状况。但任何一家公司的职员都可能遇上被解雇的残酷现实。

 

　　If it happens, don’t panic. Your legal or economic rights are protected through labor¹ laws surrounding employment, even in the event of mass layoffs².

 

　　一旦不幸发生，不必惊慌。你的合法权益或经济权利都受到劳动就业法规的保护，即便是在遭遇大规模裁员的状况下依然行之有效。

 

　　“If you have been fired, are expecting to be fired, or were forced to quit because of an unbearable³ situation at work, there are legal ways to get your job back or claim compensation,” said Zhang Liang, a lawyer at Jinpeng Law Firm in Guangzhou.

 

　　来自广州金鹏律师事务所的律师张亮（音译）说：“如果你已经被炒，或希望离职，抑或难以忍受工作环境而被迫辞职，你都可以通过多种法律途径来重返岗位或索求赔偿。”

 

　　“You should keep documents such as employment contracts or employee handbooks, and negotiate with your employer in a calm and reasonable way.”

 

　　“你应该好好保存诸如劳动合同或员工手册等文件，以平静理智的方式和自己的雇主协商。”

 

　　Earlier this month, electronics firm Motorola Mobility⁴ Holdings Inc caused uproar⁵ in China with a wave of layoffs.

 

　　本月初，电子产品厂商摩托罗拉移动技术控股有限公司大规模裁员事件在中国一石激起千层浪。

 

　　Employees in Beijing and Nanjing protested against the decision by owner Google Inc to reduce its global workforce⁶ by 20 percent, resulting in about 4,000 staff being laid off.

 

　　此前，摩托罗拉的东家谷歌公司宣布将在全球范围内裁员4000人，约占全球员工总数的20%。而这一决定也受到北京和南京两地雇员的严重抗议。

 

　　According to previous media reports, about 700 out of 1,600 research and development employees in Beijing will be dismissed, and the offices in Nanjing and Shanghai will be closed. Hundreds of discontented employees around the country are still seeking legal support to protect their rights.

 

　　此前有媒体报道称，北京摩托罗拉研发部门的1600名职员中将有约700人将被解雇，而摩托罗拉驻南京和上海的办事处也都将关闭。国内数百名心怀不满的员工仍在寻求法律援助，来保护自身权益。

 

　　Is it legal for a company to lay off employees? And what kind of compensation package should fired employees expect?

 

　　公司裁员合法吗？被解雇的员工又该期待得到何种赔偿呢？

 

　　Feng Xiliang, a labor expert at the Capital University of Economics and Business in Beijing, said enterprises are allowed to cut staff numbers in the event of business performance issues.

 

　　来自北京首都经济贸易大学的劳工问题专家冯喜良（音译）表示：“企业有权在因经营业绩问题裁员。”

 

　　But he adds that they have to inform trade unions and local labor authorities in advance if they cut more than 10 percent of their headcount. “Although trade unions can represent workers, it’s not appropriate for them to sign a deal with the employer without first discussing it with the workforce,” he said.

 

　　但是他补充说，一旦用人单位裁员人数超过员工总数的10%，必须提前通知工会以及当地劳动部门。“尽管工会可以代表工人，但在事先未同职工商量过的情况下，擅自与雇主签署协议也是十分不妥的。”

 

　　Furthermore, according to Feng, under current labor contract laws, any compensation proposed by an employer should be agreed through fair negotiation⁷ with employees, especially in cases of mass layoffs.

 

　　冯喜良还表示，在目前的劳动合同法中，雇主提出任何形式的补偿都应同雇员进行公平协商而达成一致，尤其是在大规模裁员的情况下。

 

　　“The employer should sit down with individual employees to negotiate any employment reduction and compensation arrangements before any agreement is signed,” Feng told China Daily.

 

　　冯喜良在接受《中国日报》记者采访时表示：“在达成任何协议之前，雇主应该跟每一位员工商议裁员以及补偿安排方面的各项事宜。”

 

　　The Law of the People’s Republic of China on Employment Contracts stipulates⁸ several conditions under which a company cannot terminate a contract, such as pregnancy⁹.

 

　　《中华人民共和国劳务合同法》规定，在职工怀孕等情况下，公司不得解除劳动合同。

 

　　Article 47 of the law also includes clear and detailed¹⁰ regulations on compensation.

 

　　这部法律的第47条也清楚且详尽地列出一系列有关补偿的规定。

 

　　It says: “An employee shall be paid a severance¹¹ pay based on the number of years worked with the employer at the rate of one month’s wage for each full year worked.”

 

　　其中规定：“经济补偿按劳动者在本单位工作的年限，每满一年支付一个月工资的标准向劳动者支付。”

 

　　“Any period of no less than six months but less than one year shall be counted as one year. The severance pay payable¹² to an employee for any period of less than six months shall be one-half the monthly wage.”

 

　　“六个月以上不满一年的，按一年计算；不满六个月的，向劳动者支付半个月工资的经济补偿。”

 

　　However, law experts stress that the law only serves as a reference. The exact amount of compensation can still be negotiated between employees and their company.

 

　　但相关法律专家也指出，这部法律仅供参考。实际的赔偿金额仍要由员工和用人单位协商而定。

 

　　“Written employment agreements create a legally binding¹³ contract. They might state that you can be fired only for specific reasons,” said Cai Wei, a lawyer in Kaiye Law Firm in Shenzhen. “If your employer is in breach¹⁴ of the contract, you can sue them.”

 

　　来自深圳凯业（音译）律师事务所的蔡伟（音译）律师表示：“书面劳务协议是具有法律约束力的合同。其中可能列出一系列你可能被解雇的具体情况。一旦雇主违约，你可以起诉他们。”

 

　　Information in employee handbooks and other written company policies, in some circumstances, is also legally binding.

 

　　在某些情况下，员工手册及公司书面制度中的信息也具有法律约束力。

1 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

2 layoffs   

临时解雇( layoff的名词复数 )； 停工，停止活动

参考例句：

• Textile companies announced 2000 fresh layoffs last week. 各纺织公司上周宣布再次裁员两千人。
• Stock prices broke when the firm suddenly announced layoffs. 当公司突然宣布裁员时，股票价格便大跌

3 unbearable   

adj.不能容忍的；忍受不住的

参考例句：

• It is unbearable to be always on thorns.老是处于焦虑不安的情况中是受不了的。
• The more he thought of it the more unbearable it became.他越想越觉得无法忍受。

4 mobility   

n.可动性，变动性，情感不定

参考例句：

• The difference in regional house prices acts as an obstacle to mobility of labour.不同地区房价的差异阻碍了劳动力的流动。
• Mobility is very important in guerrilla warfare.机动性在游击战中至关重要。

5 uproar   

n.骚动，喧嚣，鼎沸

参考例句：

• She could hear the uproar in the room.她能听见房间里的吵闹声。
• His remarks threw the audience into an uproar.他的讲话使听众沸腾起来。

6 workforce   

n.劳动大军，劳动力

参考例句：

• A large part of the workforce is employed in agriculture.劳动人口中一大部分受雇于农业。
• A quarter of the local workforce is unemployed.本地劳动力中有四分之一失业。

7 negotiation   

n.谈判，协商

参考例句：

• They closed the deal in sugar after a week of negotiation.经过一星期的谈判，他们的食糖生意成交了。
• The negotiation dragged on until July.谈判一直拖到7月份。

8 stipulates   

n.（尤指在协议或建议中）规定，约定，讲明（条件等）( stipulate的名词复数 )；规定，明确要求v.（尤指在协议或建议中）规定，约定，讲明（条件等）( stipulate的第三人称单数 )；规定，明确要求

参考例句：

• The trade contract stipulates for the settlement of balances in RMB. 贸易合同规定余额以人民币结算。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The contract stipulates for the use of seasoned timber. 合同上订明用干透的木料。 来自辞典例句

9 pregnancy   

n.怀孕，怀孕期

参考例句：

• Early pregnancy is often accompanied by nausea.怀孕早期常有恶心的现象。
• Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage.怀孕期吸烟会增加流产的危险。

10 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

11 severance   

n.离职金；切断

参考例句：

• Those laid off received their regular checks,plus vacation and severance pay.那些被裁的人都收到他们应得的薪金，再加上假期和解职的酬金。Kirchofer was terminated,effective immediately--without severance or warning.科奇弗被解雇了，立刻生效--而且没有辞退费或者警告。

12 payable   

adj.可付的，应付的，有利益的

参考例句：

• This check is payable on demand.这是一张见票即付的支票。
• No tax is payable on these earnings.这些收入不须交税。

13 binding   

有约束力的，有效的，应遵守的

参考例句：

• The contract was not signed and has no binding force. 合同没有签署因而没有约束力。
• Both sides have agreed that the arbitration will be binding. 双方都赞同仲裁具有约束力。

14 breach   

n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破

参考例句：

• We won't have any breach of discipline.我们不允许任何破坏纪律的现象。
• He was sued for breach of contract.他因不履行合同而被起诉。