PBS高端访谈:受新冠影响的美国企业关心的两大问题

JUDY WOODRUFF: First, let's hear from some of the people who stand to be affected¹ by the legislation that Congress is considering. Two of the major sticking points that Lisa just mentioned, extending unemployment benefits beyond the end of the month, and protecting businesses from COVID-related lawsuits², those are at the top of many minds.

朱迪·伍德拉夫：国会目前正在考虑的立法可能会影响到某些人，我们先来听听他们的想法。丽莎刚才提到的两个主要症结，一是将失业救济金延长到月底后，二是保护企业免受冠状病毒病相关的诉讼，这是很多人非常关心的问题。

STACIA FAMILO-HOPEK, Brewery³ Owner: So, I own a small taproom-focused brewery just outside of Atlanta in Avondale Estates, Georgia. And we have been open just a year now. So, it's been quite an interesting year going through a pandemic. We have not been able to hire people to come and work in the kitchen, because they are making more money now with the additional $600 that's coming from the federal government than they were making previously⁴. So, they don't have an incentive⁵ to come to work. And they are happy to stay at home, while they're able to collect this paycheck, vs. looking for employment.

STACIA FAMILO-HOPEK，啤酒厂老板：我在亚特兰大市外乔治亚州的埃文代尔地产开了一家以taproo为主题的啤酒公司，我们开张才一年。所以，经历新冠的这一年是非常有趣的一年。我们雇不到愿意在厨房工作的人，因为他们现在能拿到600美元由联邦政府发放的补贴，挣的比之前还多，所以他们没有工作的动力。比起找工作他们更愿意待在家里，因为在家也能领到薪水。

LATRICE WILSON, Furloughed Worker: I currently live in Louisville, Kentucky. I actually had a full-time⁶ and part-time job. I worked in the hotel industry as my part-time job and in the health care industry as a payroll⁷ team supervisor⁸, when I became furloughed as of May 2. To simply stereotype⁹ us as being that we all are sitting at home and we just want to collect a check and eat bonbons¹⁰, that is not right. There are some people that are getting paid more. I can't speak for them. But, for me, my check, the extra $600 is comparable to what I was getting paid prior to being furloughed and laid off. So, the $600, I'm not sitting at home getting paid extra. I wish that was the case, but I'm not. And I would love to go back to a job and be more stable.

拉特里斯·威尔逊，带薪休假工：我现在住在肯塔基州的路易斯维尔，我其实有一份全职工作和一份兼职工作。5月2日停职之后我在酒店行业做过兼职，在医疗行业做过工资组主管。他们简单地以为我们只是坐在家里，只想拿一张支票、吃吃棒棒糖，这种想法是不对的。有些人拿到的薪水更高，我不知道他们怎么想的，但是，对于我来说，我拿到的支票，那额外的600美元和我停职、下岗前的工资差不多。所以，这600美元，我并不是只坐在家里拿着额外的工资，虽然我希望是这样，但并不是，我也想回去工作，这样更稳定。

ADAM ORMAN, Restaurant Owner: I own and I'm the general manager of with my business of L'Oca d'Oro restaurant, an Italian restaurant in Austin, Texas. We need access to more jobs. We need grants and/or loans. We need tax rebates¹¹ and tax credits. Liability protection puts no money in my pocket, puts no money in my employees' pockets, does not create any work for our restaurant or for the people who work in our restaurant. And I know that Senator McConnell has said he will not pass anything that doesn't include liability protection. And if he's going to sacrifice all of the things that all the small businesses in this country need to be able to make it through this reduced-revenue, reduced-capacity world to protect employers who are taking risks, that is a wildly misplaced priority.

亚当·奥曼，餐厅老板：我是一家位于得克萨斯州奥斯汀的意大利餐厅“L'Oca d'Oro餐厅”的总经理。我们需要更多的就业机会，我们需要补助金或贷款，我们需要退税和税收抵免。责任保护不会把钱放进我的口袋，也不会把钱放进我的员工们的口袋，不会为我们的餐厅或者餐厅的员工创造任何就业机会。我知道，麦康奈尔参议员说过，他不会通过任何不包含责任保护的法案，如果他要牺牲美国所有的小企业度过这个收入减少、能力减少的世界所需要的所有东西，去保护那些承担风险的雇主，那就成了一个严重错位的谁先谁后问题。

STACIA FAMILO-HOPEK: I think having some stated protections would help any business. And, in particular, as a small business owner, I can't imagine how I would defend a case if a staff member did try to sue us because they had contracted the virus while working. So, yes, I would definitely be in favor of seeing some sort of liability protection put in place for businesses, obviously, with the stipulation¹² that the business was following the current guidelines.

STACIA FAMILO-HOPEK：我觉得一些明确的保护措施对任何企业都是有帮助的，尤其是，作为一个小企业主，我无法想象如果一个员工因为在工作期间感染了病毒而起诉我们我该怎样何辩护。所以，是的，我肯定支持对企业实施某种责任保护，很显然，企业必须遵守现行的指导方针。

JUDY WOODRUFF: As we can hear…and we appreciate everyone who contributed to that…thank you, all four of you.

朱迪·伍德拉夫：正如我们听到的，我们感谢为此做出贡献的每一个人，谢谢你们四位。

1 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

2 lawsuits   

n.诉讼( lawsuit的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Lawsuits involving property rights and farming and grazing rights increased markedly. 涉及财产权，耕作与放牧权的诉讼案件显著地增加。 来自辞典例句
• I've lost and won more lawsuits than any man in England. 全英国的人算我官司打得最多，赢的也多，输的也多。 来自辞典例句

3 brewery   

n.啤酒厂

参考例句：

• The brewery had 25 heavy horses delivering beer in London.啤酒厂有25匹高头大马在伦敦城中运送啤酒。
• When business was good,the brewery employed 20 people.在生意好的时候，这家酿造厂曾经雇佣过20人。

4 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

5 incentive   

n.刺激；动力；鼓励；诱因；动机

参考例句：

• Money is still a major incentive in most occupations.在许多职业中，钱仍是主要的鼓励因素。
• He hasn't much incentive to work hard.他没有努力工作的动机。

6 full-time   

adj.满工作日的或工作周的，全时间的

参考例句：

• A full-time job may be too much for her.全天工作她恐怕吃不消。
• I don't know how she copes with looking after her family and doing a full-time job.既要照顾家庭又要全天工作，我不知道她是如何对付的。

7 payroll   

n.工资表，在职人员名单，工薪总额

参考例句：

• His yearly payroll is $1.2 million.他的年薪是120万美元。
• I can't wait to get my payroll check.我真等不及拿到我的工资单了。

8 supervisor   

n.监督人，管理人，检查员，督学，主管，导师

参考例句：

• Between you and me I think that new supervisor is a twit.我们私下说，我认为新来的主管人是一个傻瓜。
• He said I was too flighty to be a good supervisor.他说我太轻浮不能成为一名好的管理员。

9 stereotype   

n.固定的形象，陈规，老套，旧框框

参考例句：

• He's my stereotype of a schoolteacher.他是我心目中的典型教师。
• There's always been a stereotype about successful businessmen.人们对于成功商人一直都有一种固定印象。

10 bonbons   

n.小糖果( bonbon的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• For St. Valentine's Day, Mother received a heart-shaped box of delicious bonbons. 情人节的时候，母亲收到一份心形盒装的美味棒棒糖。 来自互联网
• On the first floor is a pretty café offering take-away bonbons in teeny paper handbags. 博物馆底层是一家漂亮的咖啡厅，提供可以外带的糖果，它们都用精小的纸制手袋包装。 来自互联网

11 rebates   

n.退还款( rebate的名词复数 )；回扣；返还（退还的部份货价）；折扣

参考例句：

• The VAT system offers advantages, such as rebates on exports. 增值税有其优点，如对出口商品实行回扣。 来自辞典例句
• In more recent years rate rebates have been introduced for households. 近年地方税的减免已适用于家庭。 来自辞典例句

12 stipulation   

n.契约，规定，条文；条款说明

参考例句：

• There's no stipulation as to the amount you can invest. 没有关于投资额的规定。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The only stipulation the building society makes is that house must be insured. 建屋互助会作出的唯一规定是房屋必须保险。 来自《简明英汉词典》