Tom Smith被叫到部門經(jīng)理Paul Chen的辦公室。

Tom: Good morning, Paul. How are you?

P: I'm well, thanks. Take a seat. This is Sue Krammer from the head office.

T: Hi, Sue.

S: Hi.

P: Tom, there's no easy way to say this so I'm just going to say it. We are letting you go.

Paul開門見山，告訴Tom公司決定解雇他。在這種情況下，要說We are letting you go, 不能說you're fired。

T: Go where?

P: Um...we mean we are terminating your employment here.

T: You mean you're firing me?

P: Um...yes.

T: Wow! Mind telling me why?

P: We've warned you about some of your unacceptable behaviors several times now. Also, we feel you are underperforming or not up to the standards we demand here.

T: (Belligerent) Really? How so?

Tom顯得很意外，氣憤地質(zhì)問道，Mind telling me why? 能告訴我為什么嗎？Paul解釋說，公司覺得you are underperforming。 Underperform, 意思是工作表現(xiàn)不佳，not up to the standards不符合要求。Tom 很不客氣地讓 Paul 舉例，這時(shí)候 Sue 說話了。

S: If I might interject, here. Tom, your file says that last month you called up a client and chewed him out...without authorization. Tom, that is simply unacceptable.

P: You are frequently late and we've received more than a few complaints about your abrasive style with co-workers.

T: All right...but I have good explanations for all of that. You see...

S: I don't want to interrupt, Tom, but it's important that you understand that this decision comes down from the top. Paul and I are just the messengers. It would be best if you understood that this decision is final.

Tom上個(gè)月在電話里chewed a client out，痛罵客戶。 Chew someone out，是嚴(yán)厲責(zé)罵的意思。此外，他上班還經(jīng)常遲到，對(duì)同事態(tài)度粗魯，he has an abrasive style with co-workers. Tom想爭(zhēng)辯， Sue果斷地說，這是上頭的決定，the decision comes down from the top, and the decision is final，是不可改變的。

T: So I'm fired and that's that?

P: Yes, you are being let go. But we would be happy to help you in any way we can.

S: If you need a general reference letter we can provide one, but if they call and ask if you were fired we will have to tell the truth. That's the law.

P: We can offer a six week severance package if you accept your termination.

T: Fine. I'll pack up my stuff and be out of here by Wednesday.

S: Thanks for understanding, Tom. We wish you well.

P: Yeah. Please do email me if you have further questions.

Tom無可奈何地問，so I'm fired and that's that? 我就這么被開除了？回答當(dāng)然是肯定的。公司愿意給他寫例行推薦信，但如果用人單位打電話了解情況，公司也不能隱瞞他被解雇的事實(shí)。Tom同意在解聘書上簽字，收拾東西走人pack up and be out of here。