Text 11. Dismissal procedure

Dismissal procedure should be considered a very serious matter. The act of terminating somebody from a company makes other people nervous. If an employee has been dismissed unfairly he or she may claim compensation. Too often people lose their jobs because their "faces do not fit". They never know why they have been dismissed. The reputation of the company will suffer if the management dismiss people either for the wrong reasons or without telling them the reasons. A good employer will always tell the employee the reasons for dismissal backed up by previous warnings and discussions.

In case of termination the management must provide the employee with at least two month prior notice against employee signature and inform the local agency of employment services.

The management may not dismiss pregnant women, women on maternity leaves, persons on vacations or temporary disability, women with children under the age of three or single women with children under the age of 14 or disabled children under 16, except in the case of complete liquidation of the company.

In case of termination due to staff reductions the employer will provide the employee with one month of his average salary as a severance pay. The employee is also entitled to draw his average salary for additional two months after the date of discharge during the period of job seeking. The employee can receive an average salary for a third month, as an exception, if he has approached an employment agency in good time but has not been provided with a job.

Any termination due to staff reductions or lack of skills or state of health of the employee must be approved by the Labour Union, except companies where the labour union does not exist or the person being dismissed is the head of the enterprise appointed by the state government body.

EXERCISES

Exercise 1. Translate into Russian

Dismissal procedure; the act of terminating; to make smb. nervous; to be dismissed unfairly; to claim compensation; the reputation suffers; without telling any reasons; to be baked up by previous warnings; to provide with two month prior notice; the local agency of employment services; maternity leave; temporary disability; disabled children; complete liquidation of the company; staff reductions; average salary; severance pay; to be entitled to do smth.; the period of job seeking; lack of skills; due to state of health; to be approved by smb.; to be appointed; the state government body.

Exercise 2. Translate into Еnglish

Быть назначенным; полная ликвидация компании; страдает репута­ция; местная организация по трудоустройству; отпуск по беременности и родам; средняя зарплата; сокращение штата; временная нетрудоспособ­ность; орган государственного управления; уведомить за два месяца до; без указания каких-либо причин; дети-инвалиды; выходное пособие; не­достаточная квалификация; период поиска работы; иметь право на что-либо; по состоянию здоровья; быть подкрепленным предыдущими пре­дупреждениями; быть одобренным кем-либо; процедура увольнения; быть несправедливо уволенным; требовать компенсацию; заставлять кого-либо нервничать.

Exercise 3. Answer the questions

1.Why should the dismissal procedure be considered as a very serious matter?

2. Why does the act of terminating somebody make other people nervous?

3. What happens if an employee has been dismissed unfairly?

4. When does the reputation of the company suffer?

5. What does a good employer always do dismissing people?

6. What should the management of the company do in case of termination the employee?

7. Who is not a subject for dismissal?

8. What happens in case of termination due to stuff reductions?

9. What organization has to approve any termination?

10. When doesn't the Labour Union have to approve termination?

Exercise 4. Answer the additional questions

1. What are the main reasons of leaving the place of employment?

2. What is the first step of firing a person?

3. What should be done to make dismissal procedure less painful for employee?

Exercise 5. Complete the sentences with an appropriate word given below

organization influences satisfied behaviour firing bonuses terminating impatient salaries unfairly pain

1. We cannot predict people's … in different situations.

2. A person cannot be fired … .

3. Some people are leaving their jobs because their … don't suit them.

4. What … an individual's behaviour at work?

5. Are you … with your job?

6. Organizations should offer their employees different kinds of … if they want them to work hard.

7. Every now and then, someone does not fit into … and has to be let go.

8. The act of … somebody from a company involves different problems.

9. Some managers are super … or don’t have the means to do proper evaluation.

10. … should be done with as little … to an employee as possible.

Exercise 6. Tick the answer basing on your personal opinion

1. When you feel rotten, do you

a) fight back at the world

b) bottle up your negative feelings

c) get to root of the problem and talk it out with someone sympathetic

2. At work, someone vents anger or frustration on you. Is your reaction

a) to get rid of it by accepting and passing it on

b) to stop it spreading by offering your sympathetic ear

c) to refuse to get caught in the ill feeling

3. Misunderstanding often creates all sorts of emotional disturbance. To avoid wrong interpretations, do you

a) keep your message direct and to the point

b) choose your tone and words in keeping with what you have to say

c) check if you are being understood by asking questions to make sure

4. The basic strategy to deal with loud, pushy people is to

a) fight them till they explode

b) look them straight in the eyes and state your disagreement

c) let them blow off some of their steam

5. Dealing with a complainer-whiner, it is a serious mistake to

a) agree / desagree

b) paraphrase the complaints back to them

c) react by noncommittal but encouraging "u" and "ahs"

Exercise 7. Match the terms on the right to their descriptions on the left

to give up work;

to be fired;

to take early retirement,

to be dismissed;

to get the sack;

to be laid off;

to be made redundant

retire at 55;

throw out of your job;

more informal than made redundant;

no longer needed;

stop working e.g. in orders to study;

more formal than get the sack;

more formal then be fired;

Exercise 8. Translate the following text into Russian

The growth of the employment law has led in some countries (such as the UK) to employees being able to claim compensation in cases where they have been dismissed unfairly. Thus formal procedures have been initiated, which include warning letters and interviews, leading to the final act of dismissal. Of course, there are occasions when- staff can be instantly dismissed, for example for flagrant breaches of their contracts is of employment or of safety regulations. More often, however, it is the inefficient worker (often absent, late or careless) or the member of staff whose personality disrupts the working group whom we have to consider dismissing The use of formal procedures, over a considerable period of time, can enable us to identify problems at an early stage. Through early interviews with employee we may establish what is wrong and whether it can be remedied. At the very least, staff can be made aware of their deficiencies and why we might seek to terminate their employment. A good employer will tell the employee concerned the reasons for dismissal. The reputation of your firm will suffer if you dismiss people either for the wrong reasons or without telling them the reasons.

Exercise 8. Complete the sentences

1. Employees have to … at 65 although I'm sure some would like to stay on.

2. I’ve decided to … and look for a job where I can make more use of my training.

3. The boss threatened to … her if her work didn't improve.

4. I lost my job. They had to make cutbacks and I'd been made … .

5. He's enjoying life on a pension, although he's only 58, he's taken … .

6. Recently I was late so often that I got … .