強迫簽署「合意終止契約」
The multinational, US-based Qualcomm Inc. started laying off workers at its offices in Hsinchu Science Park on September 21.
總部位於美國的跨國公司高通於9月21日開始裁減在新竹科學園區辦公室的員工。
multinational(adj.)跨國的
This comes amid slumping global demand for smartphones and declining sales of the handset chips that Qualcomm produces.
這是在全球智慧手機需求下滑和高通生產的手機晶片銷量下滑的背景下發生的。
amid(prep.)在～之中slump(v.)下滑slumping(adj.)下降的;下滑的=declining
After headcount reductions at its headquarters in San Diego in June, Qualcomm announced in August that it would not only be downsizing its workforce in Taiwan but also instating a “pay freeze and bonus payout cut for the remaining workers this year.”
繼今年6月在聖地牙哥總部裁員後，高通於8月宣布，不僅將裁減台灣的員工，還「將在今年對剩餘的員工實行薪資凍結和減少獎金發放」。
headcount(n.)數人頭;清點人數、某一處(或某公司)的人數headcount reductions裁員downsize(v.)裁員workforce(n.)勞動力;工人;勞動人口instate(v.)實行payout(n.)大筆付款
According to the company, 200 employees, including product engineers, test engineers and even some senior engineers, would be let go from its Taiwan offices.
根據公司的說法，包括產品工程師、測試工程師甚至一些高階工程師在內，台灣辦公室將有200名員工被裁員。
including(prep.)包含senior(adj.)資深的junior(adj.)資淺的let go使某人離職
Despite Qualcomm not making an official announcement at the time the layoffs began in Hsinchu, employees have reported “being informed in groups that they would be let go from the company.”
儘管高通在新竹開始裁員時並未發布官方公告，但有員工稱，他們「以小組方式被告知將被公司解僱」。
despite(prep.)儘管=in spite of
Some have complained that Qualcomm’s method of discharging them involved forcing them to sign “mutual termination agreements.”
一些員工抱怨說，高通解僱他們的方式是強迫他們簽署「合意終止契約」。
discharge(v.)准許某人離開、解僱mutual(adj.)相互的;互相的termination(n.)終止terminate(v.)終止
Although this type of termination is noted by LinkedIn as “being one of the quickest ways to end the employment relationship,” any coercion on the part of the employer to have an employee sign the agreement “under duress” may be considered bad faith on the part of the employer.
儘管領英指出這種解僱方式是「結束僱傭關係最快的方式之一」，但雇主「脅迫」簽署協議的任何強迫行為，都可能被視為雇主的惡意行為。
coercion(n.)脅迫on the part of...就...而言duress(n.)脅迫bad faith欺詐、不良行為in bad faith存心不良
In addition to these possible dubious means of laying off workers, the moves by Qualcomm may have violated Hsinchu Science Park’s regulations as the company did not give the required 10-day notice to the park’s bureau before terminating its employees.
除了這種可能不正當的解僱方式外，高通的作法可能違反了新竹科學園區的規定，因為該公司在解僱員工前未提前10天通知園區管理局。
dubious(adj.)可疑的、引起懷疑的=suspiciousdoubtful(adj.)懷疑的means(n.)方式;手段violate(v.)違法notice(n.)預告;通知;辭職信
So far, there has been no official word of how many workers Qualcomm released on the first day of layoffs or how long the company’s downsizing in Taiwan will last.
到目前為止，還沒有官方消息顯示高通在裁員首日的裁員人數或該公司在台灣的裁員行動將持續多久。
word(n.)消息last(v.)持續