Chris向一家香港公司的老板Hank和部门主管Rebecca介绍申请国际认证的程序。Hank觉得有点麻烦,可Rebecca认为值得,因为拿到国际认证,在美国和欧洲做生意就可以畅通无阻了。Chris赞同Rebecca的看法。

C: Rebecca is right. You might have to jump through a few hoops, but after it’s over a lot of new doors are open for you.

H: So what about our treatment of workers?

C: Firstly, there must be documentation – such as birth certificates – proving that all workers are of legal age.

R: Yeah, I guess we can do that.

Chris解释说,虽说要费很多事jump through a few hoops, 意思是为了达到某一目的,而做出很多额外的努力,但是得到一纸证书后,a lot of new doors are open for you, 就会有很多扇大门为你打开。在工人待遇方面,首先要有birth certificates,出生证等文件证明documentation, 证明员工都达到了法定年龄, of legal age.

C: I will also need to interview a few of your employees to determine if they are getting enough breaks and to ensure they are not being required to work overtime without pay.

R: Sure. Go ahead and interview them.

C: Then finally there is the issue of salaries. I have to make sure that everyone is getting paid at least the minimum wage.

H: Actually, we pay more than the minimum wage.

Chris说,他需要找员工面谈interview,看他们上班期间是不是有足够的休息时间。这里说的break是名词,意思是休息。Chris找员工面 谈,还要看他们加班, work overtime是不是有报酬,并且确保员工的薪水满足了法定最低工资, the minimum wage的水平。

R: Is that pretty much it?

C: There are some other small things, but those are the big ones.

H: Well, even if getting certified is a bit of a hassle, it’s probably a good idea.

R: Yeah, now I can feel confident that our company is safe and our workers are being treated fairly.

C: Yes, the paperwork can be a hassle, but in the end, it’s a win-win situation.

H: Thanks for your help, Chris.

C: My pleasure.

Rebecca问,就这些吗? Is that pretty much it? Chris表示,除去一些零七八碎的要求,申请国际认证的主要条件就是这些了。虽然申请过程中,the paperwork can be a hassle, 要准备很多文件,有些繁琐,but in the end, it’s a win-win situation, 但最后一定会是双赢局面。