It's a situation nobody likes to face. But there is always the possibility for any company employee to be confronted with the harsh reality of being fired.
这是一种所有人都不愿面对的状况。但任何一家公司的职员都可能遇上被解雇的残酷现实。
If it happens, don't panic. Your legal or economic rights are protected through labor laws surrounding employment, even in the event of mass layoffs.
一旦不幸发生，不必惊慌。你的合法权益或经济权利都受到劳动就业法规的保护，即便是在遭遇大规模裁员的状况下依然行之有效。
"If you have been fired, are expecting to be fired, or were forced to quit because of an unbearable situation at work, there are legal ways to get your job back or claim compensation," said Zhang Liang, a lawyer at Jinpeng Law Firm in Guangzhou.
来自广州金鹏律师事务所的律师张亮（音译）说："如果你已经被炒，或希望离职，抑或难以忍受工作环境而被迫辞职，你都可以通过多种法律途径来重返岗位或索求赔偿。"
"You should keep documents such as employment contracts or employee handbooks, and negotiate with your employer in a calm and reasonable way."
"你应该好好保存诸如劳动合同或员工手册等文件，以平静理智的方式和自己的雇主协商。"
Earlier this month, electronics firm Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc caused uproar in China with a wave of layoffs.
本月初，电子产品厂商摩托罗拉移动技术控股有限公司大规模裁员事件在中国一石激起千层浪。
Employees in Beijing and Nanjing protested against the decision by owner Google Inc to reduce its global workforce by 20 percent, resulting in about 4,000 staff being laid off.
此前，摩托罗拉的东家谷歌公司宣布将在全球范围内裁员4000人，约占全球员工总数的20%。而这一决定也受到北京和南京两地雇员的严重抗议。
According to previous media reports, about 700 out of 1,600 research and development employees in Beijing will be dismissed, and the offices in Nanjing and Shanghai will be closed. Hundreds of discontented employees around the country are still seeking legal support to protect their rights.
此前有媒体报道称，北京摩托罗拉研发部门的1600名职员中将有约700人将被解雇，而摩托罗拉驻南京和上海的办事处也都将关闭。国内数百名心怀不满的员工仍在寻求法律援助，来保护自身权益。
Is it legal for a company to lay off employees? And what kind of compensation package should fired employees expect?
公司裁员合法吗？被解雇的员工又该期待得到何种赔偿呢？
Feng Xiliang, a labor expert at the Capital University of Economics and Business in Beijing, said enterprises are allowed to cut staff numbers in the event of business performance issues.
来自北京首都经济贸易大学的劳工问题专家冯喜良（音译）表示："企业有权在因经营业绩问题裁员。"
But he adds that they have to inform trade unions and local labor authorities in advance if they cut more than 10 percent of their headcount. "Although trade unions can represent workers, it's not appropriate for them to sign a deal with the employer without first discussing it with the workforce," he said.
但是他补充说，一旦用人单位裁员人数超过员工总数的10%，必须提前通知工会以及当地劳动部门。"尽管工会可以代表工人，但在事先未同职工商量过的情况下，擅自与雇主签署协议也是十分不妥的。"
Furthermore, according to Feng, under current labor contract laws, any compensation proposed by an employer should be agreed through fair negotiation with employees, especially in cases of mass layoffs.
冯喜良还表示，在目前的劳动合同法中，雇主提出任何形式的补偿都应同雇员进行公平协商而达成一致，尤其是在大规模裁员的情况下。
"The employer should sit down with individual employees to negotiate any employment reduction and compensation arrangements before any agreement is signed," Feng told China Daily.
冯喜良在接受《中国日报》记者采访时表示："在达成任何协议之前，雇主应该跟每一位员工商议裁员以及补偿安排方面的各项事宜。"
The Law of the People's Republic of China on Employment Contracts stipulates several conditions under which a company cannot terminate a contract, such as pregnancy.
《中华人民共和国劳务合同法》规定，在职工怀孕等情况下，公司不得解除劳动合同。
Article 47 of the law also includes clear and detailed regulations on compensation.
这部法律的第47条也清楚且详尽地列出一系列有关补偿的规定。
It says: "An employee shall be paid a severance pay based on the number of years worked with the employer at the rate of one month's wage for each full year worked."
其中规定："经济补偿按劳动者在本单位工作的年限，每满一年支付一个月工资的标准向劳动者支付。"
"Any period of no less than six months but less than one year shall be counted as one year. The severance pay payable to an employee for any period of less than six months shall be one-half the monthly wage."
"六个月以上不满一年的，按一年计算；不满六个月的，向劳动者支付半个月工资的经济补偿。"
However, law experts stress that the law only serves as a reference. The exact amount of compensation can still be negotiated between employees and their company.
但相关法律专家也指出，这部法律仅供参考。实际的赔偿金额仍要由员工和用人单位协商而定。
"Written employment agreements create a legally binding contract. They might state that you can be fired only for specific reasons," said Cai Wei, a lawyer in Kaiye Law Firm in Shenzhen. "If your employer is in breach of the contract, you can sue them."
来自深圳凯业（音译）律师事务所的蔡伟（音译）律师表示："书面劳务协议是具有法律约束力的合同。其中可能列出一系列你可能被解雇的具体情况。一旦雇主违约，你可以起诉他们。"
Information in employee handbooks and other written company policies, in some circumstances, is also legally binding.
在某些情况下，员工手册及公司书面制度中的信息也具有法律约束力。