まずは事実関係をご整理させてください。長年勤め上げた会社から、ある日突然、事実上の退職強要を受けたとのことですね。
First, let me have you walk me through the facts. So you were suddenly pressured, by a company where you had worked for many years, to effectively resign — is that right?
はい。表向きは一時的な出向という名目ですが、それは単なる体のいい口実に過ぎません。業績不振にかこつけて、中高年社員を不当に排除しようとしているのは、もはや明らかです。
Yes. On the surface, it was presented under the pretext of a temporary secondment, but that was simply a convenient excuse. They are using poor business performance as a cover to unfairly push out middle-aged and older employees — by this point that is plain as day.
出向の打診を受けた際、どのような言葉を投げかけられたか、覚えていらっしゃる限りお話しいただけますか。具体的な発言が、後々重要な証拠となります。
When the secondment proposal was put to you, what sort of words were directed at you? Please tell me, as far as you can recall — specific remarks can become important evidence later on.
「君のような年配者に居場所はもうない」「自主的に身を引いてくれれば退職金を上乗せする」と、人事部長から面と向かって言われました。あまりの屈辱に、声を失うばかりでした。
"There is no place for older employees like you any longer." "If you step down voluntarily, we will add to your severance." The head of HR said this to my face. I was so humiliated I could only fall silent.
それは紛れもなく退職強要に該当する発言です。当時、録音をなさっていたか、あるいは同席者がいたかどうか、いかがでしょう。
Those statements unquestionably amount to coercion to resign. At the time, were you recording the conversation, or was anyone else present in the room?
幸い、念のため携帯のボイスメモを起動しておりました。同期入社の同僚も、私が憔悴していく様子を目の当たりにしておりますので、必要であれば証言は得られるかと存じます。
Fortunately, I had started my phone's voice memo just in case. A colleague who joined the company the same year as I did watched me grow visibly worn down, so if it becomes necessary, I believe his testimony can be obtained.
それは大変心強い証拠です。録音データとメールの履歴を確認する限り、法廷で十分に争える余地がございます。経営難を盾にしたところで、労働者の権利を蔑ろにするような横暴は、決して許されるものではありません。
That is very strong evidence indeed. From what I can see of the recordings and the email history, there is more than enough room to fight this in court. Even with poor business performance held up as a shield, the kind of high-handedness that disregards workers' rights cannot be allowed.
しかしながら、大企業を相手に裁判を起こすとなれば、莫大な時間と費用がかかるのではないでしょうか。家族の生活を守らんがため、泣き寝入りするしかないのかと、途方に暮れております。
Even so, taking on a major corporation in court would mean an enormous outlay of time and money, would it not? To protect my family's livelihood, I find myself at a loss, wondering whether I have no choice but to suffer in silence.
ご不安はもっともです。ただ、いきなり訴訟に踏み切るのではなく、まずは内容証明郵便で当方の主張を伝え、その上で労働審判に持ち込む方法もございます。労働審判であれば、原則三回以内の期日で結論が出ますし、費用も訴訟に比して大幅に抑えられます。
Your concern is entirely understandable. However, rather than leaping straight into a lawsuit, there is also the route of first conveying our position by registered mail with certified contents, and then bringing the matter into labor tribunal proceedings. Labor tribunal cases are, in principle, concluded within three hearings, and the cost is far lower than that of a full lawsuit.
労働審判ですか。それでも勝算はおありなのでしょうか。
A labor tribunal — is there really a reasonable prospect of winning?
証拠の質と量からして、決して低くはありません。仮に審判で納得のいく結果が得られなければ、改めて訴訟に移行することも可能です。いずれにせよ、ここで妥協してしまえば、彼らの不当なやり方を容認したも同然となってしまいます。
Given the quality and quantity of the evidence, it is by no means low. And if the outcome of the tribunal is not satisfactory, it is still possible to move on to a full lawsuit afterwards. Whichever path you choose, if we compromise here, it amounts to nothing less than condoning their unjust methods.
先生のお話を伺って、ようやく光が見えてきた気がします。法という名の武器をもって、奪われた尊厳を取り戻したいと存じます。何卒、よろしくお願い申し上げます。
Listening to you, I feel as though I can finally see a glimmer of light. I would like to take back the dignity that has been stripped from me, with the law itself as my weapon. I most respectfully ask for your help.