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  3. Manufacturing

empleado vs. empleado/a

Spanish translation: Empleados

12:52 Jul 17, 2013
English to Spanish translations [PRO]
Bus/Financial - Manufacturing / Packaging/paper products
English term or phrase: empleado vs. empleado/a
I am translating a US company's employee resource manual from English to Spanish, for use by Spanish-speaking employees (mostly Mexican & Puerto Rican) in a plant on the East Coast of the US, and of course I keep running up against the gender-equity issue. Is there any kind of consensus in the field on whether to use the gender-inclusive "empleado/a" throughout such a document, or whether it's still more common simply to use the gender-"neutral" masculine? I currently have just the masculine, but my doubts keep rearing their ugly heads.

Any input welcome.

I'm facing a similar struggle over tú/Ud./Uds., but I suppose I should submit a different query for that question.
Linda Grabner
United States
Local time: 14:41
Spanish translation:Empleados
Explanation:
lately in latin America there's been a trend of using the non neutral term, however on Real Academia of Lengua Española rules, it's ok to use the neutral term empleados, as of for any other profession. However, I would ask the client which way it's preferred.
Selected response from:

jsosac (X)
United States
Local time: 13:41
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +5Empleados
jsosac (X)
4EMPLEADO(s)
rodgkwa


  

Answers


16 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +5
Empleados


Explanation:
lately in latin America there's been a trend of using the non neutral term, however on Real Academia of Lengua Española rules, it's ok to use the neutral term empleados, as of for any other profession. However, I would ask the client which way it's preferred.

jsosac (X)
United States
Local time: 13:41
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  María González, M.A. English: Yep, ask the client just in case, but "empleados" should be ok, regardless of any stupid gender issues.
7 mins
agree  Mónica Algazi
14 mins
agree  Cecilia Rey: De acuerdo. Pero no hay que descuidar la concordancia con el plural en las oraciones donde aparezca.
37 mins
agree  Jaime Oriard: Empleado o empleados, singular o plural. El uso del masculino siempre ha incluido ambos generos.
6 hrs
agree  JohnMcDove: Estoy con Jaime y los/las demás... ;-) Quizá el uso de “personal” o incluso el anglicismo “staff” podrían ser opciones. El “empleado/-a” quizá se pueda usar la primera vez... pero tampoco creo que haga falta.
7 hrs
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109 days   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
EMPLEADO(s)


Explanation:
In the manufacturing facilities of which I was the Plant manager in the countries of Mexico and Costa Rica, we utilized empleado(s) as our term. This was fine in being "neutral" when discussing employees.

rodgkwa
United States
Local time: 11:41
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in ItalianItalian
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