Companies doing business in the U.S. invariably encounter a legal system and employee relations laws that differ in many significant respects from those in other countries. The sources of U.S. law come from the U.S. federal government, the laws of each of the 50 states, and sometimes municipalities and other local government units. They are sometimes overlapping, sometimes conflicting and often complicated. U.S. law generally grants employers greater freedom to deal with employees than the laws of many other countries (particularly Europe), and benefits are more often left to individual company policies and programs. These laws are constantly changing, however, and there is pressure in the U.S., often at the state and local level, to afford employees greater rights and benefits.

It is important for any company beginning operations in the United States to become familiar with the many laws that impact the employment relationship. This guide, put together by a dedicated team of Labor and Employment lawyers in the United States, is designed to do just that - help provide you with an overview of the many laws that govern the workplace in a simple, easy to understand framework.