Explain how job security protections differ across countries.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

U.S. union workers typically enjoy greater job security than nonunion workers as a result of just cause clauses in the union contract. However, the vast majority of U.S. workers are subject to employment-at-will, which means an employer can fire a worker at any time, for good cause, no cause, or even a cause that is morally wrong. This contrasts starkly with the widespread unjust dismissal protections granted by most other democratized, industrialized countries. For example, German law requires discharges to be "socially justified" on the basis of poor performance or economic necessity once an employee has passed a six-month probationary period. Belgium, France, Great Britain, Italy and Spain all have similar protective legislation. In Mexico, employees have a 30-day probationary period followed by a just cause dismissal standard. In Japan, the doctrine of abusive dismissal protects workers against unjust dismissal. Canada has a just cause dismissal standard unless an employee is given several weeks notification. Thus, reliance on collective bargaining to establish a just cause dismissal standard, rather than granting this right to all full-time workers through labor legislation, is a unique feature of the U.S. labor relations system.