USA

The US is a Federation comprising 50 States. Its legal system is made up of federal law, state law and to a certain extent local municipal laws. Like most Federal countries around the world, Federal law will always prevail over State law where there are inconsistencies. The United States is famous for its pro- business approach to labour law aimed at freeing up business costs and promoting an entrepreneurial environment. On the other hand unlike most other jurisdictions, in the US it is possible to have jury trials in certain labour law matters, as well as claims for emotional distress and punitive damages, often resulting in multi-million dollar claims against employers. In addition, the US has some of the world’s most developed case law on discrimination, in particular age discrimination.