[sschueller]

Is there no trial period in the US?

Every person we hire here (Switzerland) gets interviewed but because it is almost impossible to know if someone is going to work out there is a trial period of three months by law. Usually with a termination time of one week. After the trial you will usually need to give at least three month notice. You can get the most brilliant Coder but if he/she doesn't work with your existing team for what ever reason, he/she isn't the right fit for you.

You can only find these things out after they start working for you.

[pmiller2]

Unless there's an employment contract or collective bargaining agreement stating otherwise, people can be fired in the US at any time for almost any reason. That "almost" hides a little nuance, such as the reason can't be related to race, gender, or certain other "protected" reasons, but, "any reason" is a pretty good approximation. No notice period is required. If you're lucky, you get to walk out by yourself carrying a box of your stuff. Frequently people are escorted out.

[oblio]

That's horrible. And I'm from Romania, which is a second world country, basically.

We usually have a two week notice (it depends on the company and the position) and I've never seen someone escorted out. There's often a short inventory of company assets you used, and that's it.

[evgen]

It has its downsides, but the benefit of such a system is that it is easier to hire someone as well. It lowers the risk of hiring if you know that you can terminate employment just as easily, so the jobs market ends up being a bit more robust at the cost of a bit more volatility.

It should also be noted that for the sort of jobs we are talking about here there is a difference between being terminated 'for cause' (e.g. incompetence, theft from your employer, etc) and termination due to downsizing and the job itself being eliminated. In the latter case you will often get a package of benefits and the termination process is somewhat similar to the one you are familiar with.

[beevai142]

However, no notice and escorting people out sounds more like power fantasy than something with economic reasons.

[kyrra]

In the US, if there are mass layoffs at large company they need to give notice because of the WARN Act (100+ people) requires a 60 day notice. But many companies will just continue to pay those employees for 60 days but they aren't allowed on site (effectively fires, but still being paid)

[marcinzm]

I'd say it's more of a security concern than anything. The thinking being that you don't want a potentially disgruntled employee with little to potentially lose have access to your systems.

[oblio]

I was sure someone would say this. As a comparison: Romania is a relatively poor country, full of hotheaded invididuals ("Balkan" mentality). On top of that, we're apparently EU's #2 expat community in terms of total prison population. So both hotheads and also a lot of criminals (most likely thieves).

And yet we still allow our folks to walk unescorted for a few weeks inside the company premises.

After all, how many just-layed-off employees will want to steal or damage company property to top off their recent loss of job with criminal charges and a criminal record?

From the outside it feels like a bit of paranoia on the part of US companies.

I might be missing something, this is just my opinion as an outsider.

[mooreds]

A trial period is a great idea only if the switching of jobs is not disruptive to both parties.

When you switch jobs in the USA, you switch health insurance and other benefits. Doing this for 3 months and then finding another job would be tedious.

Also, if it doesn't work out, what does the candidate do? Go hunt for another job with a negative signal on their resume? If I were a job seeker that would seem high risk.

This is the same reason contract to hire positions don't attract everyone. If you are good enough, the company will commit to you without the trial period, which candidates typically want.

Optionality has value, and both parties can't possess it.

[phlo]

> When you switch jobs in the USA, you switch health insurance and other benefits.

In Switzerland, you'll switch accident coverage and probably the pension fund. Still some work, but not as tedious as what I imagine the situation in the US to be like.

> Go hunt for another job with a negative signal on their resume?

Both parties are free to end employment during the trial period. Maybe the candidate didn't like the work environment? Also, the future employer stands to gain an employee pretty much immediately as opposed to wait for the usual 2-3 months(!) notice period. Finally, unemployment benefits in Switzerland are fairly generous (70% income over 20-ish months), which mitigates the risk to candidates somewhat.

[pmiller2]

Simply having a 3 month tenure on a résumé is a questionable signal to one's next employer, regardless of circumstances.

[saiya-jin]

not specific to Suisse, but this can be PITA - actual hiring in bigger organizations take many more months, so hire&fire is a very costly exercise, time and cash wise.

As stated before, it's nicer to the employee on one side, but since everybody wants to hire proper guy to avoid firing&rehiring hassle due to these protections, interviews can end up on the ridiculous side.

you gain something, you lose something else.