This book presents an overview of the economic, political, and social forces that shaped contemporary employment relations practices in United States. It provides students with the historical background they need to understand how the US system developed and how it differs from systems in other industrialized nations. Individual employment rights, including protecting individual employees from discrimination and workplace ‘rights’, are thoroughly examined. In addition, current policy issues in employment (raising the minimum wage, growth of a contingent workforce, privatizing retirement) are discussed in detail.