How Labor Laws Make It So You Can't Get Hired

 Europe has a problem of high structural unemployment. For example, in France, there is about double the unemployment rate in America. Why is this? America practices the at-will doctrine of hiring and firing. That means employers can hire and fire whoever they want for whatever reason (Except on the basis of race, sex, or ethnicity.) they want. Employees can also quit whenever they want for whatever reason. In Europe, the process of firing an employee is long, drawn-out, expensive, and requires approval from both the government and the unions. Because of this, employers have to be very careful about who they hire, because if they hire someone that is lazy and doesn't do what needs to be done, they probably won't be able to get that employee fired.