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INProbationary period
A probationary period (often called an introductory period) is an initial stretch of employment — commonly 30, 60, or 90 days — during which a new hire's fit and performance are reviewed. In the United States it is a company convention, not a legal category: employment law treats a person on day 5 essentially the same as on day 500.
How it works in the United States
Because most US employment is at-will, an employer does not need a probationary period to part ways with a new hire, and finishing probation does not create job security. That leads to a few practical points:
- Wording matters: handbooks that say employment becomes "permanent" after probation can accidentally suggest a contract. Many employers say "introductory period" and restate that employment remains at-will.
- Protections apply from day one: anti-discrimination law, minimum wage, overtime, and workers' compensation cover probationary employees fully.
- Benefits waiting periods are separate: health coverage and PTO accrual often start on their own schedules set by plan rules and law, not by the probation date.
Used well, the period is really a structured onboarding: clear expectations, scheduled check-ins, and an honest review at the end.
No specific federal instrument — at-will employment is the default under state common law; anti-discrimination laws (Title VII, ADA, ADEA — EEOC) apply from the first day.
Tommy makes a new hire's first weeks visible — schedules, shift swaps, and messages in one place — so check-ins during an introductory period are based on the real record, not memory.