In the United States, each state boasts its own set of labor laws that are applicable to that particular state. These laws protect employees from workplace harassment, discrimination, unfair pay, and poor working condition. Each state has different labor laws, but they all are very similar in nature. On the federal level, the government has long established federal labor laws that are also designed to protect employees from the previously mentioned situations. However, unlike the state labor laws, federal labor laws are applicable to every state in the country. These laws almost always trump state law in every case as mandated by the courts. A good example of how a federal labor law does not trump a state law is minimum wage. The federal government dictates the nation's minimum wage. While each state is required to abide by this law, it is also possible to raise the state's minimum wage to a higher rate regardless of the nation's minimum wage plan.