Most places I've worked at in the US have a 90-day probationary period. There's still red tape, but not as much. More common now, however, is to hire people on as contractors for 3 to 6 months. If you work out well, they'll fast-track you to becoming full-time without a second thought. Otherwise, your contract is up and they choose not to renew it. Which makes things less dramatic if there are issues.