Co-determination is a practice whereby the employees have a role in management of a company. The word is a literal translation from the German word Mitbestimmung. Co-determination rights are different in different legal environments. In some countries, like the USA, the workers have virtually no role in management of companies, and in some, like Germany, their role is more important. The first serious co-determination laws began in West Germany. At first there was only worker participation in management in the coal and steel industries. But in 1976, a general law was passed mandating that worker representatives hold seats on the boards of all companies employing over 500 people.