Employment
Overweight people face bias in many areas of the working world, from job interviews to performance evaluations. For example, studies have found that if two job applicants have identical qualifications, the one who is overweight is more likely to be rated negatively and less likely to be hired.
Other research has found that overweight employees are viewed as lazy, sloppy, undisciplined, disagreeable, less competent and conscientious, and as poor role models. Research also shows that overweight workers are paid less for the same jobs, are more likely to have lower paying jobs, and are less likely to get promoted than thin people with the same qualifications. In a Rudd Center study of more than 2,400 overweight and obese adults, 54 percent reported that they had been stigmatized by co-workers because of their weight. Forty-three percent said they had experienced weight bias from employers and supervisors.
Legal cases documenting weight-based discrimination in employment settings continue to surface. Unfortunately, no federal laws prohibit weight discrimination, and only a few states offer any protection to obese employees. However, attitudes are beginning to shift. The perception that an overweight person cannot be an appropriate representative of a company's image has been challenged in the courts. A few years ago, an aerobics instructor in California sued Jazzercise for terminating her because she did not fit their desired image. She won her case, and Jazzercise has since changed its criteria for instructors.
The issue of weight discrimination in employment settings continues to receive attention in the media. Below are some links to news stories from the United States and around the world. Our Blog highlights some of these stories, with related discussion on weight discrimination in employment settings.
“Obesity Could Join the Web of Secret Discrimination at Work” from CareAndHealth.com, June 13, 2007
“Air Hostess Told to Shed Weight” from BBC News, June 1, 2007
“Obesity Research: Fattism is the Last Bastion of Employee Discrimination” from PersonnelToday.com, October 25, 2005
“Police Chief Fired Over 'Jelly Bellies' Memo” by Travis Reed, Associated Press, November 2, 2006
“Weight Matters” , San Francisco Chronicle, July 31, 2007
“Employer to Obese Employees: Shape Up or Pay Up” from NBC5.com, August 10, 2007
“Company to Workers: Shape Up or Pay Up” from TODAYShow.com, August 10, 2007 with video from their TODAY Show coverage of the story.