A few weeks ago, I mentioned a television program that aired on CNBC that featured a company which helps its overweight employees lose weight. Many readers expressed their opinion on whether or not companies should get involved with their employees’ weight issues.
There is a related issue I want to hear from you on: In the same program, a supervisor admitted that, “If I could get away with it,” he would not hire obese employees. The phrase “makes my blood boil” springs to mind.
Then, I recently read this article about bias against the overweight in the job market.
A diversity consultant in the article is quoted as saying: “[The obese] are perceived as undisciplined, sloppy, slow moving and slow thinking …” and that really hit home for me. I am anything but those things, but could I have been perceived that way?
I have to wonder: Those jobs I didn’t get when I was at my highest weight … could my dress size have been to blame rather than the availability of a more qualified candidate? I shudder to think.
What do you think on the matter? Do you think that workplace bias against the obese is strong enough to keep us from getting work?
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