“Lose weight or lose your job.” That’s what one woman heard from her male boss. And there was nothing illegal about the order. At least two studies suggest that more and more women – and more than a few men – have been hearing statements like that at work.
The publication Obesity reported that discrimination based on weight went up 66% in the last 10 years. And the International Journal of Obesity reports that discrimination in hiring and promoting the overweight is far more common than, for instance, race discrimination.
That’s probably true because there are no federal laws banning weight discrimination, unless a person’s weight causes a recognized disability. (Some cities and a few state legislatures are pondering proposals that would place weight itself in a protected category.)
Researchers say there are a lot of reasons behind the discrimination, usually based on stereotypes such as “they’re lazy” or “they lack self-discipline.” Plus, many bosses get caught up in the fitness craze and let it show in how they manage people.
For a cost of $32, the full study can be downloaded at the Obesity Web site.
