Buy Walking VideosShould Fat Be Covered Under ADA?
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects workers from being discriminated against because of their disabilites. Employers are required to list any specific requirements of a position (i.e. must be able to lift 50 pounds) in order to prevent arbitrary discrimination. If you are morbidly obese, should the ADA protect you from being fired?
According to a recent ruling, you must be able to prove that the obesity is caused by a physiological disorder in order for you to get protection under ADA.
What do I think about this?
On one hand, I’ve experienced discrimination in the workplace when I was fat. I was continually accused of being lazy despite high production rates.
On the other hand, too many people go running to the law courts when they run into troubles. I don’t think the government or law suits are the answer.
For me, I left the job. I didn’t want to work for a company so blind that they couldn’t see what a good employee I was. If all they could see was my fat, then I was going to take my fat and highly productive self to a company that appreciated me. Sometimes, I think that’s the answer. When companies discriminate, they end up limiting their supply of good employees. The people who won’t put up with discrimination leave. They die a death of their own making because they can’t keep good employees.
Should the ADA protect fat workers? I don’t know. I think it’s more important to protect ourselves.
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September 17th, 2006 at 9:55 am
I have met people who have had real thyroid issues and they were quite ill. The ruling would cover people who have a thyroid problems and the like. Thyroid problems is rarer than people think.
September 17th, 2006 at 10:05 am
I had to work twice as hard when I was overweight.