Obese people are discriminated against when applying for jobs, are passed over for promotion, and are more likely to be made redundant – all purely on the basis of their weight.
These are the findings of an exclusive Personnel Today survey of more than 2,000 HR professionals, which looked at employer attitudes to obesity.
It revealed that 93% of respondents would choose a ‘normal weight’ applicant over an obese applicant with the same experience and qualifications.
The survey also showed that 30% of HR professionals believe obesity is a valid medical reason for not employing a person, while 15% agree that they would be less likely to promote an obese employee.
More than one in 10 think they can fairly dismiss an employee because of their size, in clear contravention of employment law.
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