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Someone can be heavy & be the sweetest person.
I've gone to doctors offices where thin, pretty girls or someone average looking and a decent weight had no personality.
I would absolutely not hire someone in that bad of shape as that. If they can't care for their own body, how can they be trusted to care about their job.
Of course, I would never tell someone that, but the truth is that unless she sheds at least ~200 pounds I wouldn't consider her past fast food, maybe a call center, and maybe maintenance. With someone as out of shape as that you'll deal with far more sick days, and far more hassles (would need additional accommodations).
I agree that fat people can nice, but businesses aren't looking for the kindest person, but the one that will reflect on the business the best, and will create the most revenue. The obese don't fall into that category.
Even look at Wal Mart greeters, many are disabled, but most have "aged well." How many people with BMIs in the 40s and 50s do you see working? I see few, and Buffalo is a very overweight town.
I always thought the rationale against hiring fat people was so flawed..I mean, if their health (rather than looks) is the concern, then why would you hire anyone who seems sexually promiscuous...they could have or catch an std at any time..perhaps even Aids...that would certainly lead to health care expenses.
same thing with smokers or drinkers...People who play a lot of sports may need to be hospitalized with a broken leg. Its just such absurd flawed logic imo. If you dont like the way fat people look, why lie about it or obscure it with some flawed rationalization about their health care costs?
I always thought the rationale against hiring fat people was so flawed..I mean, if their health (rather than looks) is the concern, then why would you hire anyone who seems sexually promiscuous...they could have or catch an std at any time..perhaps even Aids...that would certainly lead to health care expenses.
same thing with smokers or drinkers...People who play a lot of sports may need to be hospitalized with a broken leg. Its just such absurd flawed logic imo. If you dont like the way fat people look, why lie about it or obscure it with some flawed rationalization about their health care costs?
All those other categories wouldn't hurt their ability to makes sales. If something like drinking became a problem to the point where they couldn't perform, or they just looked bad for my company, I'd fire them.
As long as I have the right to choose who I hire or fire, I'll be as picky as I want. It's my business and I'll run it like I want.
I personally don't rationalize it. I'd tell them straight up... they don't have the professional look I'm going for. I've done it before. I hate people telling me I have to be nice about how I run my business. I don't have to be nice to anyone but my existing employees and current and potential clients.
I always thought the rationale against hiring fat people was so flawed..I mean, if their health (rather than looks) is the concern, then why would you hire anyone who seems sexually promiscuous...they could have or catch an std at any time..perhaps even Aids...that would certainly lead to health care expenses.
same thing with smokers or drinkers...People who play a lot of sports may need to be hospitalized with a broken leg. Its just such absurd flawed logic imo. If you dont like the way fat people look, why lie about it or obscure it with some flawed rationalization about their health care costs?
and you would know this at an interview how? Ask them? Good luck with that law suit they'd bring.
All those other categories wouldn't hurt their ability to makes sales. If something like drinking became a problem to the point where they couldn't perform, or they just looked bad for my company, I'd fire them.
As long as I have the right to choose who I hire or fire, I'll be as picky as I want. It's my business and I'll run it like I want.
I personally don't rationalize it. I'd tell them straight up... they don't have the professional look I'm going for. I've done it before. I hate people telling me I have to be nice about how I run my business. I don't have to be nice to anyone but my existing employees and current and potential clients.
Thats understandable...If I were a fat applicant I would appreciate your candor..especially if you explicitly stated: "fat people will not be considered for this position"...of course, Im certain that after it is discovered why they didnt have the professional look you're going for it would be found in violation of some anti discriminatory clause..especially if they claim that their fat causes them to have a disability of some sort. Which is really the largest basis for most people's argument against hiring fat people' that they would somehow be less productive. Doesnt really matter what kind of authority a private employer wants to have over his hiring process, he will not be allowed to dismiss a candidate for having a disabililty unless the person cannot perform the functions of the job description.
There is no guarantee that a small person or a person with long or short hair will make the sale either. A person with herpes may have a cold sore on their lip that may dissuade the customer from buying the product. Nor is there any certainty that a short skinny person will make the sale.. A person with herpes may have a cold sore on their lip that may dissuade the customer from buying the product....and depending on what is being sold, and depending on the targeted market demographic a fat person could potentially make the sale better than a smaller person...so professionalism is kind of a cop out in that regard. And as a private sector employer, you are certainly entitled to use a cop out...Im just saying that it is another cop out...what you're really saying is that "You dont have the look I like...it isnt your professionalism that is in question."; since, if they havent been fired from previous positions for having a weight that causes them to be unprofessional or hindered their performance, there would be no actual way of gauging whether one fat person would be anymore unprofessional than the last person.
IDK..it is all arbitrary, and I agree that you dont have to be "nice" to anyone...technically, you dont even have to be nice to your employees...as Im sure you know, there are loopholes to get around that too.
Thats understandable...If I were a fat applicant I would appreciate your candor..especially if you explicitly stated: "fat people will not be considered for this position"...of course, Im certain that after it is discovered why they didnt have the professional look you're going for it would be found in violation of some anti discriminatory clause..especially if they claim that their fat causes them to have a disability of some sort. Which is really the largest basis for most people's argument against hiring fat people' that they would somehow be less productive. Doesnt really matter what kind of authority a private employer wants to have over his hiring process, he will not be allowed to dismiss a candidate for having a disabililty unless the person cannot perform the functions of the job description.
I've posted in this thread before that I don't have a problem with overweight people. I have a problem with obese people. It's not good for anyone. 360LB is obese, if you're not lifting weights.
In the US, anti-discriminatory laws do not apply to me or my business (with the exception of the fair wage act). So whether I use the cop-out or not, I'm within my legal right to not hire them. I could just say your looking too obese for the position. There's nothing they can do. It's not in my character to just come out and say that though, so I don't.
I've posted in this thread before that I don't have a problem with overweight people. I have a problem with obese people. It's not good for anyone. 360LB is obese, if you're not lifting weights.
In the US, anti-discriminatory laws do not apply to me or my business (with the exception of the fair wage act). So whether I use the cop-out or not, I'm within my legal right to not hire them. I could just say your looking too obese for the position. There's nothing they can do. It's not in my character to just come out and say that though, so I don't.
Yeah, I understand that some employers dont sign up for the EEO tax credit or whatever...but if the unions get involved, that usually doesnt mean much either.
I actually dont disagree with you at all...im just playing devils advocate here...i personally think that people should be more accountable for their own health and quit making everyone else conform to their unhealthy lifestyles. But I dont just stop with fat people...I think if people want to smoke then they can pay for their own hospital bills and not use my taxpayer funded healthcare for their bad decision...and when they begin to look leatherfaced and wrinkly from their years of cigarette use, then their unprofessional look should be also be held against them. same thing with std carriers and sexually promiscuous people and people with multiple kids/single parents. I dont think they should be allowed to have days off just because "they dont have anyone else to pick their child up from ballet practice"...again, it was their lifestyle choice to have a kid without help.
like i said, I do agree that no one should dictate to an employer who they cant and can hire...but I also dont think fat/obesity should be the only criteria for judging whether a personal is healthy or unprofessional/irresponsible...but if it is, Im just saying that its time to call it what it is and end the tiptoeing around about healthcare costs and unprofessionalism: "I dont like the way you look because you're fat...deal with it."
Last edited by solytaire; 06-23-2010 at 10:45 PM..
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