Does a 360 pound FEMALE job applicant really stand a chance? (health insurance, fired)

[Nite Ryder]

Originally Posted by email_lover

A good female friend of mine has been unemployed now for over a year but is still collecting unemployment benefits. She will likely collect benefits for the whole 99 weeks because she is not having any luck at all finding a job. I think that much of her trouble is her weight. She is big really big. She told me she has gained almost 100 pounds from the stress and is now 360 pounds. In all honesty, she looks just terrible.

My friend had a relatively successful career as an Administrative Assistant but after a year of unemployment she has sent out hundreds of resumes and had only four interviews. Each time she was brought in for an interview she was given a shocked look and sent packing in a few minutes. No one said she was too fat but she could tell by their body language that they wanted her gone as fast as possible.

If you were a hiring manager would you strongly consider a woman who was 5 foot 4 360 pounds for an adminstrative job in your company?

I was a business owner, not a hiring manager, but to answer your question: No I would not consider hiring her under any circumstances. I sure wouldn't tell her the reason I didn't hire her is because of her weight. I would be concerned that she might have a health issue while on the job. It would be impossible to get her out of one of the doors if she were on a stretcher, if a stretcher could be found that was usable. I would also be concerned with the office funiture, all of the chairs were made with a normal weight person in mind. The office chairs I provided all had arm rests, I doubt she could fit into one of these chairs. The chairs were well made and expensive, I wouldn't subject them to abuse because of their cost. I also had a recliner in our office and a sofa. I'm afraid your friend is going to find it impossible to get a job until she looses weight. This is her problem, it shouldn't be a problem for an employer to have to deal with.

[Nite Ryder]

Originally Posted by GypsySoul22

Let's talk 360 lb. male.
Would HE be hired?

No. I've never hired but one man for an office job. Once was enough. He was not a good employee for an office, most women have no trouble with office work.

[Nite Ryder]

Originally Posted by kodaka

This country has an obesity problem because its population doesn't listen to your crackpot theories?

Kodaka,
That is not the reason. The reason is they have eating habits they can't break. Most of the over weight people I know won't try to lose weight, and if they go on a diet and lose weight, it is no time and they have gained the weight back. They need to change their life style.

[Koale]

Originally Posted by Nite Ryder

I was a business owner, not a hiring manager, but to answer your question: No I would not consider hiring her under any circumstances. I sure wouldn't tell her the reason I didn't hire her is because of her weight. I would be concerned that she might have a health issue while on the job. It would be impossible to get her out of one of the doors if she were on a stretcher, if a stretcher could be found that was usable. I would also be concerned with the office funiture, all of the chairs were made with a normal weight person in mind. The office chairs I provided all had arm rests, I doubt she could fit into one of these chairs. The chairs were well made and expensive, I wouldn't subject them to abuse because of their cost. I also had a recliner in our office and a sofa. I'm afraid your friend is going to find it impossible to get a job until she looses weight. This is her problem, it shouldn't be a problem for an employer to have to deal with.

You must be one of those folks that are posting for 'help wanted' on Craigs List? No phone number, no company name, MS/BS/PHD/75wpm/65 hrs per week, on call/own computer/15 years experience for $8.00 an hour?
Don't deny it, tell the truth. Sounds like you are an employees nightmare.
Bet you don't pay your taxes either and leave your employees standing at a locked front door because your landlord has evicted you.
Come on, tell the truth.
K

[jasper12]

If she has good skills, and a good resume, she could possibly get hired on a phone interview. That would be the strength of a phone interview. And she could get a job doing inbound calls, sales of items on internet, those jobs are usually in call centers, and low paying. Most of the women who work those jobs are hefty. So, she would fit in with the "culture" there...I would hire her, for a job answering the phone, if she had a good personality, and phone skills...otherwise, forget it.

[Nite Ryder]

Originally Posted by Koale

You must be one of those folks that are posting for 'help wanted' on Craigs List? No phone number, no company name, MS/BS/PHD/75wpm/65 hrs per week, on call/own computer/15 years experience for $8.00 an hour?
Don't deny it, tell the truth. Sounds like you are an employees nightmare.
Bet you don't pay your taxes either and leave your employees standing at a locked front door because your landlord has evicted you.
Come on, tell the truth.
K

Your post does not deserve a comment!

[gizmo980]

Originally Posted by Nite Ryder

Kodaka,
That is not the reason. The reason is they have eating habits they can't break. Most of the over weight people I know won't try to lose weight, and if they go on a diet and lose weight, it is no time and they have gained the weight back. They need to change their life style.

Both of you are right, actually... there IS such a thing as being "predisposed to weight problems," which any scientist or doctor will probably verify. At the same time, yes one does need to change their entire lifestyle if they're looking to lose weight - and keep it off.

I lost 55lbs and have kept it off (even losing more) for over 6 years now, so I know how difficult it can be! I am genetically predisposed to weight problems, which is obvious if you see my father's side of the family. My sister & brother were lucky enough to inherit my mother's naturally thin body, but I completely have my father's genes. How else do you explain 3 siblings raised on the same food & exercise, but only one having a weight problem? I literally had to fight genetics, but it is possible when you change your overall attitude & habits. "Diets" don't work, since they are only a temporary fix, but lifestyle changes DO work long-term.

[gizmo980]

And to answer the original question, I would hire a 360lb woman if she could perform the job... and had the personality/education/etc I was looking for in an employee. Discriminating based only on weight is wrong, but you do have to use logic in the hiring process. So if the job required hard physical labor, and she wasn't able to do this safely, I probably wouldn't hire her. But if it only required sitting at a desk and answering phones, sure - why not?

[LexusNexus]

Depends on many factors not just her weight. The right job could spur her on to doing something about her weight. Job security and job satisfaction does wonders for a person. If she were in a job that she found fulfilling and rewarding, she might drop that weight. So, it would depend on whether she had the qualifications for the job, her personality, track record, and so forth.

Excessive weight on a person doesn't bother me unless I have to sit squeezed next to someone who is morbidly or super obese in airplane coach.

[ChocolateCity2001]

Still LOL @ this.