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Anyone that is currently employed and has an obesity problem (non medical) should really be working on that issue or they will also find themselves hard pushed to get new employment if they are let go.
Her chances are not good. My huge SIL talks about getting a part time job all the time, but, in truth she cannot stand for more than a few minutes, she can't walk more than a few feet and the huffing and puffing is very annoying. Pretty much the only employement she has been able to find in the last few years is over nights that she just sits and watches and eats....she does get paid in any event but her selection of jobs is limited.
We have a very large woman in our office and she had to have office equipment modified for her. She could not fit in a regular office chair, so they had to remove one of the armrests from her chair. She also has a hard time using the keyboard because her body width is so vast that both of her arms can't reach the keyboard at the same time. Honestly, she cannot do the job she is commissioned to do, but the manager makes accomodations for her. I can certainly see why employers would have a hard time hiring someone who is morbidly obese.
My best friend is morbidly obese and he has never called off sick in 30 years working for Goodyear!! He has only been my BF for about nine years so not sure if he was obese the entire 30 years, but I can say he has been obese the nine we have been friends. I know some lazy, calling in sick every other week skinny people too!!
I don't think that anyone here is saying that fat people are more lazy than skinny people. It's about how they carry themselves and their potential to get a job.
Reality is that obese people do have it more difficult. Often they still choose not to take care of their health.
The unfortunate thing is that it is a long long haul. Not to pick on you NJBest but you said you would not hire anyone obese. You can't ask if obesity is related to a medical condition so basically what your friend's worst nightmare is that there are folks who will immediately discriminate against her regardless of if her condition were medical or self inflicted. They will also continue to discriminate against her if she is even in the middle of trying to change her life.
As I said earlier, I am overweight. A lot of the weight came after several years of living hand to mouth, working jobs late at night, etc. Some of it was emotional in the sense that I was clinically depressed and my answer to depression was sleep and inactivity.
I have changed a HUGE amount and I refuse to do a "diet." Diet being some crafty thought up plan on the latest book cover. Rather I just eat sensibly and follow a more Mediterranean diet. I also eat organic foods, heavy on the veggies and fruits, etc. I rarely eat out and I keep active by walking, swimming, functional fitness training, etc. I am far from lazy. I am a top performer in my organization, I go to school in a masters program, and have a lot of hobbies.
HOWEVER, weight for me comes off slowly. Let's be real, you don't lose weight by exercise. Exercise doesn not burn enough substantial calories if you do not drastically change your diet. Exercise is more important to tone and help your heart muscle but you are not going to get skinny by working out (for the most part). You have to eat less calories than what you can expend. What this means is that most overweight people will struggle with this.
Now, going back to myself, weight is coming off slowly for me and at a good responsible way and one that will last long term because of the lifestyle changes. But to folks like possibly NJBest, I am no different than the tub of lard sitting on the couch. I think that is the toughest battle your friend will face that even when or if she starts making changes, her problems will not go away and she I'll ctoniue to see many rejections. Because the prejudice is there regardless. This is why she will need a very strong support group and system to keep her spirits up and her attitude towards improving her life and health.
lovetheduns, I'll admit you're fairly accurate about me with the exception of thinking that overweight are a tub of lard sitting on a couch. In my personal life, I am not so prejudice. Infact, two of my closest friends (one male, other female) are extremely overweight. One is diabetic at the age of 30! But they are still close friends.
I basically tell people why I don't hire them. I don't have to be worried about a lawsuit, because my business is too small to fall under the jurisdiction of discriminatory labor laws.
Most of my hires are required to play a part-time sales role. So appearance is important. I have had the most success with the just graying 6ft, thin to chubby male. But never do I count appearance above job qualifications.
If I had backoffice desk jobs in my business, I'd probably have less issues with bigger people.
NJBest, I was not criticizing you! I get why you choose the hires you do. For a sales role, I completely get that it is ALL about image. I would t dare try to get hired into a sales role (and I have done several in the past) because I know I don't give off an image that the company would love to have.
My point is that the last thing this girl needs to believe is that if she starts eating baby carrots and raspberries for snacks is that jobs and employers are miraculously going to care.
My only point is that it is a long long long haul she has in front of her and the safest and most long term way to get to where she needs to be Is to take it as a long haul. Versus crash dieting, etc.
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