Overweight workers could soon have the power to sue their colleagues for cruel remarks about their size, a leading judge has claimed.
Philip Rostant, a judge specialising in employment law, said the only way to tackle so-called fattist discrimination in the workplace is through legislation.
He said such laws would prevent bias against those of non-ideal weight, who often find it harder to get jobs and are at greater risk of being sacked.
Judge Rostant, who is training director for the Employment Tribunals of England and Wales, also warned larger people are paid less on average than thinner colleagues.
In an academic paper, co-authored with Tamara Hervey, a professor of law at Sheffield University, he warned the workplace can be a tough place for heavy employees.
They wrote: People of non-ideal weight (overweight or severely underweight) are subjected to discrimination, in the workplace and elsewhere, based on attitudinal assumptions and negative inferences ... such as that they are insufficiently self-motivated to make good employees.
Legislation could mean abusive terms such as fatty or a refusal to employ or promote people because of their weight would bring similar penalties as discriminating against ethnic minorities or gay people.
The paper points out that discrimination against people because of age, race, gender, religion, sexual orientation and disability are all outlawed under the Equality Act of 2010.
However, fat people are protected only if they can prove they are also disabled.
In 1993 about 14 per cent of adults were obese, defined as having a body mass index of more than 30.
That figure has risen to about 25 per cent now. The increase has led to the rise of fat activism to outlaw discrimination, the Sunday Times reported.
The academic paper said: Being overweight, or even obese, is not in itself a prohibited ground of discrimination in UK law, or in the law of the European Union.
This situation leaves a gap in the law which is remediable only by legislative reform.
Earlier this month, a Sheffield Hallam University study revealed 181 recruiters given identical CVs with accompanying photographs depicting fat and thin people rejected almost all the candidates who were fat.
ATTN all ATOT people: I'm giving away all my stuff to make myself sue-proof. It's the only way I can safely say anything anymore. I'll list items in lots and whoever calls dibs can have them.
Lot 1: Stuff on my desk - 17 paper clips, a used q-tip, 2 Sharpies, a Harbor Freight coupon for a free flashlight with any purchase, salt shaker half filled with salt from, ohhh, about 1956 or so, 1 pen with no ink, 1 1000MG fish oil capsule that's been on the floor for a while and has all sorts of bonus stuff stuck to it.
could you provide a detailed list of said paperclips ranging from smallest to largest?
don't forget colour and gauge.
thanks.
a Harbor Freight coupon for a free flashlight with any purchase
We really are turning into a bunch of pussies...
They wrote: ‘People of non-ideal weight (overweight or severely underweight) are subjected to discrimination, in the workplace and elsewhere, based on attitudinal assumptions and negative inferences ... such as that they are insufficiently self-motivated to make good employees.’
Instead of having certain things you can or can't talk about, it stands to reason that you just shouldn't say something if it pisses them off. That said, it's a two way street... if somebody says something you don't like, you better speak up or they'll keep doing it. People have different levels of being able to take a joke, so IMO you should get a warning from whoever didn't like your comment, and then from then on you know that's a sore spot when talking to them. Lots of people wouldn't think saying someone is too thin is a bad thing, but it's still making fun of somebody's appearance.
He said such laws would prevent bias against those of ‘non-ideal weight’, who often find it harder to get jobs and are at greater risk of being sacked.
Judge Rostant, who is training director for the Employment Tribunals of England and Wales, also warned larger people are paid less on average than thinner colleagues.
1. fat people are unhealthier than non fat people and will make the health costs go up for the company so they shouldn't be hired over a thinner person that has the exact same skill set all things aside.
2. fat people are clearly lazy so they won't work as hard and therefore should be paid less than people who aren't lazy and will get the job done more efficiently.
sometimes its not a matter of lazy
a fat person can now walk as much or as fast as a normal person
and not only talking about walk
but in many cases the fat person will simple underperformed a normal person
so under the rights of equal pay for equal work
if the fatties can not deliver then the money should be cut accordingly
choices have coincidences
if you are fat by choice then its your problem
but not take the whole society with you
no it is always a matter of being lazy.
okay not always, there is a .000000001% of the population that has a "medical condition" that "makes" them be fat.
the other stuff you said, i can't even comprehend it so i'm not gonna bother commenting on it.
Fuck you and fuck your feelings, you fucking pussy, if you can't handle the real world, go crawl back into your momma's bed - it's still warm, I just left.