Workplace Obesity Hiring Ban

srcurran

I think that when it comes to hiring, only your qualifications should matter. If it is the kind of job where your weight/physical fitness matters, then so it be, like the examples somebody else already gave on here (federal agent, cops, etc.). If part of the job requirement is to be able to run a 6 minute mile, then anybody who can't is not qualified. Period, end of story.

However, for other jobs, weight/physical fitness/race/gender doesn't matter. And in those cases, there is NO way that we should hire or not hire based on those things. I'm a woman, and I'm going to be applying for jobs teaching at universities and colleges. I DO NOT want to be hired because I am a woman and they need to fill their quota. I do not want ANY job because I fit a quota- I want a job because I deserve it. And I don't think it is fair for me to LOSE a job because I'm white and they need more to hire more minorities, either.

For me, this issue is just so simple. Either you're qualified for or you're not, regardless of your race, gender, height, weight, whatever. NONE of those things should matter and people shouldn't be hired or not hired because of it at any point.




I totally agree! In an ideal world, this is how it would be.

maeadair

Just wait until they can run genetic tests to test your propensity to things like cancer, sickle cell, ALS, MS, or any other genetically tied disease. File marked. insurance set. Forehead stamped.

Can you say BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING ? George saw it coming.

robynrae_1

I work for a company that offers a "Wellness" discount on the health insurance premium. The program isn't about just weight, it has many diffrent things that you can do through the year to earn points. Some of the things you can do to earn points are: blood pressure check, flu shot, no trafic violations, going to the dentist, not smoking, exersize, and other healthy thing that you can do. The health insurance that we have also helps to pay part of a membership to a fitness club.
I think this is a good way to get people active in thier health.

Grokette

When I first started driving, my insurance was higher then it is now. I never got in an accident, but chances were higher that I would, and it wasn't fair to make other statistically safer drivers pay more for me and the other horrible 16 year old drivers out there.

How is this any different? Fat people being forced to pay more for insurance seems perfectly fair to me, as the statistics show that not only does it cost more to take care of them, but there is a greater chance that they'll have to go to the hospital in the first place.

Hell, I couldn't choose to stop being a 16 year old make at the time, but if most fat people want to stop being fat they can just put down the damn donuts and fried chicken. Hate me if you want to, but I did it, and they can too.

If that is the case though then what about those who have cancer or other disabilities ... since they are going to cost more in the long run should we increase the cost of the insurance that they have to pay? I understand that they didn't ask for medical problems such as cancer, etc. however.. I did not ask to be obese. Am I? Yes. Do I take responsibility for it? I do. But to say that one group of people cost more is ridiculous. What about certain ethnic groups that have higher changes of certain diseases and cancers? Should they also have to pay higher because they "might" cost more? And .... as a society we are obese. This is no longer an individual issue... it's a social issue. Everything is geared now a days to instant gratification, everything is drive through, kids are sitting on their butts playing their video games and glued to computers or TVs... because that is who the industry is targeting.

I say it is time to take a stand against the insurance companies and make them accountable to actually HELP their policyholders rather than ask for more money to still do nothing and still charge even more.

I agree with the first quoted part in this response.

It is a choice. Make the choice to change and do be part of the instant gratification society of fast food and convience foods.

Go back to cooking from scratch and not using products that have chemicals and preservatives. Get up and move, instead of sitting in front of the TV and computer.

It is ALL about the choices WE choose to make.

alyssarof2012

If this is truly going to be put into effect in the near future, I better get my butt in gear!

But with most of america being overweight, they may have a labor shortage... haha...

srcurran

There is already a federal law on the books making it prohibited to use genetic information on employees to make insurance or hiring decisions. It passed a couple of years ago.

LuckyLeprechaun

proving that obesity is genetic will be a difficult battle. If it is genetic, how are we all doing so amazingly well with the help of MFP?

halobender

Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA)

Gosh, what a horrible acronym. I guess politicians just love talking about 'gina, though.

As someone who lives in Canada, death panels are a myth! My grandfather was on his death bed - he had late stages alzheimers, yet they still operated on him to improve his comfort in his last few days. There are wait times, yet I have NEVER found them to be horrible and have heard of worse ones in the States.

Thanks for commenting this! I lived in Canada for a while and I come back to the states and even still my dad is trying to tell me that Canada's health care doesn't work. To which all I can reply is "Um, I'm the one who lived there, aren't I?" My friend broke his nose while living there (and he was from Mexico) and he went to the ER, got his nose fixed and immediately left without any bill.

It reminds me of 2004 when Bush gave a speech in front of a Hispanic Workers lobby and they mentioned health care and all the guy says is "We see what's going on in Canada ..." and then they give their snarky, cynical laughter that is so filled with ignorance and derision, but absolutely no examples or facts ... Because they really have no idea what's going on in Canada.

That said, it's impossible for the same system to work here, in my opinion; there are too many of us in the US, and we're too used to being able to rely on ourselves. But in a place with only 30 million people, it works like a charm.

Anyway, there were things I wanted to say specifically, but they're kind of benign to the subject matter, so I'll simply close out with this:

You can and will be judged by your actions and your decisions. As well you should be. Not to say that people are never overly judgmental, but if no one ever judged anyone, imagine the depravity that would entomb the entirety of the universe. Imagine a world where people aren't looked at twice for beating their children.

If you want to be obese, fine. Expect derision. It's a part of your life choice.

People assuming that you're slow or lazy is also a part of smoking marijuana—they aren't complaining about the stereotypes (at least, not so much as I've seen, though there are those who are almost militant in how much they whine about such things), and they can get fired for partaking outside of work, as well. Life happens. Employers should have freedoms as well, and shouldn't have to hire anyone that they don't want to, as long as it can be concluded from objective reasoning. (That said, I'm of the opinion that it's hard to be objective when refusing to hire someone based on their race or something equally intolerant.)