Is anyone elses weight keeping them from getting jobs?

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calvert6183
calvert6183 Posts: 539 Member
in Chit-Chat
Hi everyone. I live in Austin and for the most part everyone here is skinny or in shape which is good but here is the problem. I have friends here cant seem to get jobs because it seems that they wont hire people who are alittle over weight. The reason it seems that way is so many employers who post on sites for employment ask for a full body pic before the interview.. Its really common.

I also know situations where a friend works a place and they try to get them hired and they wont hire them even though they have years of experience and then hire a skinny chick with no experience. Its also common here that places say they only will hire girls and not guys,

The reason Im posting this is because I care about people and they are great people who are clean cut and professional. When they get turned down based on a pic or the interview gets cancelled when they see them, it really hurts them. This just seems illegal and wrong, it is in my home state. Discrimination is wrong and shouldnt happen, has anyone else had this happen to you or someone you know?

Also before anyone else says something not cool, yes these people are willing to take any job and have tried at places like fast food, customer service, restaurants, and cleaning to make money. They all have degrees and are swalling thier pride and still cant get one. I even say a place saying you must send a pic and be attractive to be a busser. Really? At first I thought my friends were exaggerating but I see too.
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Replies

  • m60kaf
    m60kaf Posts: 421 Member
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    I think there are always two sides to a story.

    I guess while it appears and is wrong. I see America from a slightly different viewpoint not being an American.

    You live in a litigious blame culture society and while what the employers are doing isn't good (if indeed that is what they are doing) it is probably more to protect themselves financially from future issues they feel are more likely to happen with a larger and therefore potentially less fit person.

    I've been to Texas and have to say I was quite surprised how fit most people there seem to be - big in a good way definitely.

    It doesn't fix the stereotyping but I guess the answer is to get fit.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
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    I think there's a certain amount of discrimination over it, for sure. In my last job, I was never allowed to progress up to management because I was deemed not to be in good enough shape (working as a pool lifeguard) despite my rescue times being faster than most and being a more senior member of the center. The guy who ended up progressing instead of me could hardly speak English, had been in the job 6 months and wasn't even a very good swimmer.

    I notice it at shopping centres and the like too - most storefront staff are quite 'pretty' people, male or female, at least here in London.
  • Lynn_SD
    Lynn_SD Posts: 83 Member
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    Should be illegal but then companies are allowed to require that job applicants not be unemployed! Ads say "Do not apply if you are unemployed". My friend an RN has been looking for work for 2 years, she is not overweight but left her old position to move with her husband to other county. I didn't believe her at first when she told me that the want ads said not to apply if you were unemployed, but then I heard they were trying to pass a bill in Congress to make it illegal but currently it wasn't!!!

    There HAVE been studies done showing that overweight people have more trouble getting jobs.
  • calvert6183
    calvert6183 Posts: 539 Member
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    I can understand maybe sales but a busser, seriously and jobs that dont deal with the public? Ive seen it, its on Craigslist and other job sites. Getting fit isnt as easy for some. Ive been in shape and heavy and I will say that you are def treated differently when heavy. Its wrong but I know its life but whats weird is they are open about it here.

    Yeah, the unemployed thing is weird too, I see that alot too. As business director, I was told I couldnt hire people who were unemployed too. In fact, if they ever were unemployed for over a month within the past 7 years, we were not allowed to hire them ether. The logic of it doesnt make sense. It should be about the quality of the applicant.
  • thebigcb
    thebigcb Posts: 2,210 Member
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    Being a non american, everything over there seems to be on looks. Look at your presidents for god sake. If someone isn't pleasing on the eye, no votes.

    Austin as in Austin Texas? Is that not one of the fattest cities in the world?
  • calvert6183
    calvert6183 Posts: 539 Member
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    Being a non american, everything over there seems to be on looks. Look at your presidents for god sake. If someone isn't pleasing on the eye, no votes.

    Austin as in Austin Texas? Is that not one of the fattest cities in the world?

    Presidents do have to look decent but its mostly money that gets them there and having a great team to back him up. It is about looks here, look at the tv and music. No, Austin Texas ranks in the top 10 healthiest cities in the US. Austin is alot like Seattle and some parts of California to me.
  • TEZofAllTrades
    TEZofAllTrades Posts: 51 Member
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    Well I haven't really put it to the test but i think it's true, if not because I'll get judged for being overweight, then because the fear of that happening is affecting my confidence to apply for the jobs I really want and probably would in those interviews too.

    It's one of the last forms of discrimination to not be made illegal in one way or another.
  • Umeboshi
    Umeboshi Posts: 1,637 Member
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    Move to Michigan. Weight discrimination in the workplace is illegal here, as it should be everywhere.
  • thebalanceline
    thebalanceline Posts: 52 Member
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    That's crazy! I have Austin on my radar as a potential move, but that's terrible. -1 for Austin. :(
  • calvert6183
    calvert6183 Posts: 539 Member
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    That's crazy! I have Austin on my radar as a potential move, but that's terrible. -1 for Austin. :(

    Austin is great in many ways. Its clean, nice, great economy, and alot to do here. Its just these silly managers who only hire certain types of people. if you are fit and being a woman, girl, you will do well here. Whats funny is most of these characters are not even in shape themselves. Im sorry for posting this, it just makes me mad that people do that crap.
  • Araucaria29
    Araucaria29 Posts: 157 Member
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    I just can't believe people are required to send in their full body picture with their job applications in Austin.
    I thought that was illegal!

    Here in Quebec, Canada. It is discouraged to include a photo, any personal information such as age and marital status in order to avoid possible discrimination based on that kind of information.

    I've heard that in other countries it is standard pratice to include age, marital status, etc. Having lived here almost all my life, I would find it insulting to be required to do so, unless the type of job calls for that.
  • btanton27
    btanton27 Posts: 186 Member
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    i have to say that i have never had trouble finding a job, its just that they might not of been a high paying job at the time. although at my current job it did line up in an odd way that at the same time i started losing weight that the office manager retired and i got a promotion to her job. now that im 60lbs lighter im making more money then i have in several years... dont know if this is a coincedence or not :noway:
  • calvert6183
    calvert6183 Posts: 539 Member
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    I just can't believe people are required to send in their full body picture with their job applications in Austin.
    I thought that was illegal!

    Here in Quebec, Canada. It is discouraged to include a photo, any personal information such as age and marital status in order to avoid possible discrimination based on that kind of information.

    I've heard that in other countries it is standard pratice to include age, marital status, etc. Having lived here almost all my life, I would find it insulting to be required to do so, unless the type of job calls for that.

    Its true, I have fit friends who work in bars and restaurants and their places do it.
  • SamanthaD23
    SamanthaD23 Posts: 53 Member
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    Wow, the Laws in this country just wouldn't let employers get anywhere NEAR what you're describing; there'd be war!

    That's amazing and grossly unfair. What does the Law say there?
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
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    Wow, the Laws in this country just wouldn't let employers get anywhere NEAR what you're describing; there'd be war!

    That's amazing and grossly unfair. What does the Law say there?
    Looks count for a lot in London. I was also rejected by HMPS and the London Fire Brigade for being a white male - England is by no means squeaky clean.
  • thebalanceline
    thebalanceline Posts: 52 Member
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    That's crazy! I have Austin on my radar as a potential move, but that's terrible. -1 for Austin. :(

    Austin is great in many ways. Its clean, nice, great economy, and alot to do here. Its just these silly managers who only hire certain types of people. if you are fit and being a woman, girl, you will do well here. Whats funny is most of these characters are not even in shape themselves. Im sorry for posting this, it just makes me mad that people do that crap.

    It would make me mad, too! I run half-marathons and know a lot about nutrition. But I also have a curvy figure and need to lose weight myself. Being a nurse, I know it's important to practice what you preach. But it would be terrible if they hired nurses on looks alone. It would be promoting the stereotype of the "sexy nurse." Pshhh. Like that's going to go very far. lol
  • m60kaf
    m60kaf Posts: 421 Member
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    Wow, the Laws in this country just wouldn't let employers get anywhere NEAR what you're describing; there'd be war!

    That's amazing and grossly unfair. What does the Law say there?
    Looks count for a lot in London. I was also rejected by HMPS and the London Fire Brigade for being a white male - England is by no means squeaky clean.

    positive discrimination, a whole different argument there
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
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    Wow, the Laws in this country just wouldn't let employers get anywhere NEAR what you're describing; there'd be war!

    That's amazing and grossly unfair. What does the Law say there?
    Looks count for a lot in London. I was also rejected by HMPS and the London Fire Brigade for being a white male - England is by no means squeaky clean.

    positive discrimination, a whole different argument there
    Perhaps, but also a factor I can't control. My point is England can't be viewed as some kind of 'better place' in regards to employment discrimination.
  • Sepheara
    Sepheara Posts: 208 Member
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    in japan

    http://www.japancast.net/2008/06/japan-begins-to-regulate-waist-size/

    "
    Everyone I know thinks of Japanese people as being healthy and slim. Their traditional diet contains a lot of fish and vegetables. But Japan’s government is worried about people becoming overweight. In fact they are so concerned about it, they’ve enacted a law requiring people from the age of 40 to 74 to undergo measurements.

    "
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
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    in japan

    http://www.japancast.net/2008/06/japan-begins-to-regulate-waist-size/

    "
    Everyone I know thinks of Japanese people as being healthy and slim. Their traditional diet contains a lot of fish and vegetables. But Japan’s government is worried about people becoming overweight. In fact they are so concerned about it, they’ve enacted a law requiring people from the age of 40 to 74 to undergo measurements.

    "
    I'm sure people will think this is terribly oppressive and an infringement on their self-control, but I think that's a great idea. Pro-active measures to prevent a health epidemic? Awesome.

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