Can Employers Require Employees to Lose Weight?
Some employers feel that obesity in the workplace leads to increased sick days and weight-related medical claims. Although employers might be feeling the pinch from rising health care costs, legally there is no way they can force employees to lose weight.
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Weight Discrimination
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Although there is no legal way for employers to compel employees to maintain a healthy weight, discrimination against obese employees occurs at higher rates than discrimination for age or race, according to a study conducted by The Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity at Yale University. Social acceptance of bias based on weight leaves little recourse for employees to challenge their employers unless there is direct evidence of being passed over for promotions or other work-related opportunities. Weight discrimination in the workplace is difficult to prove.
Some Causes of Obesity
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Some feel that the way we work contributes to obesity in the workplace. Spending long hours sitting at a desk is not conducive to staying fit. Employees cite job stress and poor choices from workplace vending machines as some of the reasons why they have difficulty controlling their weight, according to a Nov. 21, 2007, article for the Society for Human Resource Management's HR News by associate editor Kathy Gurchiek.
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Employee Incentives
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To reduce health care costs and foster good will, many employers now offer incentives for employees to maintain a healthy weight. These can take the form of cash rewards, gym memberships, workplace gyms, and discounts on diet programs. In the long run, taking advantage of these programs is a financial win for both employer and employee.
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