Editorial: Employers’ weight discrimination justified

It’s no surprise that people are frequently judged by their appearances. It’s no surprise that people are frequently judged by their appearances. And perhaps one of the most sensitive qualities people notice about you is your weight. That makes for tons of pressure to look a certain way.

And after last night’s Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, many women might be feeling down about their own body types. No, being model-thin isn’t the norm, but being overweight certainly subjects one to social stigmas.

People might view larger people as lazy, food-obsessed or unglamorous. And these stereotypes definitely don’t describe most overweight people. But this begs the question: Should discrimination against fat people be illegal?

It isn’t illegal for employers to discriminate against applicants based on their weight. Unlike sex, race and other protected classes, obesity isn’t covered by anti-discrimination laws. It could be argued that this is unfair, but we think the decision should be left to employers and kept out of government legislation.

The New York Times says that obese — 20 percent or more above the normal body weight range — people are more likely to miss workdays and cost employers more in the long term. Being significantly overweight increases one’s risk of preventable chronic diseases like diabetes, and employers can usually connote one’s weight with the amount of health care he or she needs.

People who are obese because of existing health or genetic issues are protected by the American Disabilities and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination acts. Thus, those who cannot help their body compositions have legal protection.

Also, overweight people pose great financial risks to companies because they require more health care and are prone to work-related injuries. According to a Duke University study, overweight workers had lost 13 times more workdays because of work-related injuries, and their medical claims for those injuries were seven times costlier than their normal-weight coworkers.

It might seem unfair, but employers should retain the right to make the best financial decisions for their workplaces. And since hiring a larger person could mean hiring a person with potential health risks, we think employers should be able to make decisions that are in the best interests of their companies.

If employers comply with the law, they are already doing what they need to in order to ensure a sort of moral code. But this could be enhanced — and some companies already do this — with health and fitness incentives. Offering more benefits to employees who work to improve their health could give qualified but obese employees the drive to get healthy. The result? Lower health care costs in favor of good health.

This is not to say that unhealthily overweight people have no worth. In fact, employers could miss out on great ideas and talent if they decide to judge their employees solely on appearance. But ultimately, the final say in an employer’s decision making should be his or her own.

The fact is that the habits characteristic of overweight people should be broken. And in the midst of the obesity “epidemic,” addressing the work force is a worthy step to promote better health. We don’t need the government to get involved.

People will always judge you based on your appearance. But crying “discrimination” is merely an attempt to shield America from its weight problem.