British law firm says its OK to discriminate against the obese
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‘Fattism:’ It is legal for companies – at
least those in the United Kingdom – to
discriminate against obese job candidates, a law firm says. The caveat:
there must be no medical reason contributing to a person’s weight problem.
According to lawyers with DWF, a corporate law firm based in Liverpool, "unlike
discrimination on grounds of race, sex or religion, the law offers no specific
protection against ‘fattism.’" However, the firm cautions against being too
hasty and warns that "being overweight is not sufficient grounds to sack an
existing employee" unless it affects their performance. Similar issues have
arisen in the U.S. in relation to the
Americans with Disabilities Act.
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