‘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.

—Garry Kranz