Weight: Hiring and Career Success in America
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WEIGHT: HIRING AND CAREER SUCCESS IN AMERICA
“SKINNY PEOPLE HAVE IT ALL” Weight: A Deciding Factor for Hiring and Career Success in America Student: Dahlia Kelada University of Houston - Victoria
WEIGHT: HIRING AND CAREER SUCCESS IN AMERICA Abstract One would expect that when applying for a job, a hiring manager’s decision would be based on a candidate’s qualifications, skill set, potential, and a pleasing personality that would likely fit the norms of the organizational culture. In the United States, however, there is no existing federal legislation to protect obese individuals from weight-based discrimination. With the exception of Michigan, no other states have laws specifically in place for obesity discrimination. While this paper primarily represents findings in the United States, it can be representative of weight discrimination throughout the world. While it is expected that hiring managers are aware of discrimination laws and human resources best practices; education, skill, capabilities and personality come second to a person’s first impression — their physical appearance.
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WEIGHT: HIRING AND CAREER SUCCESS IN AMERICA “SKINNY PEOPLE HAVE IT ALL” Weight: A Deciding Factor for Hiring and Career Success in America
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The American Disabilities Act forbids discrimination with regard to employment, including hiring, firing, pay, job assignments, promotion, layoff, training, fringe benefits, and any other condition of employment (ADA, 1990). The U.S. Civil Rights Act further prohibits discrimination for non job-related factors such as age, gender, race, color, national origin and religion (CRA, 1964). Most people have heard of or experienced some degree of sexual or racial discrimination, and more recently religious intolerance. Through suggestive media messages and various cultural, and sociological norms, being “skinny” has been engrained in American society as being synonymous with “beautiful” or “good.” Ironically, about
“SKINNY PEOPLE HAVE IT ALL” Weight: A Deciding Factor for Hiring and Career Success in America Student: Dahlia Kelada University of Houston - Victoria
WEIGHT: HIRING AND CAREER SUCCESS IN AMERICA Abstract One would expect that when applying for a job, a hiring manager’s decision would be based on a candidate’s qualifications, skill set, potential, and a pleasing personality that would likely fit the norms of the organizational culture. In the United States, however, there is no existing federal legislation to protect obese individuals from weight-based discrimination. With the exception of Michigan, no other states have laws specifically in place for obesity discrimination. While this paper primarily represents findings in the United States, it can be representative of weight discrimination throughout the world. While it is expected that hiring managers are aware of discrimination laws and human resources best practices; education, skill, capabilities and personality come second to a person’s first impression — their physical appearance.
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WEIGHT: HIRING AND CAREER SUCCESS IN AMERICA “SKINNY PEOPLE HAVE IT ALL” Weight: A Deciding Factor for Hiring and Career Success in America
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The American Disabilities Act forbids discrimination with regard to employment, including hiring, firing, pay, job assignments, promotion, layoff, training, fringe benefits, and any other condition of employment (ADA, 1990). The U.S. Civil Rights Act further prohibits discrimination for non job-related factors such as age, gender, race, color, national origin and religion (CRA, 1964). Most people have heard of or experienced some degree of sexual or racial discrimination, and more recently religious intolerance. Through suggestive media messages and various cultural, and sociological norms, being “skinny” has been engrained in American society as being synonymous with “beautiful” or “good.” Ironically, about
References: Alvarez, F. P., & Soltis, M. J. (2006). Preventive medicine: Employee wellness programs are prone to legal maladies that require careful monitoring. HRMagazine, 5, 105–109. 22 Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 (1991), Pub WEIGHT: HIRING AND CAREER SUCCESS IN AMERICA between race and gender. Gender Issues. Cawley, J. (2004). "The Impact of Obesity on Wages." Journal of Human Resources, 39(2): 452-74. WEIGHT: HIRING AND CAREER SUCCESS IN AMERICA Heihnan, M.E. (2001). Description and prescription: How gender stereotypes prevent women’s ascent up the organizational ladder. Journal of Social Issues, 57, 657674.