Would you employ this person?

[DissociativeBitch]

Negatives:
The job is pretty physical and the applicant is obese.
The applicant also does have experience but it's from 10 years ago.

Positives:
The applicant is very enthusiastic about the job and building a career in this job and has proven record of steady employment.

I've had to do an occupational health form for all of my most recent jobs, and they aren't even physical jobs. I'd assume that your weight would get flagged on that form, and if you weren't physically capable of doing the job, it would then get pulled. However, you've applied for this, so presumably, you think you are capable, so you're worrying over nothing?

Good luck with the application.

@ClearMountain

Depends if they are physically capable of doing the job. Obese is a very broad category, it ranges from “just slightly more than overweight” to “hardly able to walk”. If they were capable I’d consider them. Although my understanding is that legally an employer cannot refuse a job because someone is not physically capable - they would be required to make adjustments, not refuse to employ the person on that basis.

Of course they bloody can. Many jobs have fitness tests Fireman, armed forces, police, paramedics What country are you in where there is no weight, height or fitness minimum for certain careers

Yes. A relative of mine was offered a heavy physical job when he was as thin as a rake , very young, no hard work done before, and a bit lazy. I was amazed.

He is now fit, solid and strong...and a foreman, in the space of 2 years.

The enthusiasm just came from him wanting to save some money. He was given a chance and made the most of it. I hope you succeed OP and enjoy the job you want.

I'd give them a trial day, see if they can keep up.

Depends if they are physically capable of doing the job. Obese is a very broad category, it ranges from “just slightly more than overweight” to “hardly able to walk”. If they were capable I’d consider them. Although my understanding is that legally an employer cannot refuse a job because someone is not physically capable - they would be required to make adjustments, not refuse to employ the person on that basis.

Being overweight / obese is not a protected characteristic.

The relevant experience being ten years ago is the biggest barrier, I'd say.

Surely OP it depends on your fitness level?
Some obese people can't climb stairs without getting breathless, so they would perhaps not work as fast as someone slim and fit.
If your weight slows you down, then maybe the job isn't a good fit for you.
Without knowing the specifics, it's impossible to say.

The lack of recent experience would be the issue. As an employer at the moment I will be over run with applicants for every job - someone with no recent experience is unlikely to be interviewed if (when) there are others who do have relevant, recent experience.

CuriousaboutSamphire

you have to be VERY diplomatic today!

@Biker47

Wow, obese people can’t do physical jobs?

Depending on the job, no they can't and yes they can. I couldn't fit into certain places to do my job if I was obese.

But the OP would know if this was a job that an obese person couldn’t do due to physically fitting into a certain place and it clearly isn’t as she just said she had to be physically fit but was obese.

Depending on the actual job and tasks involved I'd be worried about

a. Having to increase current staff's workload to accommodate "reasonable adjustments" to cover what the new person can't do without risk, or
b. Having the cost of employing a second person so (b.) doesn't happen.

Also on my mind would be the possibility of a claim for injury in the workplace where the person's size could be a major factor.

Businesses, as much as we'd like them to be, can't always be nice.

To answer your question - Yes. I employ this person.

I would employ this person

Welcome to MN, OP. Did you put no fatties in the job advert?

Just place marking for the deletion message.

@donquixotedelamancha

Welcome to MN, OP. Did you put no fatties in the job advert?

Just place marking for the deletion message.

The OP is the applicant not the employer.

@donquixotedelamancha
Read the thread. The OP is the applicant

My overweight DH started a physical job three weeks ago. He joined alongside some others, one of whom was a much younger than him, quite skinny person. They had to let the other person go because she just wasn't able to do the level of heavy lifting required. On the other hand, my DH has been getting lots of praise for how he's been getting on in the role. He's also lost a fair bit of weight from doing it, which he's very pleased about (but hasn't/doesn't make a difference to his performance in the role!).

Give them a trial if you can't decide

Read the thread. The OP is the applicant

Yeah, sorry- missed that one.

I’m wondering why you’re concentrating on the obese side of the coin rather than no recent experience.

What have you been doing for the past ten years? I’m guessing SAHM? But in truth having a previously consistent employment history isn’t going to cut it with an employer at the moment, especially within an employer’s market where there are literally hundreds and hundreds of applicants for every job, many of who will have current experience.

As someone who has been looking for work for a considerably long time but who has had to have gaps due to illness etc, I’ve found that even the volunteer market has changed now, and recently I’ve applied for volunteer positions which included having to submit my CV and then fill in an application form and attend a panel interview.

I’m guessing its because voluntary organisations want to discourage applicants who are just there until they can find something paid, but in the current climate IMO lack of recent experience is going to be more of a factor than was previously the case.

@Racoonworld

Depends on the other applicants. If they are the best person for the job then I wouldn't not employ them just because they're obese. Surely they know the level of fitness required for the job and so can make their own decision about that?

This ^

Sorry, should have added please make sure you apply, don't let someone's possible perception of you cloud things. Good luck!

Case in point: I have just looked at a job for a customer adviser and one of the essential criteria was “ability to provide reference of employment in the past two years.” So that’s me screwed then.

If you think youre capable go for it and good luck

I have had a job for the last 10 years, just not in this area of work. It is what I trained in at college and I do have a good amount of experience in it, but a well paid and highly flexible job came up for me when I was unemployed and it worked well with maternity leave and returning to work. My children are in school and more independent now and I no longer need the flexibility I once did, hence why I'd like to return to the area of work I love and trained in.