Would you hire a morbidly obese Nanny?

[whompingwillo]

I would like to hire someone we’ve met for my 9 month old baby. She’s fab, great with kids, lovely, I have no concerns.

I would estimate her BMI is 50-60 and my husband noticed that it is a struggle for her to get up and down off the floor and he is worried that if baby was in danger she may struggle.

So what would you do? Do you think that weight could impact a job like this? I’m sure people of this weight have their own children and are safe to look after them?

YABU - morbid obesity could impact her ability to do this job

YANBU - she’ll be fine

It is every emoloyers right not to hire someone. But if you ask me It's still discrimination if you don't hire someone just because they are fat.

Yes it’s discrimination, so what?

Isn't discrimination treating people differently based on their race, gender, age, religion, or sexual orientation? Not sure weight can be included there. It can be seen as unfair of course but again, it is a fact that if you can't run around a park with a dc then perhaps you aren't up to the job.

If it's hindering her mobility and ability to be active and keep up with the children then no. I say this as a 25 stone 5ft8in size 22-24 woman. If her size wasn't hindering her ability to do the job, it would be a different story.

There are a rare few obese people who are fat but fit, (there's a n American blogger who weighs 500 pounds and does triathlons and ballet) but that's not true of most of us larger people sadly.

I think this lady might do better in a nursery setting where there are other staff available to help her if she struggling.

Every person who is not obese they all eat like sparrows do they? Not every obese person is a gluttonous lazy bastard, of course some are, but to say all fat people "eat garbage" or "don't have a healthy balanced diet" is utter shite!

Nah, you're spouting a lot of things as fact that just aren't. There are many examples of very obese people being active and able.

You can have an opinion (and insist it's not ignorant) but don't mistake it for a good one. Pigeon-holing people you don't know into stereotypes and writing them off based on that is ridiculous. But you're papering it over as 'won't someone think of the chiiiiiiild' so no one thinks you're a terrible person.

If the nanny is attentive and focussed then I'd look at that

That's why I said if you ask me, it's my opinion. Plenty of people who are a normal bmi can't or don't run around the park with their children, so why is it different if they are obese, but they aren't give the chance because they are deemed too fat?

I would say it's grounds in law for discrimination if the fat person can carry out the job. So in a sedentary job, it is usually unreasonable to refuse to employ a fat person. Sitting at a desk or behind a shop counter is likely to be a job an obese person could do. There is also the disability angle as it could be argued that endocrine issues like PC OS, or disordered eating or medications leading to obesity could be classed as disabilities.
But even there, the disabled fat person has to be able to actually do the job to satisfaction as long as reasonable adjustments are made (e.g. A large size chair or desk, lifts or escalators , large toilet cubicles etc) for it to be discrimination.

Discrimination is making unfair presumptions about people based on their belonging to a group with certain characteristics and excluding them or giving them negative treatment because of it. Of course it includes weight.

Children are perfectly capable of running around a park by themselves. There are other ways to play and interact with them, good grief. If being able to run endlessly is your top priority maybe you should get a golden retriever.

Correct

Because in this case the person would be employed to play with the kids, to entertain them. Plenty of parents don't either you're right but you'd expect paid help to.

What if she can do it though? And the parents have just discounted her because she is obese? All we have is she struggled to get up, so what, loads of people struggle to get up fat or thin.

Which bit?

I think most of the UK are obese and a significant. I worked in nursery many year ago - I worked with quite a few obese people and I never head any concern about their care of their children or the capacity to take care of children. I now work in health care; I work with lots of overweight people, I never had any concern about how they care for patient due to weight. I have witnessed both children and patient being abuse. On that basic alone, my main priority would be ensuring reducing the risk of abuse to my child. Someone weight would be the least of my concern. Also, I wouldn't feel comfortable with a nanny doing certain activities with my child such as swimming therefore it not a high priority.

Morbidly obese people (not overweight, morbidly obese which is an actual medical category) will struggle with activity, energy, health. These issues are well documented. You'd want to employ someone less likely to struggle with activity, energy and health.

You make a fair point here actually. Plenty of people are a healthy weight yet are appallingly unfit and/or physically lazy types. If it was just getting up and otherwise no other issues getting around, then probably not a good reason to say no. I think I would have to do a trial period and observe the nanny closely.

Regarding health, for me the age of the applicant would be relevant. Obese but in 20s or 30s, unlikely to have serious health issues as yet. 40s and 50s upwards, the health issues can start really set in, with risk of muscular-skeletal, sleep apnea (and therefore chronic fatigue) and cardiovascular issues.

The person who is employing has the right to choose who she believes is the most suitable person for the job, it's her child, her money, and her opinion that counts.

That's all there is to it really.

Bollocks, if you look at my previous posts I have said that I am morbidly obese my bmi is 48, but I have done physical work all my life&continue to do so, I also have no health issues(I realise I am lucky in this respect) I am not constantly stuffing junk into my gob, nor am I tired or struggling for energy because of me being morbidly obese. I walk around 5miles a day and I can still do the splits. And I suspect that most morbidly obese people are like me rather than the things people believe obese people are like.

See this is a sensible attitude. If she isn't up to it then fine, but she should still be given the chance and not discounted just because she is obese.

Yes I suspect most morbidly obese people are like you and can do the splits and walk 5 miles a day, rather than like the potential nanny and not being able to get up from the floor. Come on.

Personally I would go with a better qualified applicant. I would do the same then we hire at my work.

Wow that is good to hear. If you walk 5m a day and don't overeat how are you morbidly obese though? Genuine question I'm not being goady.

It is good to hear that you don't have health problems but it may well be a case of 'yet' as morbidly obese people are at much higher risk. Anyway, best wishes.

Absolutely this. I find it shocking too how in some 100% sedentary pencil pushing desk jobs fat people are discriminated against. Told that "they don't look the part" even if they wearing the right clothes and are well groomed and presented . For me it ties into the lazy assumption that we all smell or look sloppy. Fat people don't smell any more than thin people . We may sweat more, but no need to stink if one has access to running water and deodorant. And many of the larger people I know are very well groomed, hair and nails immaculate.

I am in awe, I am average weight and cant do the splints.
Mind you, I couldn't when I was 18 and as fit as a fiddle....so good for you.😀