Can a work supervisor order you to lose weight? Mine said he's like to see me lose 100 pounds by the end of the year. When I told him that was personal and none of his business, he said it was, if he determines it is affecting my work.
by 
debodun
ANSWERS: 7
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Unless your job requires you to do manual or physical labour that is being affected by your weight, then he is discriminating against you based solely on your size. Even if your weight was affecting your job, approaching someone about losing weight in the workplace is an extremely sensitive matter that should be done with as much tact and respect as possible. It is common practice these days for Management to go into such a discussion in pairs, and offer the employee a co-counsel that they have bring to the meeting with them, so that nobody has to resort to hear-say to get the full picture of what was discussed. If your weight is in no way affecting your ability to perform your job, then your boss is harassing you, bullying you and belittling you based on his PERSONAL opinion of what your weight should be. Sue the bastard.
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His remark is likely to be illegal. It depends a bit on your state, your position description, and common sense requirements for the job. It also depends on what consequences he implies if you don't. If this was a casual remark in conversation, you probably do not have much recourse. If he suggested you would not get a pay increase, a promotion, or that you might lose your job, it is a very different matter. Did this interaction happen in writing? If it did, you have some evidence that could potentially be used against him. So, if you truly believe that you can (and, preferably do) perform adequately, that the weight has nothing to do with the requirements of your work, and you (preferably) have some evidence that he would find hard to deny, talk to an employment attorney. You may have a case to file a law suit. (These comments apply to readers in the United States, but the same principles apply in other countries too.)
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That is a terrible thing for your boss to say!!! It can be true (although I would suspect that such a comment would not be made by your supervisor - usually they don't have the right to order such things. It would be the job of your manager or boss). It all depends on the type of job you are doing. Even then though, telling you to lose weight wouldn't be the correct way to go about it. They would need to do a medical to assertain whether your current weight renders you unable to do the job. That it was said by your supervisor, that there was no formal meeting with your boss, no offer of help, no referral to a medical etc - makes me think that he is in the wrong. It is something you should take up with your supervisor's superior. If his superior is just as much of an idiot, then take legal advice.
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100 pounds!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!! What a jerk! I would report him to the highest authority!
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It's time to talk to Equal Opportunity Department. And start documenting this. http://www.eeoc.gov/
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If you are in America you may have recourse, but only if he fires you, cuts your pay, or demotes you. Though your boss may also have a case if your job depends on you being in good physical shape to perform the task at hand. Or if you are in the military, you will have no choice but to loose 100 LBS or ship out. So, I'd like to ask what kind of work do you do?
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If the weight limits were in the job description, and you have exceeded them, yes. Otherwise, no, if you are fulfilling the duties of the job as defined. Note: not HIS determination, but HR's, based on the written job description.
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