Is it legal to not hire someone because of their weight?? I was looking for jobs this morning and one requirement for one job was that the employee MUST be physically fit. Is this acceptable?
by 
Melanie22
ANSWERS: 9
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i personally think it is..if it's a place that requires people to look a certain way then i think its up to them..abercrombie doesn't hire horribe looking people..they hire the american looking thin slutty girls..and jock guys..thats just how it is..and employers are people too..they have issues at times..with who they want to hire and how they want to act..so..it's hard
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it is if its a requirement of the job. like you have to be fit to join the army
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Some jobs it is absolutely necessary for the applicant to be physically fit - police officers and firefighters have to be fit for example. I think there are also times when weight can be important because you're working in small spaces - for example, flight attendants need to be able to move comfortably down the narrow aisles of a plane. I'm not sure of the exact legal implications, but I think if the job depends on the person's fitness it's ok to specify - it's not so much refusing to hire someone because of their weight, but because they are unable to do the job to the level required.
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All police departments require applicants to be physically fit. its part of the job requirements. Physically fit, does necessarilly mean being obese. Many obese people are police officers. they may be overweight, but are still physically fit.
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If the job requires a physically-fit individual to handle the job duties, then the employer is well within its rights to require a certain standard. Jobs that involve heavy lifting or standing for very long periods or the ability to move very quickly come to mind. And I think it's not only a matter of the physical requirements for a job but also the fact that an employer must protect *itself*. I can see it now. . ."my heart attack was caused by the fact that my boss made me carry 3 40-lb boxes down to the file room. I'm suing!" Usually they're a little less vague. "Physically fit" can be subjective I suppose. Usually an ad will say something like ". . .must be able to lift a 40-lb box" or whatever it is that the job needs.
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Yes I think so. If the job has physical requirements, then the employer is allowed to ensure that the person can carry out the requirements.
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the job probably requires the person to do alot of movement. its not about weight tho, as you can be very fit and be large...kinda like me :P even though im jus a lil chubby lol
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some jobs can require that you be physically fit, like a police officer, a fireman, etc.
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Yes. They aren't entirely talking about "weight". They are talking about the ability to walk, lift things, etc. If you're a large over-weight person, or an itty bitty girl, you won't get hired because you won't be able to do that job. If you can't do the job, why would you get hired? I have worked places there a certain amount of physical fitness it required. People who said they could do it were hired... and quit by the end of the day because it was too much work. Why would an employer want to go through that?
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