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Obese people are disabled - ECJ
tiggertiny
Posts: 5,361 Forum Member
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The ECJ has ruled that very fat people can be classed as disabled and employers need to adapt to their needs to help them in their jobs.
Perhaps rather than wider parking spaces or bigger chairs, as has been suggested, they should provide bikes on which these apparently disabled victims can lose some weight by exercising?
Perhaps rather than wider parking spaces or bigger chairs, as has been suggested, they should provide bikes on which these apparently disabled victims can lose some weight by exercising?
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The ECJ's rulings aply to the UK. This one is so vague nobody knows what impact it will have, but employers are already trying to work out what they need to do to avoid being sued.
I refuse to see something that can be sorted by stopping stuffing your fat face as a disability.
Probably not but for how long?
Allegedly 25% of Britons are classed as obese but I assume a very small number are obese because of a medical complaint that they cannot cure or affect.
If I was in a wheelchair because of some dreadful illness, I suspect I might feel as if this judgement somehow trivialises my disability, over which I have no control and for which there is no cure, by potentially classing life style choices as a disability.
I would rather believe the experts:
Paul Callaghan, head of employment law at international law firm Taylor Wessing, said the ruling does not change UK law.
"The European Court of Justice has ruled that obesity itself is not a disability, but that the effects of it can be.
Audrey Williams, employment law partner at Eversheds, said the mere fact someone is obese is not enough to make them disabled.
"What the court are saying is that obesity is not protected unless it hinders professional life."
An obese person will still be classed as having a disability if they meet the definition under the Equality Act. Many people who qualify as obese will not meet that definition.
As someone whose disability is neurological and is not in the slightest bit overweight, I am not in the least bit offended by a morbidly obese person being classed as disabled. If they meet the definition then that is fine by me just as is the case if someone meets the definition due to getting lung cancer after smoking or after crashing their car etc etc. I would rather that constructive help is given to such people rather than vilifying them as the causes of obesity are not always straightforward.
I also feel bmi is a blunt tool to judge obesity, muscular people such as boxers or rugby players are considered obese.
In those cases it might be acceptable to treat their illness and give them protected status.
For others, they might well just be greedy and not need any legislation at all.
I imagine if they were diagnosed on a cease by case basis it might work but I'm not in favour of a BMI scale where folk who just like eating get preferential treatment.
In some cases it might even encourage folk to put on weight to get better treatment. I'm reminded of an episode of the Simpsons where Homer discovers he can work from home if he gains weight.......................
We are going to have trouble prising them out of that "spare bedroom"
What a ridiculously inaccurate statement! Thanks for the laugh though
How terrible for companies.
In related news, dwarf sues the Post office for not being able to reach the counter
So drawves shouldn't be allowed to reach the counter?
What about people in wheelchairs. Do they have a right to reach the counter?
Well I guess the very morbidly obese may well have secondary ailments which have been caused by the obesity. Which result in mobility problems etc.
On an unrelated note. Anyone seen the short film where the able-bodied had disability enforced upon them in the name of equality? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2081_(film)
edit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKHzFWkH0Po&spfreload=10
Do you have a problem with disabled people being treated equal[?
Not really, just wondered why I have to crouch down and wear lead weights so obese dwarves feel normal
He seems to have a problem with anyone who isnt a blonde haired blue eyed perfect specimen of the master race earning at least 100k a year.