Jobs for Big and Tall People
Stigmas are attached to large people in this society. Prejudices of laziness, ineffectiveness, lack of willpower, clumsiness and lack of self control are all attributed to us. The fact of the matter is that larger people are just as capable and hard working as their “normal sized” counterparts.
We feel that providing persons of size the opportunity in the business world is important. We know that independence, self sufficiency and economic security can only be obtained for persons of size by gainful employment. In that vain, we support organizations that hire, retain, develop and promote persons of size.
Big and Tall Employment Law
Surprisingly, employment rights for persons of size are few and far between. But there is some relief. The state of Michigan is the only state that specifically provides for the prohibition of discrimination in employment based on height or weight (known as the Elliot-Larsen Act). Massachusetts and Nevada are currently looking at enacting similar laws.
Some municipalities have taken the ball and are running with it concerning size discrimination (aka sizism). The cities of Santa Cruz, California, San Francisco, California and Washington, D. C. all have enacted ordinances preventing employment discrimination against the big and tall.
The only federal statutes that can be applied to size discrimination are Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which can be used if weight standards are used to discriminate against a protected class (usually gender). The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits discrimination against an otherwise qualified individual with handicaps, solely on the basis of that handicap, in any program which receives federal assistance. And the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) extends the protection against discrimination on the basis of disability to the private sector. Being overweight or tall alone is not enough for you to be considered handicapped. It must be something that affects quality of life. Tall people with Marfan Syndrome or a morbidly obese person would be considered disabled under these laws.