Can you be fired for being too fat?

LegacyUser

Friend of mine who I also work with has gained about 7 or 8 stone in the past 4 years, I suspect she was depressed and coupled with bad eating and driving everywhere, the weight piled on. I never said anything to her as shes very sensitive plus its just not my business but last week after her yearly medical she was very upset and confided that the nurse told her "you really have to take some responsibility for your weight as your health will suffer badly" and she got really upset and now shes worried she might actually be fired for not being fit enough. We work in a job that has mix of office and factory and her boss has actually moved her from mostly factory work to office duties "as you are so good at reports" when everyone knows she just couldn't do the physical work as well with the extra weight. I know it, she knows it, everyone knows it but its an unspoken word. She seems to be in total denial about her weight, shes just given up.


Up to this point, she has been lucky with bosses just working around her lack of fitness (shes never asked to do physical tasks like emptying bins or walk to different departments) but the truth is our contract does state that employees need to be able to do their duties and submit to yearly medicals etc. If a less than understanding boss joined and she was reporting to them, they could easily say to her "Your new duties are emptying bins and cleaning the rooms" etc right? And she hasn't a legal leg to say no, then if she struggles with it, they could manage her out for not doing her job. That's entirely possible, not everyone in work is nice but I don't know how to advise her. Outside of this issue shes a lovely and popular person and she actually excels at the admin part of the job but I couldn't tell her that she could never be fired for being unfit for duty. Sorry for the length of this! any thoughts?

TLDR: can you be sacked for being too heavy for work?

C3PO

I don't think that she can be sacked for being too heavy but I believe that she can be let go if she cannot perform her contracted tasks!
More seriously, your friend sounds like she may be suffering from depression and should really be seeking medical advice about that!

boombang

I understand why you have not raised this issue, but this could be an example where the really caring thing would be to grasp the nettle of talking about her health (physical and mental). Easier said than done of course.

OMM 0000

Your friend has a food addiction which is causing her to be unable to perform all her duties.

She has received medical advice telling her she needs to lose weight.

If she continues down this path, losing her job will be the least of her worries. She is going to get diabetes, bone and joint disease, heart disease, and cancer. There is a reason you never see the elderly who are obese.

To answer your question:

Yes she can be fired if she is unable to do her job. Employers have no obligation to continue employing people who are sick.

How in denial is she about her problem?

Avatar MIA

Your colleague's major issue is her obesity, and associated health issues.

Work seen happy enough with her in the admin role. IF they weren't they couldn't suddenly fire her, and may need to accommodate her as they seem to be.

BuboBubo

Yes and no.

She can't be fired for being "too fat" to perform her duties, but can be fired for being "Not fit to perform her duties".

If there's a health plan/ Employee Assistance Plan (like Laya EAP for example) available in her job, she should contact them for help - counselling/nutrition help might be available to her at no cost.

Then she could tell her boss she's seeking help, generally employers will work with and support those who seek help, whether for addiction/mental health or physical health issues.

Leinsterfan18

If she excels in her admin role then why waste her time doing more physically demanding stuff like emptying bins etc.
Play to her strengths.

It takes a greater skillset to excel in admin tasks than in emptying bins.

On a personal note, it sounds like she needs to go on a nutrition and excerise plan and maintain it.
Great time of the year to start.