People come in all shapes and sizes and so does discrimination. Recently, a man filed an action against his former employer, claiming that his employment was terminated because he was overweight. Typically, workplace discrimination actions involve points of discrimination such as age, race, gender and sexual orientation. However, overweight California residents are often treated unfairly or lose their jobs simply because of their appearance, and they are just as entitled to pursue the matter in court as any other victim.
According to court documents, the individual in this case had worked in an art framing shop for a period of 14 years, and then left the job voluntarily in 2008. Later, the owner of the shop contacted him and asked him to come back. He accepted the offer of employment and was scheduled to begin on January 13.
When he arrived for work, the owner of the shop reportedly reacted rudely and immediately revoked the offer of employment. Allegedly, the shop owner accused the man of being fat, rudely asked him what had happened to him, and proceeded to inform him that he was not welcome there anymore. The man claims he chose to file an employment law discrimination suit against the shop owner. He also said that had gained an additional 70 pounds during his time away from the store, but the weight gain was partly due to a medication he is taking.
Victims of some forms of discrimination in California may not immediately recognize that they have the ability to pursue an action in court to bring the parties responsible to justice and get compensation for damages resulting from the discrimination. Every workplace discrimination case is different. However, a thorough legal evaluation can determine if the facts are sufficient to support a claim for damages, which may include lost wages due to losing one’s job or other types of compensation.
Source: ABC News, “Brooklyn Man Sues Former Employer for Weight Discrimination,” Alana Abramson, June 22, 2013