Do employers have reason to be concerned about obesity? By Jessica Bray Case study included at the end of this article Employers may want to pay attention because 66 percent of the US population is classified as overweight or obese, and it's costing companies an estimated $12.7 billion per year. Most overweight and obese workers are not considered protected classes under federal anti-discrimination law, unlike more well known elements of diversity, such as religious creed and race. Unfortunately, obese people are often subject to discrimination in hiring, promoting and recruiting within organizations due to preconceived biases. On this basis, obesity could be considered a lesser-recognized dimension of diversity. "Like other dimensions such as race and gender, obesity winds up being a factor that excludes people from the workplace. While it doesn't have the same historical significance as aspects like race and gender, it is still a major factor," says Myrtle Bell, associate professor of management at the University of Texas at Arlington and author of Diversity in Organizations (2007). Why is obesity company business? Adults are classified as overweight or obese according to calculations provided by the Body Mass Index. An adult who has a BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight. A BMI over 30 is considered obese, and 35 or greater morbidly obese. Those considered morbidly obese are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The ADA is a comprehensive federal civil-rights statute protecting the rights of people with disabilities. Under the ADA an individual with a disability: Has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities; Has a record of such an impairment; or Is regarded as having such impairment. Morbid obesity is legally considered a physical impairment that substantially limits major life activities. Employees that qualify as morbidly obese are therefore by law allowed to request reasonable accommodation from their employers. Reasonable accommodation may include (but is not limited to): Making existing facilities used by employees readily accessible to and usable by persons with disabilities; and Job restructuring, modifying work schedules, reassignment to a vacant position. It is difficult, however, to meet the qualifications for morbidly obese: 100 pounds overweight or two-times the "normal" weight. Employees who are on the higher end of obese, but not yet morbidly obese, do not legally qualify for reasonable accommodation. The price of obesity Cost is a strong motivator for employers to be concerned with the negative effects of obesity. People who are obese have 30 to 50 percent more chronic medical problems than those who drink or smoke heavily, and obesity dramatically increases an employee's risk for non-communicable disease such as heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, depression, breast, prostate and colon cancers as well as a variety of other conditions. "There is a clear cost associated with hiring or having employees who are overweight and obese—the heavier you weigh the more your benefits will cost," says Bell. "When you're in 'normal' weight range, medical and drug related costs are $3,600 per year. For those overweight, the cost rises to $3,700, for the obese the cost is $5,000, and for the morbidly obese the original cost almost doubles, reaching $6,000." Overweight and obese employees also tend to use more personal holidays due to an increased amount of doctor appointments and sick days. In addition to cost, Bell states that discrimination against overweight or obese individuals is also likely due to stereotypes that may include laziness, lack of discipline and un-motivation. These attributes, however, are not correlated with weight despite what some people may believe. Instead, weight is attributed to social, cultural, physiological, metabolic and genetic factors. What can employers do? Despite the exceptional costs to organizations that obesity causes, companies cannot shut out 66 percent of the working population. Stigmatizing this group would have the same detrimental effects as it would on any other segment of people: decreasing the range of diverse backgrounds that lead to an innovative production of ideas and results. Instead, these high figures should influence employers to think of ways they can positively manage this increasing trend of obesity. Dr. Bell states that in order to avoid discrimination, "employers should focus on training managers to make hiring decisions based on qualifications, rather than being swayed by someone's appearance." Can accommodations be made? When employers consider disability accommodations for employees, people who are considered responsible for their disability are often judged more harshly than others. Weight usually falls under this bias because it is frequently viewed as personal mismanagement. "The employer may think, 'why should I accommodate you when you can do something about this?' This is something that employers need to be taught to move past," Bell emphasizes. Many accommodations can be made for overweight or obese employees, such as: Elevators Large rated ergonomic chairs Seat belt extenders Specifically designed ladders and harnesses Wheelchairs or scooters If an employee is morbidly obese and therefore considered legally disabled, further accommodations within reason must be made if requested, such as the option to work from home. While employers need to be aware that some obese employees may require these accommodations, Dr. Bell says that it is ultimately up to the employees to request accommodation and not simply expect the employer to know what they need. Taking reactive and preventative measures In addition to awareness that obesity is indeed a diversity issue and should be treated as such, there are several ways employers can take reactive and preventative measures against the negative effects of obesity by promoting a healthy lifestyle within the company. The National Business Group on Health provides some suggestions on how employers can support healthy employee lifestyles, including: Offer voluntary health risk appraisals through health plans and health professionals to obtain baseline data Require vendors to include healthy food choices in cafeterias and vending machines Provide nutritional information for cafeteria selections Offer on-site classes related to nutrition and exercise Offer "Weight Watchers at Work" or other special targeted programs Sponsor "lunch and learn" sessions on fitness, healthy lifestyles, stress management and other weight related "triggers" Provide health-club memberships Create safe walking paths When developing a health program, Dr. Bell cautions against a program that specifically targets obesity, stating, "A health program should be developed that does not just focus on weight but health in general, for everyone," adding, "this will also eliminate any feelings of stigmatization and encompass all body types." Bell goes on to explain that most people who lose weight do not keep it off, and it is therefore more beneficial to target general health than weight—this way an overweight employee can work toward becoming more healthy whether they lose weight through the program or not, such as lowering their cholesterol and blood pressure. A general program will also cover other health issues, such as being too thin. Bell states that "thinness actually has a higher morbidity rate than obesity, but attention is not usually paid to this body type in terms of health because of cultural norms. Employers need to make sure they are covering all the bases with their health programs." Coping strategies for obese employees When asked if she had any suggestions for employees who are overweight or obese and facing discrimination in the workplace, Myrtle Bell said yes: "I usually tell overweight or obese people that everyone has some aspect that people may use to discriminate against. We must be proactive in our job choices as well as our education in order to decrease this stigmatization. Make sure you are so qualified that they want you even if they're biased. Work against the stereotypes." Bell also suggests choosing one's employers carefully. Pay attention to how an employer treats other employees and listen to employees' opinions of their employers. "You can then avoid the discrimination by choosing employers who are fair and non-discriminatory. When you hear negatives about a particular employer, avoid working for them." How some employers are taking steps forward Many organizations are recognizing that an employee lifestyle of high stress, fatty foods and low exercise is not only affecting the budget, but that the mental and physical wellness of their employees are key elements to an organization's level of success. The Los Angeles Police Department recently hired a full-time diet coach. Police work long hours and are constantly on the go, and it is often difficult for an officer to find time to eat well and stay in shape. However, in the high stress, high activity situations officers can find themselves in, health can be a key element in job performance. The diet coach provides one-on-one counseling, teaches nutrition courses, and makes presentations to both new recruits and seasoned officers. Nike, a global retailer, makes employee health a priority through programs that include an onsite fitness center staffed with a wellness coordinator, a cafeteria that features healthy menu options, and discounted gym memberships. The University of Texas has recently developed a health program called "Living Well: Make it a Priority." A few program goals include reducing health-care costs and integrating the "Living Well" program into employee benefits packages. This program provides features such as a "health and well-being assessment" that details personal health risks and strengths, counseling, stress management, a nutrition center where employees can develop personal nutrition plans, an exercise center, and a family health center that covers nutrition and health from prenatal care to teens. Employees and their family members also earn "Blue Points" when they use features in the "For Your Health" section of the program. These points can be redeemed for a variety of rewards like iPods or gift cards. What does the future hold? What does the future look like for obesity in the workplace? Dr. Roosevelt Thomas feels society will have an increased awareness about obesity in relation to healthcare costs before we become effective enough in diversity management to realize that obesity is a diversity dimension. "At the same time, as we become more effective diversity managers, we will see that obesity is a concern," concluded Thomas, CEO of Roosevelt Thomas Consulting and Training and Founder of the American Institution for Managing Diversity. Tool: A case study on bias and obesity You are a Human Resources manager that supports the Public Relations department at a large firm. One of your previous associates, Cindy, transferred to the Public Relations department a few months ago. Today, Cindy's new manager has approached you to discuss her work ethic; he states that in the last couple of months, Cindy has missed more workdays than other employees due to doctors appointments, and he has some concerns about her ability to efficiently perform her job as a PR representative. Having personally supervised Cindy before, you know that she is incredibly intelligent, motivated, and while she also missed more days than most while she was in your department, she worked vigorously to make up for lost time. To your knowledge, all of her projects while she was on your team were completed exceptionally well and on time. Cindy's new manager asks you what steps you feel should be taken because, he says, "Cindy's being overweight is obviously a problem." As Cindy's former manager and PR's support manager, would you: Tell Cindy's manager to discuss with Cindy that her missing work is not acceptable. Exceptions should not be made for an employee because of her weight. Question Cindy's manager further to try and discover if this is truly an issue of Cindy not getting her work done, or is a weight bias of her new manager. If Cindy is really performing less than adequately, mediate a discussion to discover the root of this change in work ethic. Sit down with Cindy and subtly suggest she should lose weight, because while there are no explicit expectations, company culture supports employees who are fit and healthy because they feel that body type is representative of personality and work ethic. If it comes out that Cindy's absences are not really affecting the end-result of her projects, have a discussion with Cindy's manager about his possible bias toward overweight people. Being overweight or obese can be a challenge, both for the employee and for the employer, but this article outlines steps both parties can take to improve their situations. Employer resources: See how much obesity is costing your business: Obesity Cost Calculator Sources: Interviewees: Dr. Myrtle Bell, associate professor of management at the University of Texas at Arlington and author of Diversity in Organizations (2007). Contact: mpbell@uta.edu (817) 272-3857 Dr. Roosevelt Thomas, Jr., CEO of Roosevelt Thomas Consulting and Training, Founder of the American Institution for Managing Diversity. Contact: rthomas@rthomasconsulting.com Articles: "Dietitian Hired to Arrest Police Officer Obesity." MSNBC (2008). "Living Well: Make it a priority." University of Texas, Office of Employee Benefits (2008). "Diversity and Inclusion: Diversity Helps Drive Success." Nike (2008). Americans with Disabilities Act (2008). National Business Group on Health (2008). Link for CDW Archive Subscribers Link for Non-CDW Archive Subscribers back to top

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