A recent study conducted in Scotland indicates that a woman’s weight may determine whether or not she is hired. Researchers found that employers were more likely to hire women who weighed less than other equally qualified candidates. Previous studies have revealed that overweight and obese women are regularly subjects of employment discrimination; however, this study indicates that the same may be true for women with healthy BMIs who are only slightly heavier than competing applicants.
Participating employers were asked to rate 32 photos of equally qualified job applicants on a scale of one to seven, one indicating “unlikely to hire” and seven indicating “extremely likely to hire.” Sixteen of the photos shown to participants were digitally altered to make applicants appear slightly heavier than they did in their original photos. Researchers found that the slightly heavier versions of the female photos were less desirable to employers than the original, thinner versions. The same was not found to be true for the male photos.
Philadelphia employment discrimination lawyers at The Gold Law Firm P.C. fight for employees’ rights throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York. We represent people who have experienced employment discrimination based on race, sex, religion, national origin, age, gender, or disability. If you believe you have been the subject of unlawful discrimination by your boss, former employer, or a potential employer, contact us online or call 215-569-1999 for a free case evaluation.
