At some time or another most HR professionals have probably been faced with the question of whether or not an obese employee is covered by the ADA. The answer as often happens is “maybe”. Unfortunately, as our population gets heavier this may become more of a problem.
Morbid obesity
The EEOC provides some guidance by saying:
…not every physical characteristic constitutes an impairment that implicates potential ADA coverage. For example, normal deviations in height, weight, or strength are not impairments. Thus, it would generally not violate the ADA to exclude someone from a job who exceeds what an employer considers an acceptable weight.
