The European Court stood up for the fat men
The Court of Justice of the European Union equated obesity with disability
Copper news
The European Court of Justice has ruled that obesity can be considered a disability. This is reported by Reuters (Obesity can be considered a disability at work: EU court). At the same time, the judges decided that obese people should not be separated into a separate category that would be protected by law from discrimination.
If the court had made such a decision, employers would have had to create conditions for obese employees that would not complicate the performance of professional duties. According to lawyers, such a decision would create a lot of trouble for companies.
Nevertheless, even equating obesity with disability can create problems for employers. They already expect an increase in the number of lawsuits from obese employees who consider their working conditions to be inconsistent with the law.
According to lawyers, the court's decision still does not mean that the company does not have the right to dismiss an employee whose obesity prevents him from doing his job effectively. How the resolution will affect labor legislation will become clear in the coming months.
The process in the European Court was initiated by the claim of the Dane Karsten Kaltoft (Karsten Kaltoft), who weighs 160 kilograms. Kaltoft worked as an educator for 15 years and was fired, as he himself believes, because of obesity. According to media reports, Kaltoft was fired because he could not bend down to tie the child's shoelaces.
The Dane sued because he considered the employer's decision discriminatory. At the same time, he does not consider himself disabled, writes The Telegraph ('I don't feel my weight is a big problem,' says Dane in EU obesity ruling). Kaltoft was just assuring that he was able to do his job well. He sought to have the court recognize discrimination by weight. After his dismissal, Kaltoft got a job as a truck driver.
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru19.12.2014