1 in 4 Workers Discriminated Against Because of Weight

In the United States, discrimination in the workplace based on someone’s height, weight, or attractiveness is not currently covered under federal law. Few cities, including most recently New York City, which is expected to pass a proposed bill next month that would make it illegal for employers to discriminate on the basis of weight, have taken steps to protect employees from these types of issues.

In April, ResumeBuilder.com surveyed 1,000 working Americans to find out if they have experienced discrimination in the workplace due to their height, weight, or level of attractiveness. The results showed 36% of working Americans have experienced one of these forms of discrimination.

Key findings:

• Half of working Americans have concerns about how their physical appearance is perceived by others in the workplace
• Overall, 26% have faced weight discrimination, 23% discrimination based on level of physical attractiveness, and 12% height discrimination
• Those who self-identify as overweight or unattractive were more likely to say they experienced weight or physical attractiveness discrimination
• As a result of discrimination, employees’ careers and mental health were impacted
• 1 in 12 say concerns about how their physical appearance is perceived prevents them from wanting to go into the office more.

To read more about ResumeBuilder's fingins, click here.