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Spiggle: One problem in the workplace nobody is talking about is weight discrimination

FILE - In this Thursday, Sept. 4, 2014, file photo, an overweight man rests on a bench in Jackson, Miss. Rising numbers of American adults have the most dangerous kind of obesity, belly fat, despite evidence that overall obesity rates may have plateaued, government data shows. Abdominal obesity affects 54 percent of U.S. adults, versus 46 percent in 1999-2000, and the average waist size crept up an inch, too, according to the most recent statistics. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File) FILE - In this Thursday, Sept. 4, 2014, file photo, an overweight man rests on a bench in Jackson, Miss. Rising numbers of American adults have the most dangerous kind of obesity, belly fat, despite evidence that overall obesity rates may have plateaued, government data shows. Abdominal obesity affects 54 percent of U.S. adults, versus 46 percent in 1999-2000, and the average waist size crept up an inch, too, according to the most recent statistics. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)

By Tom Spiggle March 1, 2019 4 min read

Imagine how you’d feel if you didn’t get a promotion because of your religion or skin color. The only good news would be that you could probably sue your employer for discrimination.

But what if you didn’t get it because you were overweight?

In most parts of the United States, there would be little you could do. But a handful of local and state governments have extended anti-discrimination protection to include weight as a protected class.

Here’s a closer look at how it works.

What is a Protected Class?