Does Weight Influence Success?

Non-discrimination clauses and notices are standard in most companies. But studies and statistics indicate that there is one group that is still often discriminated against: those who are overweight.

There was a situation, for example, where an overweight dance exercise instructor had to struggle to prove that she was just a capable a teacher as others. A few such cases are clearcut: the battles become public, and the courts typically weigh in (no pun intended!) on the side of the individual rather than the company.

But how often does a woman (and researchers have shown that it happens more often to women than men) lose a job or get passed over for a promotion because of her weight?

Obviously, it should not be weight that determine's one fate. Some women find success by carving out their own paths, creating their own businesses and becoming the masters of their destiny. I applaud them for taking charge of their future in that way.

But not every person is right for the entrepreneurial path. What happens then? It's often difficult to prove discrimination -- in the case of hiring choices, for example, who is to make the judgment call that failure to hire an overweight person was due to the individual's weight rather than his or her qualifications?

Tell me your thoughts...