Obesity could be a disability – The European Court of Justice

The EU’s highest court considered the case of a male child minder in Denmark named Karsten Kaltoft who says he was sacked for being just too fat! The court has stated that obesity could be a hindrance to “full and effective participation” at work. This could be legal reason for obese people to be protected by the disability legislation. Practical manifestations of this include employers being bound to ensure the availability of wider seats, larger tables and the likewise. This binding will apply to shops, cinemas, restaurants and many more. This comes in at a very relevant time; now that 1 in 4 people in the UK is classified as obese.

This ruling is binding across the European Union.

You can read the full article here – http://www.bbc.com/news/health-30529791