Michigan is famous as the working heartland of America, where some of the best industrial and business innovations began. Although some of these aspects of the economy have dulled since the 21st century, the Wolverine State still generates a lot of work and innovates ways of protecting the people who get that work done.
The state stands alone in a very important part of the fight against workplace discrimination. Michigan is the only state that has legally prohibited discrimination against employees based on weight. Every other state implicitly allows this prejudice.
Weight-based discrimination remains a problem throughout the United States. A recent study shows that, although many implicit biases such as gender and age have been dropping over the last few years across the country’s hiring managers and others, assumptions about the inabilities of high-weight people has increased. This may mean that more people face this prejudice when trying to get or keep a job than ever before.
The Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, Michigan’s in-state civil rights act, guarantees people’s safety from discrimination in the workplace based on weight. This part of the law was tested when a waitress who was told to lose weight or be fired brought a claim of weight discrimination that a court in Macomb County found to be valid in 2010.
If a person believes he or she has been the victim of weight discrimination or other form of unfair treatment in hiring or in the workplace, it may be time to secure legal counsel. A case in civil court could result in financial damages, reinstatement or other result that helps people move on.