Penalizing overweight employees for failing to lose weight is employment discrimination based on personal appearances, South Korea's rights watchdog said Monday.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) accepted an appeal by a 31-year-old researcher at an electronics parts company who quit his job in three months after being under excessive pressure to achieve weight loss goals set by his employer, ordering the company to pay 5 million won (US$4,478) as compensation and to prepare precautionary measures.
As soon as the petitioner, identified by his surname Jeong, was employed by the company last April, he was named one of the five obese employees who were required to participate in exercise programs to lose weight and monitored by department directors. Jeong said he resigned due to stress from weight loss forced by the company.
The company refuted the claim, saying it did not force employees to reduce weight and employees voluntarily participated in the exercise program as the firm offered trainers and sporting equipment as part of its long-term health benefits program.
The rights panel, however, said the firm infringed upon the employees' rights, citing e-mails sent by the vice president that named employees who failed to lose their weight. The e-mails ordered company directors to monitor their progress for one more month and submit detailed plans, urging obese employees to submit their resignations in advance in case of their failure to meet the target.
The NHRC also acknowledged the petitioner's resignation was made while being under excessive weight reduction pressure as the company required employees to receive physical checkups and give reasons if they omit mandatory jogging three times a day.