680 lb Man Fired For Being Obese

Ronald at one point weighed 680 lbs, a fact that never interfered with his ability to do his job. He received high marks in his performance reviews. Despite this, he was fired for his weight.

The Houston Chronicle reports the man worked in a materials handling job for a military manufacturer. The job required mostly computer and desk work, along with some moving of items on shelves that were above chest level. He never asked for any special accommodations, except for a seat belt extension for the forklift he sometimes had to operate. He never received the seat belt extender.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission investigated his claims and filed a lawsuit against the company for violating federal disability laws.

Under the disabilities act, it doesn’t matter if you have one arm. As long as you can perform the job one-armed, you can’t be fired for having only one arm.

The man is now down to 300 pounds thanks to surgery, diet, and exercise.

Man fired at 680 pounds says weight didn’t hurt his work [Houston Chronicle] (Thanks to Justin!)

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