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The original was posted on /r/bestofredditorupdates by /u/Direct-Caterpillar77 on 2025-09-12 04:02:01+00:00.

I am not The OOP, OOP is u/fakeenamee

Fired for being fat

Originally posted to r/legaladvice

Editors Note: the same OOP was posted in a BoRU previously - WIBTA if I rescinded my offer to pay for a friends birthday dinner after they picked somewhere I can’t eat? posted but u/LucyAriaRose. Which takes place 5 years after these posts

TRIGGER WARNING: body shaming, sexism

MOOD SPOILER: schadenfreude and happiness

Fired for being fat [CT] June 5, 2019

Backstory: I am a woman in my mid 30s, and very overweight. Not to the point of handicap, but I’m a big gal.

I work at a company with around 25 employees, and have been here for 8 years. Recently, the business was sold to a larger corporation, who sent their own people in for management roles after laying off our entire management team, consisting of 4 people. I work with clients in the field, and have a good work record and my clients like me and I have built relationships with them.

Turn to today: I get called into the office of one of the new managers, who tells me my appearance isn’t a good fit for a client facing role, and I can either take a pay cut and work in the call center, or take unpaid leave and come back after I’ve lost a “considerable” amount of weight. I was floored. I’ve never had a client have an issue with my weight (at least outwardly), and I’m good at my job. I meet all productivity goals and have never even received a write up in my 8 years. I pushed and asked him if there had been any complaints, to which he said no, but they want to head off any future issues which may arise. I said straight up “so, you’re punishing me cause I’m fat? Are you also demoting (obese male coworker in same role as me)?”. He said no, and didn’t answer when I asked why the situation was different. I left fuming and told him I was going home for the rest of the day to think about things.

Can this really be legal? What recourse do I have?

RELEVANT COMMENTS

derspiny

You’ve got an argument for sexual discrimination because your employer admitted that they are not going to terminate a male employee of similar build, but it’s not a sure shot. Get a referral from the Connecticut Bar Association and speak to an attorney to review this in more detail.

OOP

I will do that after I’ve calmed down a bit, I still have the anger of a thousand hornets in my body right now and I don’t think I’ll be very level headed. I spent 8 years of my life building my reputation and client base there, to be let go cause some ass on a newly given power trip doesn’t like fat chicks?

Would it be legal for me to poach clients of the company if I decide to move on from this job?

derspiny

You might run into liability if you use private information belonging to your former employer, such as their client list, to build your own competing business. I wouldn’t be in a hurry to actively poach clients. If you’ve signed a noncompete, that would put you at additional risk. Being improperly terminated wouldn’t change that - two wrongs don’t make a right, as it were, as much as I understand your desire to stick it to your former employer.

If you land in a similar role elsewhere, and your former clients follow you of their own volition, that’s much safer ground.

OOP

You’re right, I wasn’t being rational. I need to take on one hurdle at a time.

~

benevenstancian0

Might be worth getting it in writing. Send an email acknowledging the conversation and asking details around what amount of weight loss is needed, etc. Having things in writing always helps.

OOP

I’ll give myself some time to calm down and then compose the email politely, if I write it right now I would probably include things directed at this jerk that COULD get me fired

Tolmos

My recommended wording would be something along the lines of:

“Boss,

Per our prior conversation, in order to maintain my position and pay I will need to take unpaid time off in order to achieve the required weight loss expectations you set during our meeting. Could you please reiterate exactly what that weight goal is, so that I will know what I am working for? Alternatively, you mentioned that I could opt to take a pay cut and work in the call center; what would my new pay be, if I were unable to lose the amount of weight necessary to keep my job?

-fakeenamee”

That basically lays out the conversation that took place, and gives them an opportunity to either dig a bigger hole.

OOP

This is good, thank you. I’m waiting until tomorrow after I talk to an attorney to send any emails, but if I do, the format you used is very helpful

UPDATE

I spoke with the law office my sister recommended this morning and I have been asked to no longer post online about the situation, sorry for such a non-satisfying update

Update June 21, 2019 I posted this 2 weeks ago and a lot has happened. Something happened before I could go any further with the lawyer I spoke to.

The Monday following the incident I was asked to come speak with a VP of HR I’d never met and only knew by name, because they work directly for the company that bought ours out. When I walked in the conference room there were 4 people waiting for me, 2 of which I was told was part of legal. What I didn’t realize, is my friend who I mentioned in the comments of the other post ended up saying something to another coworker because he was so horrified at the situation (even though I told him to keep it secret). This information ended up making it’s way up the chain and was not taken well, to say the least. I was asked to explain exactly what happened, who I told, and asked a lot of questions. Everything I said seemed to make them very uncomfortable, especially when I told them I was in touch with a lawyer. They had me leave the room for nearly 40 minutes and then called me back in and let me know they were very concerned about this situation, and assured me it was an isolated power trip basically…

This is the holy shit part. They say that due to my long tenure in my position, knowledge of how the team works, and my relationship with clients that they felt I would be a good fit for the position the jerk manager sat in, and if I wanted the position it was mine, as their way of saying sorry. They also made sure to mention the large salary increase and bonuses this would come with. I took a couple minutes to think about it, and took the offer. BTW I’m not stupid, I know they did this so I wouldn’t take any legal action against them, but I love my job and don’t blame them for the actions of a 20something on a power trip. I also know it came down to he said/she said, and would’ve been a hard case to prove.

There’s going to be a company-wide training on gender and interpersonal relations, and I finally have an office with a door I can actually close! I’m in the field a lot less now, so I guess the jerk got what he wanted, because now I don’t interact face to face nearly as much as I used to. Edit for clarification: he was fired, not demoted or transferred

FINAL COMMENTS FROM WHEN THS IS WAS CROSSPOSTED TO BoLA

elitist_ferret

Probably the best solution one could hope for. I wonder what the dude who got fired is going to tell people when they ask what happened

OOP

“I got screwed over by a fat bitch!”, the same thing every man has said when he knows he fucked up im my life’s experience.

It’s like when a guy is coming onto you/asking for nudes/flirting and once you tell them no it’s all of a sudden “you’re an ugly fat whore, fuck you!”.

dasunt

Using the term “fat bitch” as a description will inform everyone exactly why he was fired.

When someone question the realness of the post concerning the firing of the boss

BlatantConservative

This update today? Totally legit imo, dude fires a woman for being fat he’s getting launched out of the window via pneumatic tube.

BlowsyChrism

Exactly, it isn’t that unheard of.

wOlfLisK

Not to mention, promoting OP solves a bunch of problems. Assuming she’s actually qualified, it means they don’t need to go through lengthy, expensive hiring processes and it prevents an expensive lawsuit from happening which they would probably lose.

THIS IS A REPOST SUB - I AM NOT THE OOP

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