Weighed for Job?

My friend got a job at a local hospital last Summer as a CNA. As part of her getting hired, they WEIGHED her on a SCALE. 

Now that I have graduated. I am looking for a job at this hospital, but am TERRIFIED of being weighed. I am very overweight, but have never had any problems at clinicals doing my tasks. Now that NS is over, losing weight is my top priority, but I can't wait to get a job until I lose the weight. I want to be able to set a good example for my patients.

So, has anyone else had to do this as a condition of employment? Can I politely refuse to be weighed? I don't need health insurance if this is the main reason they weigh their applicants. What do you think?

10 Answers

Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

I don't think that is at all unusual. Many employers complete comprehensive physical exams on their candidates, with weight being a standard part of such an assessment.

I understand that most adults prefer to weigh themselves in private, but this is no different than one's primary care provider's office where weights are often done every visit.

If one is visibly overweight, that is obviously already known to the manager who extended the job offer, so it seems unlikely that an offer would be rescinded due to obesity verified by an exam in employee health.

To the OP, best of luck in your weight loss efforts! You are to be commended for trying to set a good example for your clients!

Specializes in Burns, ICU.

For my summer job they did not put me on a scale, but they did take my BP, pulse, have me move my arms and such to see if I had full mobility. They took blood tests to check titers and TB and a drug test. If they wanted my weight, I would have not been so happy - but I would have done it. Just like you, I am overweight, but I am fully able and I don't see why you should be concerned. If they turn you down based on your weight - their loss.

Good luck!

I don't think that is at all unusual. Many employers complete comprehensive physical exams on their candidates, with weight being a standard part of such an assessment.

I understand that most adults prefer to weigh themselves in private, but this is no different than one's primary care provider's office where weights are often done every visit.

If one is visibly overweight, that is obviously already known to the manager who extended the job offer, so it seems unlikely that an offer would be rescinded due to obesity verified by an exam in employee health.

To the OP, best of luck in your weight loss efforts! You are to be commended for trying to set a good example for your clients!

I agree. I've worked for employers who did "full" pre-employment physicals, inc. weights (same as at the doctor's office ...)

Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

Uh........you can refuse to be weighed at the doctor's office too, even though he or she certainly has more of a right to know this information than an employer!

It is NONE of an employer's business what you weigh, whom you sleep with, who your friends are, or what you like to do on your time off.........among other things. They only "own" you when you're on the clock. I don't care how much I might want a certain job---if the company insists on treating me like cattle and demanding that I get on a scale, I don't want to work for them. Period.

Employers get away with invading more and more of our privacy because we allow it. I don't agree with pre-employment drug screens either---it's none of my business what my staff does when they're not on the clock---but it's gone even further than that now, employers seem to think they have the right to know if their employees smoke in their own homes, date other employees etc. It's ridiculous, IMHO.

Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.
Jolie said:

If one is visibly overweight, that is obviously already known to the manager who extended the job offer, so it seems unlikely that an offer would be rescinded due to obesity verified by an exam in employee health.

I think this is the key point. Do you think they don't already know you are overweight and that the number will come as a surprise to them? I doubt it. They already know.

The bottom line is: They have a legal right to require a physical to assure that you are physically able to perform the job for which you have been hired. If you want to work there, you will have to demonstrate (by taking the physical) that you meet their employment standards -- unless you want to make a claim of discrimination and/or make a claim for accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you want to make a legal case of it, you'll need to talk with a lawyer. As nurses, we are not qualified to give you legal advice.

Uh........you can refuse to be weighed at the doctor's office too, even though he or she certainly has more of a right to know this information than an employer!

It is NONE of an employer's business what you weigh, whom you sleep with, who your friends are, or what you like to do on your time off.........among other things. They only "own" you when you're on the clock. I don't care how much I might want a certain job---if the company insists on treating me like cattle and demanding that I get on a scale, I don't want to work for them. Period.

Employers get away with invading more and more of our privacy because we allow it. I don't agree with pre-employment drug screens either---it's none of my business what my staff does when they're not on the clock---but it's gone even further than that now, employers seem to think they have the right to know if their employees smoke in their own homes, date other employees etc. It's ridiculous, IMHO.

Well, I can't speak for anyone else, but I was certainly not suggesting that you couldn't refuse to be weighed at an employee health physical. The question was asked has anyone else seen this practice, and, yes, I have. I didn't object to being weighed (I still don't see what the big deal is -- is it some sort of secret?? I can think of a lot of information about my life that I think my employer has no right to know, but my weight is not on that list, or at least, so far down that list that it just doesn't matter to me ...), but, if I had refused, I don't have any reason to think that I would have encountered any problems from my employer with that. Maybe I'm just weird :), but I found it rather refreshing to encounter an employee health department that was actually interested in my health, rather than just going through the "bare minimum" motions.

Anyone who feels v. strongly about this is, of course, free to not work for employers who want to weigh you.

BTW, IMHO, the behaviors you list are the employer's business if they "spill over" into the workplace and affect one's performance at work.

I was weighed during the cursory employment physical exam administered when I was hired to work as a CNA. Never thought a thing about it at the time. Was even several pounds over on at least one of these occasions. Even if I had been concerned about being weighed at the time, there were plenty of examples of CNAs and nurses at these places that were obviously obese, so it probably wasn't really more than a passing observation to the person doing the hiring. I firmly believe that they were happy to hire warm bodies. Now there was a different story at the acute care hospitals in the area. Remember making a remark to someone that I seemed to see a correlation to getting a job at the hospital with one's looks. Never saw an example of an obese employee or one without a passable looking face at the hospital. Just a casual observation on my part.

Nope. Sorry I have never experienced it or HEARD of it. They took my BP and did a drug test but that's all.

Specializes in RN- Med/surg.

wow- that's rediculous!

I'd like to say I'd refuse..BUT- really it would depend on how much I wanted THAT job. If it was a job I really wanted..I prabably wouldn't jeapardize it by ruffling feathers right away.

Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

I think this is the key point. Do you think they don't already know you are overweight and that the number will come as a surprise to them? I doubt it. They already know.

Lol, very true! As sad as it is from looking around my nursing classes if they are going to stop hiring big nurses the hospitals wouldn't be able to operate.

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