Have you tried to look for a job in the United States lately? With the number of unemployed or underemployed people close to 20 year highs, there is a good likelihood that you have. On every job listing, application or ad you have come across, you probably noticed the statement “Equal Opportunity Employer” appear in some corner of the document. But what does that mean?

An Equal Opportunity Employer is one who is simply following United States federal law by complying with laws preventing discrimination on the basis of race, sex, creed, religion, color, national origin, age (for those over 40), disability status, genetic information, and military history. These employers also must follow certain state and local laws that include non-discrimination policies against sexual orientation. In essence, the proclamation on these documents is that “we follow existing law”.

But what about “size-opportunity”? I guess it would help to define “size-opportunity”. Size-opportunity is the doctrine that every person has equal opportunity and access to a service or product from which they can benefit without regard to their height or weight. This principle allows for any person, no matter if he/she is short, tall, fat, thin or anywhere in between.

Currently only one state has codified this principle. In 1976, Michigan created the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, which declared “The opportunity to obtain employment, housing and other real estate, and the full and equal utilization of public accommodations, public service, and educational facilities without discrimination because of religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, height, weight, familial status, or marital status as prohibited by this act, is recognized and declared to be a civil right.”  This was landmark legislation in the world of size-opportunity. Since then, 3 United States cities, San Francisco, California, San Jose, California, and Washington D.C. have passed laws preventing discrimination on the basis of size.

So that brings me back to what is a Size-Opportunity Employer? A company that is a Size-Opportunity Employer adheres to the following:

• Does not discriminate against a person on the basis of height or weight in hiring processes
• Does not discriminate against a person on the basis of height or weight in promotion processes
• Does not employ tactics that are designed to “shame” a person based on their height or weight (for example, charging a person more for insurance due to their weight or not providing desks with enough room for a tall person)
• Does not employ tactics that are designed to keep a person hidden from public view based on their height or weight (for example, not hiring a fat person for a customer facing position)
• Does not allow an atmosphere of sizism in the performance review and it’s pay policies
• Does not promote weight loss as a company tool for overall health, but promotes healthy living and lifestyles (such as a Health at Every Size program).
• In organizations where uniforms are required or company apparel is either offered as incentive or as a promotion, to provide equal access to this apparel to employees of all sizes
• Provide accommodations to people according to their size with company equipment.

The above is certainly not a comprehensive list, but it is a start.

So why am I discussing Size-Opportunity and what it means to be a Size-Opportunity Employer, or even a Size-Friendly employer? The reason is simple. Two-thirds of Americans are either overweight or obese. And that includes tall and short and everyone in between. This is a matter that affects everyone on a large-scale (no pun intended). In order to function, companies will have to adopt these ideals; especially those jobs which are relatively sedentary. Those jobs where the person sits at their desk for 8 or more hours a day; jobs such as call center representatives, receptionists, and analysts just to name a few.

So if you are a size friendly employer and want to advertise as such, here are a few places where you can list you postings. Be sure to include “size” in your Equal Opportunity Employer statement!

Yahoo HotJobs

Job.com