LONDON — Obesity can be a disability, the European Court of Justice ruled Thursday — a decision that could have widespread consequences across the 28-nation bloc for the way in which employers deal with severely overweight staff.
The ruling, which is binding across the EU, has such profound implications for employment law that experts expect EU nations to challenge it.
The court ruled in the case of a Danish child care worker Karsten Kaltoft, who weighed 350 pounds and said he was unfairly fired for being fat. The ruling said if obesity hinders a “full and effective participation in professional life,” it could count as a disability.
According to Jacob Sand, Kaltoft’s attorney, the ruling means employers will have an “active obligation” to cater to the needs of their obese staff members. This could mean providing car parking spaces closer to the office, changes to workers’ desks and other modifications.
