A recent preliminary EU decision establishes that while there is no general principle of EU law prohibiting discrimination on grounds of obesity, severe or morbid obesity might fall within the definition of “disability” if it hinders a worker from full and effective participation in their professional life on an equal basis with other workers.   This matches the previous views of a UK Employment Appeal Tribunal decision on the same point.
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The right to request flexible working has been extended to all employees with at least 26 weeks’ continuous service (with effect from 30 June 2014). Previously the right only applied to certain parents and carers. The new duty requires employers to deal with flexible working requests in a reasonable manner within a three-month decision period.  The previous prescriptive procedure has been abolished.
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