Great Britain: a parliamentary committee inquiry considers the issue of menopause at work

On July 23 2021 the UK House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee launched an inquiry to examine whether legislation and company practices adequately support women during menopause. According to the multi-stakeholder committee, more than one million female employees left their jobs due to menopausal symptoms. Many women’s careers are also disrupted during this period, which sometimes even prevents them from securing high-level positions during their 50s. “Despite the fact that hundreds of thousands of women in the UK are currently going through menopause – a process that can be physically and mentally draining – it is ignored by the law,” said Rt. Hon Caroline Nokes MP (Conservative), and Chair of the Women and Equalities Committee, adding “It is time to uncover and address this huge issue, which has been near-invisible for far too long.” Currently, an employee suffering from menopause is protected by the Equality Act 2010, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender, age or disability. The Women and Equalities Committee, which will be collecting submissions until 17 September 2021, could ultimately call for a law specifically for menopause in the workplace that for instance require would employers to adopt a policy on this issue. It should be noted that in recent years, more and more UK companies have already voluntarily committed themselves to breaking the taboo surrounding the menopause (c.f. article No.11502).