Great Britain: Timpson undertakes to pay for hormone replacement therapy for its employees going through the menopause

“From today all my colleagues can claim on expenses their prescription costs when they are recommended HRT. It’s so important that we support our colleagues going through the menopause,” tweeted James Timpson, CEO of the family-owned network of UK shoe and locksmith stores bearing his name. The announcement was made on 18 October, World Menopause Day and comes as Labour MP Carolyn Harris is due to introduce a bill at the end of the month calling for the reimbursement of HRT costs. Already free of charge in Scotland and Wales, this treatment remains payable in England and can cost some women more than £100 pounds per year (€118.52). If this bill is passed, Timpson’s proposal will no longer be necessary. However in the meantime, the innovative nature of this offer from a company with 5,600 employees has been unanimously praised. “This is really is a fantastic example to other employers of how they can support their staff through what can be a very difficult period of their lives,” noted Carolyn Harris. Currently, more and more UK companies are getting involved in the menopause issue (c.f. article No. 12730). Timpson is a company known for its innovative HR practices, and in particular for employing former offenders (>10% staff).