Mary Walker Explores Legal Provisions Surrounding Menopause in the Workplace in The HR Director
Monday 5th June 2023
Mary Walker, partner and employment law expert, features in the latest issue of leading HR industry magazine, The HR Director.
In her article, Mary explores the current legal provisions fo1 those suffering with symptoms of the menopause and why employers need to ensure they are providing adequate support.
The article follows the government’s rejection of the UK Parliament’s Women and Equalities Committee recommendation to make menopause a protected characteristic under the Equality Act.
With more women in the workplace than ever before, it is essential that the legal provisions are in place to ensure there is adequate support available and they are protected against discriminatory practices.
A lack of support can have a significant negative impact, commented Mary: “One survey of women aged 45-67 by childcare agency Koru Kids found that a quarter (24 per cent) were unhappy because of a lack of menopause support and 63 per cent said their employer had no kind of policy in place.
“Without any proper support, it is a silent and highly corrosive issue that negatively impacts distinct employee demographics and employers alike,” she added.
While there are some current legal provisions that can extend to protect women suffering from menopausal symptoms, which Mary explores, she argues that they can be ambiguous and do not go far enough.
Commenting on the government’s rejection to add menopause to the list of protected characteristics:
“This was a surprising decision given the current government’s commitment to growth and an expanded workforce. Conferring protected characteristic status would have gone a long way to provide the legislative catalyst that would progress the approach to supporting those with menopause and benefit employees and employers alike.”
Mary claims that despite the lack of clear-cut legislation, progress is being made to support those suffering from menopause in the workplace, but a stigma remains.
Concluding the article, Mary highlights that the onus now lies with employers to make meaningful change in this space and stay ahead of legislation.
You can read Mary’s full article in The HR Director here.
