Will This Be The Next Protected Work Place Issue
Will This Be The Next Protected Work Place Issue For Women?
A cross-party group of MPs are campaigning for women going through the menopause to have more rights and for a pilot scheme offering menopause leave. The Women and Equalities Committee said a lack of support in the UK was pushing women out of work. The cross-party group wants menopause to become a protected characteristic like pregnancy, to give working women more rights.
The figures: The committee said the omission of the menopause as a protected characteristic under the Equality Act was no longer tenable given 51% of the population are female.
Most women go through the menopause between the ages of 45 and 55, with symptoms lasting about four years on average, although one in 10 can experience them for up to 12 years.
Caroline Nokes, who chairs the committee said: “Stigma, shame and dismissive cultures can, and must, be dismantled. “It is imperative that we build workplaces – and a society – which not only supports those going through the menopause but encourages some of the most experienced and skilled workers in our economy to thrive.”
Menopause symptoms include:
- sleep, memory and concentration problems
- hot flushes
- anxiety
- depression
- women with at least one problematic menopausal symptom were 43% more likely to have left their jobs by the age of 55
The group say that their research showed that few women sought workplace adjustments, such as flexible working, with many naming worries about an employers’ reaction as the reason.
The Graham Agency, keeping you informed.