Menopause Policy

by

Ryan Clement

A VERY GOOD FRIEND OF MINE with whom I shall soon be collaborating on a couple of interesting projects – 👀 so watch this space 👀– reminds us, rightly, to know our work policies. I concur. Before signing an employment contract, employees are often asked to confirm they have read and understood the organisation’s policies.  Some may be contractual, and some may not. Interestingly, however, knowing the policies go both ways. Both the employer and the employee are bound by the same policies. Therefore, one is not in a more superior position to the other. There is a common misconception that the employer will always necessarily know them better than the employee or worker. That is not necessarily the case, at all, especially as many policies are not even drafted or written by the employers themselves! So, their interpretation or knowledge of all the policies contained in the Staff/Employer’s Handbook may be no better than those of their own workers.

HOWEVER, this short piece is not about policies per se. But it is about Menopause Policies (covering perimenopause; menopause; and postmenopause). There is a lot of good information out there to form the basis of an organisation’s Menopause Policy. And this policy is a must! To still not have one is a grave mistake. Trust me. There are obligations in the UK Employment Rights Bill that may well make it onto the statutory books. Know your law, Know your policies. Under the Equality Act 2010, alone, employers could be exposed to claims of discrimination arising from disability; failure to make reasonable adjustments; victimisation; and direct discrimination because of or harassment related to disability, sex or gender reassignment. This is just to name a few! 

HOWEVER, my purpose here is not to write about the contents of an organisation’s Menopause Policy, but simply to say that there is a lot of useful information out there, so do tap into them. Here are just a few for starters that may be of assistance to some with which/whom, I should declare, I have no association. Please add to the list if you know of other useful or helpful sites or organisations that could benefit others, UK or elsewhere.

• NHS: Menopause: www.nhs.uk/conditions/menopause/
• NHS: Early menopause: www.nhs.uk/conditions/early-menopause/
• Acas: Menopause at work: www.acas.org.uk/menopause-at-work
• British Menopause Society: thebms.org.uk/
• Menopause Matters: www.menopausematters.co.uk/

Copyright © Ryan Clement 2025