Women going through the menopause could be entitled to paid leave, WFH or cooler offices and more comfortable uniform under Labour plans
- Women going through the menopause could be entitled to paid leave or to WFH
- Labour plan could make firms consider cooler officers or comfortable uniform
Women going through the menopause could be given the right to work from home or receive paid time off to attend doctors’ appointments under a Labour government.
Female staff could also be allowed to ask for changes to uniform rules and the temperature in the workplace to help them cope with hot flushes, such as being allowed to have a fan on their desk.
And they may be able to ask for more breaks during the working day or flexible hours, under proposals by Labour aimed at helping menopausal women themselves as well as stopping them leaving the workforce.
If the party came to power, it would require all firms with more than 250 employees to compile annual Menopause Action Plans setting out how they are supporting their female staff.
Women going through the menopause could be given the right to work from home or receive paid time off to attend doctors’ appointments under a Labour government. (File picture)
Ministers would not dictate the content of the plans but would provide guidance on options, and companies would have to submit their proposals to the Government in the same way as they are currently require to file gender pay gap data.
Some of Britain’s biggest companies have already made changes to their policies to help menopausal women, who may suffer hot flushes, mood swings and even memory lapses as their hormone levels drop in middle age.
Last year Tesco said it would not include time off work as a result of menopause systems when calculating staff absence, and has developed more lightweight, breathable uniforms.
Hundreds more firms have signed a pledge to make their workplaces more menopause-friendly.
Labour’s chairman Anneliese Dodds said: ‘Women in their 50s are the fastest growing group in the workforce but they face significant pressures, and many are managing their menopause symptoms while holding down a job, caring for elderly parents and supporting their own children.
‘No one should face having to step down from their job because of the menopause. Today’s announcement is a vital step forward in enabling those women to re-enter the workforce, progress their careers, or to keep working.
Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner said ‘everyone should be supported to thrive at work’
‘From access to vital healthcare, to support at work, the Conservatives have vacated the field on supporting women. Labour will ensure that these women are heard and supported through what can be a challenging time in their lives.’
And deputy leader Angela Rayner said: ‘Everyone should be supported to thrive at work. But all too often women going through the menopause are being let down. Under the Conservatives, the number of women leaving the workforce is skyrocketing, and productivity is plummeting as those who continue in work aren’t getting the support they need. This is bad for women, bad for business and bad for our economy.
‘I know from working with many incredible women how hard it is to get on at work every day, whilst battling severe symptoms including depression, joint pain and extreme fatigue. It happens in every workplace, but too often women suffer in silence.’
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