An analysis of court records by Menopause Experts Group in its annual The Trial of Menopause Report, shows that employment tribunals involving menopause have increased by 44 per cent year on year.
The word ‘menopause’ was mentioned 207 times in tribunal documents in 2021, an increase of 75 per cent from the 118 mentions in 2020.
Of the twenty-three tribunals held last year, sixteen cited disability discrimination, ten claimed sex discrimination and fourteen accused their employer of unfair dismissal.
Dee Murray - CEO of Menopause Experts Group - warns that this must change not only to protect women but also to prevent legal action that can be costly, both financially and in terms of reputation.
Ms Murray commented that two-fifths of menopause employment tribunals were resolved within a month of the hearing, but three cases took more than two years. She called on employers to offer their employees training about the symptoms, signs, and side effects of menopause - stating:
“Employers are starting to get the message about menopause in the workplace, but the growing number of employment tribunals in this area show that there’s still a lot of work to be done.
What’s frustrating is the fact that there are so many training courses available to employers. Teaching our colleagues about menopause is vital if we are going to remove the stigma surrounding what is a big part of a woman's life.”
Adam Pavey - Employment Lawyer and Non-Executive Director at Menopause Experts Group - stated he was hopeful that the results of an inquiry into menopause and the workplace - conducted by the House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee - could lead to some “concrete recommendations that will improve the situation.”
He added:
“Making menopause a protected characteristic is one option, but it is difficult to enforce and monitor, so the committee could push for a requirement that all employers have a menopause policy or a code of conduct and increase penalties for firms that do not comply.
Menopause tribunals are still divided between sex discrimination and disability discrimination cases, and the committee’s recommendation could help remove some of the confusion.”
The research follows the Menopause and the Workplace report by the Fawcett Society and Channel 4, polled 4,000 women aged 45-55 years of age and found that 10 per cent had left their job because of symptoms of the menopause.
The poll also found 14 per cent of women in this age group had reduced their hours and 8 per cent had not applied for a promotion because of symptoms.
The poll also found that 44 per cent of women said their ability to work had been affected due to the menopause and included 18 per cent who reported that their symptoms were currently affecting them - with 26 per cent stating that they had been affected in the past.
Janet Lindsay - CEO of Wellbeing of Women - said the report showed that thousands of women were passing up promotions, reducing their hours or giving up their jobs because of the menopause and commented,
“Women over the age of 50 are the fastest growing demographic in the workplace and more support should be offered to ensure they remain in work because women around this age are usually at their most productive and experienced during this life stage.”
