The Women & Equalities Committee of the House of Commons has published its response to an independent report proposing various changes to employment law and practice to help women going through menopause.
Most of the recommendations are not being adopted by the government. They include producing model menopause policies for employers (seemingly on the basis that lots of employers already have menopause policies. Wait, what?). It has also declined to commission a pilot with a large national employer on ‘menopause leave’, and most significantly, declined to amend the Equality Act 2010 to introduce a new protected characteristic of menopause, or introduce a new duty to make reasonable adjustments for menopausal employees.
But it is supporting one proposal: introducing a national ‘Menopause Employment Champion’ to produce a report every six months on the progress made to support those going through the menopause.
Some might say that’s all talk and no action. But here at employment law HQ, we couldn’t possibly comment.
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