When menopause symptoms affect someone’s work, the way their employer responds can make a significant difference to their wellbeing, performance and decision to stay.
For HR teams and managers, the challenge is understanding what support is needed, while managing attendance, performance and operational demands fairly.
A clear approach can help you address difficulties early, retain experienced employees and make more confident employment decisions. Here, we explain your responsibilities and the practical steps that can help.
What are employers’ legal responsibilities?
Menopause is not a standalone protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010. However, treatment connected to menopause may give rise to discrimination claims relating to sex, age, disability or gender reassignment. Unwanted comments or jokes may also amount to harassment.
When can menopause symptoms amount to a disability?
Menopause symptoms may meet the legal definition of disability where they have a substantial and long-term adverse effect on someone’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.
“Substantial” means more than minor or trivial. “Long-term” generally means the effects have lasted, or are likely to last, at least 12 months. Symptoms that fluctuate can still qualify.
Where the legal duty applies, employers must make reasonable adjustments to remove or reduce disability-related disadvantage. Employers should also consider how working conditions could affect symptoms as part of their health and safety responsibilities.
Support should not depend on an employee first proving that they have a disability. Early conversations and practical changes can help prevent difficulties from escalating.
Managing performance and absence fairly
Fatigue, anxiety and concentration difficulties can affect attendance and output. Before taking formal action, consider:
- Whether symptoms could be contributing to the concern
- What workplace changes have been discussed or tried
- Whether medical or occupational health advice would help inform your decisions
- Whether the employee has had sufficient time to benefit from any changes
- Whether absence triggers or performance expectations need adjusting
Acas recommends recording menopause-related absence separately from other sickness absence, helping employers consider its impact fairly rather than automatically applying standard absence triggers.
You can still address attendance and performance concerns. The aim is to understand the circumstances, consider your obligations and follow a fair process. Seek advice before issuing warnings or considering dismissal where symptoms may be a factor.
What workplace adjustments could help?
The right support depends on the individual, their role and the working environment. Options to discuss include:
- Temperature and comfort: Providing a fan, improving ventilation or moving a workstation
- Uniforms: Considering more breathable fabrics or flexibility within dress requirements
- Breaks and facilities: Allowing additional breaks and easy access to toilets, drinking water and somewhere to rest
- Working patterns: Adjusting start and finish times or considering homeworking where the role allows
- Duties: Considering temporary changes to tasks where appropriate
Discuss options with the employee, record what is agreed and set a review date. Symptoms and operational needs can change, so arrangements may need revisiting.
Build a consistent approach across your organisation
Give managers the confidence to respond
Managers need to recognise when someone may need support, listen without making assumptions and know when to involve HR.
People management training can strengthen managers’ confidence in handling sensitive conversations and help them understand the organisation’s approach. This can reduce the chance of an employee receiving different support depending on who manages them.
Make support easy to access
Employees may prefer to speak initially with HR or a trained menopause champion rather than their line manager.
Offer a clear alternative contact, explain how information will be handled and respect the employee’s privacy. Champions can help people access support, while managers and HR remain involved in decisions about workplace changes.
Make your policy work in practice
A menopause policy should explain what support is available, how to request it and who to contact. Check that related absence, performance and flexible working procedures support the same approach.
A policy gives managers a starting point. Its value comes from how consistently they apply it and whether employees can access meaningful support.
Menopause action plans: What is changing in 2027?
Eligible employers with 250 or more employees can already publish voluntary action plans covering menopause support and their gender pay gap.
The government says these plans will become mandatory from spring 2027, subject to secondary legislation. The intended scope includes large private and voluntary sector employers in Great Britain, alongside English and certain cross-border public authorities. Different rules apply to public authorities in Scotland and Wales.
For organisations likely to be covered, now is a useful time to review existing support, identify gaps and decide who will own delivery. Smaller employers can also use this opportunity to strengthen their approach.
