Last month saw the government reject the menopause leave trial which would have been a large-scale pilot to stop women being “forced out of work by rigid sickness policies,” however, the government stated it could ultimately prove ‘counterproductive’ claiming that it could cause discrimination against men with long-term medical conditions and was dismissed. This news was of course a blow to the many menopause champions across the country, including ourselves!
Ministers have also resisted a recommendation from the Commons Women and Equalities Committee to make menopause a “protected characteristic” under the Equalities Act. The recommendations formed a key plank of a report by the cross-party committee in July last year focusing on menopause and the workplace, which warned that lack of support was pushing women out of work.
But in a response published on Tuesday the government rejected the two suggestions, prompting committee chairwoman Caroline Nokes to question minister’s commitment to the issue of menopause.
In a letter to health minister Maria Caulfield, the Conservative MP said she was disappointed that “very little new work has been committed to by the government” in response to the committee’s report.
She expressed concern that the government had ignored what she termed the “significant evidence base” for menopause being seen as a “protected characteristic”.
The fight goes on!!
