WEC call for evidence - Menopause Discrimination in the Workplace - October 2021

The PGM on Menopause Discrimination (7th September) was held for the specific purpose of gathering members’ views on this topic to be fed into the DLA’s response to the WEC’s call for evidence on Menopause Discrimination in the Workplace.

The PGM on Menopause Discrimination (7th September) was held for the specific purpose of gathering members’ views on this topic to be fed into the DLA’s response to the WEC’s call for evidence on Menopause Discrimination in the Workplace.

The presentations from the Menopause Society and from Menopause at Work provided greater understanding of the nature and extent of Menopause in the workplace: 80% of women are menopausal by the age of 54 and this means that it is likely that a woman will have around a third of her life after the menopause. More than 75% of women will experience menopausal symptoms and that 1/3 of women will experience long term symptoms. DLA adds that a woman can expect a substantial part of her economically active life to be after menopause.

In its response, the DLA made a number of important points including:

• “that the concept of “the workplace” or “work” is not a gender neutral concept. Historically working practices and structures have been designed around the life cycle of men rather than women. One impact that this has is to perpetuate gender roles within society by facilitating the working life of men, and not facilitating the working life of women, so that women have fewer economic opportunities than are available to men.”
• “that menopause should not be viewed as analogous to an illness or impairment. It is an important part of a woman’s life cycle.”

Overall, in its response to the WEC (submitted on 24 September), the DLA made a considerable number of specific recommendations and comments - you can read the response in full here: PDF / Word