Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether her Department has considered encouraging employers to introduce menopause-related leave as part of Menopause Action Plans.

We have published a list of recommended, evidence-informed actions to support employers in developing their action plans, including steps that employers can take to support employees managing menopause symptoms at work. These actions were developed using insight and research into what works at the time of writing, including a literature review on menopause in the workplace published by the Department for Work and Pensions.

The actions themselves are broad by necessity, and organisations may respond to them in a manner of ways. For example, as part of our recommended action to review policies to ensure they meet the needs of employees experiencing menopause, employers may choose to introduce menopause-related leave.

We will work closely with businesses to monitor and evaluate whether these are the right actions and ensure that they continue to reflect emerging evidence on actions that are effective.