The government has decided to reject a proposal to pilot a menopause leave proposal in England. But is it making the right call?
It’s a tricky question. Arguably, some of the concerns cited by the government seem a little far-fetched: in particular, the idea that amending the Equality Act to include menopause as a protected characteristic could unintentionally lead to discrimination towards men suffering from long-term medical conditions.
However, there is a case for the argument that it could be counterproductive, in the sense that it would discourage employers from administering other policies that already support women experiencing menopause – like flexible working.
