Useful Menopause Resources for HR Professionals

At Legal Island’s recent event ‘I Don’t Know What to Say – Dealing with Workplace Taboos’, which took place in May 2022, Rachel Penny, Partner, Carson McDowell Solicitors, shared a number of helpful resources during her session ‘Women’s Health and the Workplace: Lessons from Case Law Speaker: Rachel Penny, Partner, Carson McDowell Solicitors’.

Here is a list of these resources as well as some other resources which we thought would be useful for HR Professionals when dealing with this subject.

• Stats on Menopause in the Workplace
• Employment Tribunal Stats on Menopause in the Workplace
• Useful Legal Island Articles on Menopause
• Menopause Case Law
• Menopause Training Resources
• Other Useful Links on Menopause

Stats on Menopause in the Workplace

Rachel Penny, Partner, Carson McDowell Solicitors, shares stats on menopause in the workplace in her recent session at Legal Island’s ‘I Don’t Know What to Say – Dealing with Workplace Taboos’ event: 

Employment Tribunal Stats on Menopause in the Workplace

Rachel Penny, Partner, Carson McDowell Solicitors, shares Employment Tribunal stats on menopause in the workplace in her recent session at Legal Island’s ‘I Don’t Know What to Say – Dealing with Workplace Taboos’ event: 

Useful Legal Island Articles on Menopause

Can Menopause Be a Protected Characteristic? - In this month’s First Tuesday Q&A Chris Fullerton, Partner at Arthur Cox, answers your questions surrounding menopause:

Let’s Normalise the Menopause: Olga Pollock of Firmus Energy outlines the importance of acknowledging the menopause in the workplace and sets out her recommendations for employers on how to create a menopause-friendly work environment:

Introducing a Menopause Policy - How Do I Handle It? - Rachel Richardson of Tughans discusses the importance of having a robust menopause policy in place and outlines the potential tribunal claims which can be brought against employers on the grounds of menopause. Rachel also provides advice on how to introduce and implement a menopause policy in the workplace:

World Menopause Day: Guidance for Employers - Lauren Farrell of Think People Consulting provides some practical guidance for employers on how to improve workplace environments for them:

What is the menopause guidance and what factors should employers consider when developing a menopause policy? - Employment lawyer Seamus McGranaghan and Helen Smyth from the Labour Relations Agency discuss the latest Menopause Guidance and what factors employers should consider when developing a menopause policy:

Click here for the link to the full webinar.

In Legal Island’s recent webinar ‘Comparative Employment Law Update: Equality laws - fit for purpose or ripe for reform?’, Catherine Hayes, Lewis Silkin discusses menopause in equality terms, comparing NI, GB, and ROI legislation on the issue:

For more articles on menopause, check out Legal Island’s range of articles within the Menopause topic section on our website.

Menopause Case Law

Rachel Penny, Partner, Carson McDowell Solicitors, shares insights into several menopause cases in her recent session at Legal Island’s ‘I Don’t Know What to Say – Dealing with Workplace Taboos’ event: 

A v Bonmarche Ltd Decision (ET,2019)

Read the full case: A v Bonmarche Ltd Decision 

Ms M Rooney v Leicester City Council (EAT, October 2021)

Read the full case: Ms M Rooney v Leicester City Council (EAT, October 2021) 

Donnachie v Telent Technology Services (ET, 2020)

Read the full case: Donnachie v Telent Technology Services (ET, 2020) 

Gallacher v Abellio Scotrail (EAT, 2019)

Read the full case: Gallacher v Abellio Scotrail (EAT, 2019)

McMahon v Rothwell & Evans LLP (ET, 2019)

Read the full case: McMahon v Rothwell & Evans LLP (ET, 2019) 

Menopause Training Resources

Legal Island has created a Menopause eLearning course, designed to improve your staff’s understanding of the menopause and help create a more comfortable working environment for women experiencing the menopause. This course is for all employees, regardless of gender.

Dispelling the taboo surrounding menopause, helps an organisation build a more inclusive workforce and a great place to work. The cost of supporting colleagues in the workplace with compassion and simple reasonable adjustments is minimal in comparison with the cost of losing an employee.

Topics covered within the course include: 

• What is the menopause
• The law relating to menopause in the workplace
• The symptoms of menopause
• How to support your colleagues
• Top tips to cope with the menopause

Click here to get a FREE demo of this course on behalf of your organisation.

Other Useful Links on Menopause

Legislation

ECNI & LRA guidance: Promoting Equality in Employment for Women Affected by Menopause

Info from BUPA on Menopause at work

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has become the latest employer to sign the Menopause Workplace Pledge. The pledge, run by Wellbeing of Women, for which HRH The Countess of Wessex is Royal Patron, aims to redress the lack of awareness of and support for women in the workplace who are experiencing menopause:

A few organisations in NI have developed menopause policies which are available on the links below: 

• Education Authority

• Derry City and Strabane District Council

• Libraries NI

An interesting documentary on Menopause from Channel 4 in May 2022

Mary Louise Connolly started the debate on menopause here in NI with this article