It is being reported that the chair of the Women and Equalities Committee, Caroline Nokes, who is leading the inquiry into menopause discrimination in the workplace, has suggested the possibility of recommending a change to the Equality Act to strengthen protection for menopausal women who suffer discrimination at work.
It seems some responses to the inquiry have indicated that menopausal women do not feel that they have adequate legal protection due to the lack of clarity in the legislation, leading many to bring claims for disability discrimination. The Committee may seek to change legislation to recognise menopause as a protected characteristic if the outcome of the inquiry shows that the current legislation is not working.
This is certainly a developing area which is increasingly in focus and one employers should be aware of.
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Posted on September 1, 2021
