Labour have proposed a new Menopause Action Plan, which could include paid time off, uniform alterations and temperature control.
Businesses with more than 250 employees could see a change in policy for people who struggle at work as a result of the menopause.
One in ten women left their jobs due to menopausal symptoms last year, and more than half of women admitted to feeling as though they wouldn’t bring up symptoms as a result of the menopause to their employer.
The proposal is particularly significant at a time where GP appointments are very few and far between, and people struggling with the menopause may only be able to get an appointment during their working hours.
Chair of the Menopause Mandate, Mariella Frostrup, said: “The stigma and shame that has been attached to this period of women’s lives has gone on for too long.
“No woman should feel embarrassed about bringing up that she is Menopausal, I say it about a hundred times a day!”
Supermarket giant, Tesco, released a menopause-friendly uniform last year which has seen the uniform material to be more lightweight and breathable, making it cooler and more comfortable to wear at work.
The Labour Party are promoting these adjustments and would like to see the action plan in place for all who need it if they are elected into government.
However the proposed ban has not been free of pushback, as some claim that it would only add to the fear that women will become less employable.
Paid time off for menopause isn’t the only thing that some people are campaigning for, as others are also calling for paid time off during their menstrual cycle.
Earlier this month, Spain became the first European country to enable employees to have paid time off work because of period pain.
The policy gives employees the right to a three-day long menstrual leave of absence, with the possibility of an extension for those who experience debilitating symptoms as a result of their period.
