[UK] 44 per cent increase in employment tribunals citing menopause

[UK] 44 per cent increase in employment tribunals citing menopause
09 Jun 2022

In 2021 a total of 23 employment tribunals cited menopause, a 44 per cent increase on 2020 figures according to an analysis of court records by Menopause Experts Group, Employee Benefits reports.

The results were revealed by the group in its annual ‘The trial of menopause’ report.

It looked into how women are treated in the workplace when going through menopause. Menopause Experts Group found that the word was mentioned 207 times in tribunals in 2021, up 75 per cent from 118 mentions in 2020.

The number of cases citing menopause and mentions of the condition has risen year-on-year since 2017 when only five cases cited it and there were seven mentions.

Of those cases involving menopause in 2021, 16 cited disability discrimination, 10 claimed sex discrimination and 14 claimed unfair dismissal.

Two-fifths of menopause employment tribunals were resolved within a month of the hearing, but three cases took more than two years.

The research found that one claimant, for example, told her employer she was suffering hot flushes due to the condition and was reprimanded for undoing her top button.

Dee Murray - founder and chief executive officer at Menopause Experts Group - said that too many employers without robust menopause policies have put themselves at risk of legal action from workers and warned, “This simply must change to protect women and prevent legal action that can be costly both financially and in terms of reputation.”

Ms Murray said, “Employers are starting to get the message about menopause in the workplace, but the growing number of employment tribunals in this area show that there’s still a lot of work to be done. We are here at Menopause Experts Group calling on employers to offer their employees training about the symptoms, signs, and side effects of it. This will work alongside a robust policy that all employers should be aware of requiring.”


Source: Employee Benefits

(Quotes via original reporting)

In 2021 a total of 23 employment tribunals cited menopause, a 44 per cent increase on 2020 figures according to an analysis of court records by Menopause Experts Group, Employee Benefits reports.

The results were revealed by the group in its annual ‘The trial of menopause’ report.

It looked into how women are treated in the workplace when going through menopause. Menopause Experts Group found that the word was mentioned 207 times in tribunals in 2021, up 75 per cent from 118 mentions in 2020.

The number of cases citing menopause and mentions of the condition has risen year-on-year since 2017 when only five cases cited it and there were seven mentions.

Of those cases involving menopause in 2021, 16 cited disability discrimination, 10 claimed sex discrimination and 14 claimed unfair dismissal.

Two-fifths of menopause employment tribunals were resolved within a month of the hearing, but three cases took more than two years.

The research found that one claimant, for example, told her employer she was suffering hot flushes due to the condition and was reprimanded for undoing her top button.

Dee Murray - founder and chief executive officer at Menopause Experts Group - said that too many employers without robust menopause policies have put themselves at risk of legal action from workers and warned, “This simply must change to protect women and prevent legal action that can be costly both financially and in terms of reputation.”

Ms Murray said, “Employers are starting to get the message about menopause in the workplace, but the growing number of employment tribunals in this area show that there’s still a lot of work to be done. We are here at Menopause Experts Group calling on employers to offer their employees training about the symptoms, signs, and side effects of it. This will work alongside a robust policy that all employers should be aware of requiring.”


Source: Employee Benefits

(Quotes via original reporting)

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