On February 22nd, Justin Cannonier, our newest HR Advisor, started a legal campaign to recognise Menopause as a protected characteristic and introduce National Statutory leave in UK Employment Law for menopause symptoms. 

Jason Cannonier said “Currently UK Employment Law has no policy in place to require companies to make provisions for women suffering from menopause related symptoms. Having watched people in my life and people I support professionally go through Menopause, I know how debilitating these symptoms can be.

Menopause is a cycle in which a woman stop’s having periods and is a part of an aging process that happens between 45 and 55 years old. The symptoms can include anxiety, changes in mood, difficulty sleeping, feeling of loss of self, hair loss or thinning, headaches and migraines, hot flushes, aches & pains, loss of self-confidence, night sweats, palpitations, loss of concentration and memory fog, alongside many more. There are up to 30 menopause symptoms which can have an impact on workplace performance.

I think there needs to be a change in our Employment law to provide mandatory “Menopause leave” to enable workers going through their menopause cycle to have authorised leave to deal with the symptoms appropriately, whether through authorised time off work, or a working from home allowance.

As an HR professional I have seen how women often fight through pains & discomforts at work. This is not humane nor fair.

Initially the campaign had 100 supporters in the first week. As of the end of March 2023, both his Change.org and Government Petition are set to hit a combined 90,000 supporters.”

Help us build the momentum we need to change the Equality Act 2010 and the Employment Rights Act 1996, in order to recognise menopause as a protected characteristic and introduce leave for menopause symptoms. 

YOU CAN HELP JUSTIN AND HIS CAMPAIGN BY SIGNING THE PETITION HERE:

https://chng.it/hmkdWXmv

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/634230?fbclid=PAAaYrKy4ZsyrBbzBfR3clBxazhLQ1kZr6KE0fVDScEth2yo5l9odm1g_9CjA

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