make your free menopause policy

menopause policy

statement and purpose of policy

1.  (the employer) is committed to providing an inclusive and supportive working environment to all staff members throughout all stages of their working lives.
2. the employer recognises that staff experiencing the menopause, whether before (i.e. perimenopause), during or after the period of hormonal change and associated symptoms, may need additional consideration, support and adjustments. 
3. the employer recognises that the menopause and menopausal symptoms may not only affect women but also non-binary, transgender and intersex people.
4. the employer is committed to creating and providing a supportive work environment, so that anyone experiencing the menopause feels confident raising any issues they may have due to their menopausal symptoms and requesting reasonable adjustments at work.
5. this policy forms part of the employer’s commitment to ensuring the health, safety and overall well-being of its workforce. this policy is designed to prevent menopausal symptoms experienced by staff from being exacerbated in the workplace.
6. this policy does not form part of any employment contract and the employer retains the right to amend it at any time, in its absolute discretion. 

scope

1. this policy applies to all employees, irrespective of seniority, tenure, and working hours, including all directors and officers, casual or agency staff, trainees, interns, fixed-term staff, volunteers, workers and contractors (the staff members).

aims of this policy

1. the employer understands its obligations under relevant health and safety legislation and the equality act 2010 and is committed to ensuring equality and diversity in the workplace. this policy, alongside the employer’s health and safety policy and equal opportunities policy implements part of this commitment to equality and diversity.
2. this policy aims to:

   1. make managers aware of the menopause, its symptoms and how it may affect staff members.

   2. make managers aware of how they can support staff members experiencing the menopause at work.

   3. create and maintain a positive and supportive working environment, in which staff members feel able to speak freely and openly about the menopause in a respectful and supportive manner.

   4. raise awareness and understanding about the menopause, its symptoms and potential effects among all staff members.

   5. enable staff members experiencing the menopause to continue to work effectively in their role.

   6. outline what support and reasonable adjustments are available to staff members experiencing the menopause.

   7. help the employer recruit and retain staff members who are experiencing the menopause.

what is the menopause?

1. the menopause occurs when the body’s oestrogen levels fall and the body no longer releases eggs. 
2. the menopause is part of the normal ageing process and usually affects those between the ages of 45 and 55. however, the menopause may also: 

   1. occur early, before the age of 40 (known as ‘premature menopause’). 

   2. be brought on suddenly through medical or surgical intervention (known as ‘medical/surgical menopause’). for example, because the ovaries are damaged or removed or due to an underlying health condition.

3. the menopause can be divided into different phases:

   1. perimenopause is the period leading up to the menopause, where symptoms may be experienced. this can begin several years before the menopause.

   2. menopause is when someone’s period stops altogether. this phase is considered to have started when someone hasn’t had a period for 12 months.

   3. post-menopause is the period after the menopause. menopause symptoms tend to continue for a while during post-menopause.

4. throughout this policy, the term ‘menopause’ refers to all phases of the menopause.

symptoms of the menopause

1. the menopause can result in various physical, mental and emotional symptoms. these menopausal symptoms include, but are not limited to:

   1. hot flushes;

   2. heart palpitations;

   3. headaches and migraines;

   4. muscle aches and joint pains;

   5. difficulty concentrating;

   6. memory problems;

   7. mood swings; and/or

   8. difficulty sleeping.

for more information on menopausal symptoms, see the nhs guidance (https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/menopause/symptoms/).

1. the employer recognises and acknowledges that: 

   1. the menopause may not be an easy process for everyone.

   2. the menopause can affect physical, psychological and emotional health and can, as a result, significantly impact an affected staff member’s ability to work and their relationships with colleagues.

   3. everyone’s menopausal symptoms are different and staff members may have unique experiences with the menopause.

the equality act 2010

1. while the equality act 2010 does not specifically address the menopause, any unfair treatment due to the menopause may amount to discrimination based on the protected characteristics of sex, age, disability or gender reassignment.
2. staff members experiencing menopausal symptoms may be protected under the equality act 2010 from prohibited conduct in the form of discrimination, harassment, victimisation or the employer’s failure to make reasonable adjustments. for more detailed information on these types of prohibited conduct, see the employer’s equal opportunities policy. 

disability and reasonable adjustments

1. under the equality act 2010, the menopause in itself is not a disability. however, if menopausal symptoms have a long-term adverse effect on the ability of a staff member to carry out normal day-to-day activities, it may be considered a disability. the employer has a duty to make reasonable adjustments to alleviate disadvantages caused by a disability.
2. even where a staff member’s menopausal symptoms do not amount to a disability, the employer will consider making adjustments to support the staff member and enable them to fulfil their role.
3. examples of reasonable adjustments the employer may consider include, but are not limited to:

health and safety and risk assessments

1. under applicable health and safety laws, the employer has certain obligations and responsibilities. these include responsibilities to:

   1. ensure the health, safety and welfare of its workforce; and

   2. carry out health and safety risk assessments.

2. when carrying out health and safety risk assessments the employer considers the specific needs of menopausal staff members, including their needs in relation to:

   1. ventilation;

   2. workplace temperature;

   3. access to toilet and washing facilities;

   4. access to sanitary products;

   5. access to drinking water;

   6. workforce working times; and

   7. workforce break times.

3. staff members should report any concerns about workplace health and safety to their line managers or the hr department as soon as possible.
4. more information about workplace health and safety is set out in the employer’s health and safety policy.

responsibilities

staff members

1. staff members have various workplace responsibilities, including but not limited to:

   1. ensuring their own health and well-being. this includes raising any specific issues or concerns related to the menopause that they have with their managers and/or the hr department;

   2. being open and honest when having conversations with their managers and/or the hr department if they need support with menopausal symptoms;

   3. seeking advice from their gps and the employer’s should any menopause symptoms affect their ability to perform their job; 

   4. treating others with respect and being willing to help and support their colleagues; 

   5. understanding any necessary adjustments their colleagues are receiving due to any menopause symptoms they may be experiencing; and

   6. reporting any instances of harassment, bullying, victimisation or discrimination experienced because of issues related to the menopause in accordance with the employer’s equal opportunities policy. anyone found to have harassed, bullied, victimised or discriminated against a staff member because of the menopause may be subject to disciplinary proceedings under the employer’s disciplinary procedure.

managers

1. managers have various workplace responsibilities, including but not limited to:

   1. understanding the menopause, its symptoms and how it can affect staff members and the workplace;

   2. making staff members aware of the employer’s menopause policy;

   3. attending all training provided by the employer;

   4. fostering an open and supportive work environment where staff members are able to discuss how the menopause is affecting them, including by ensuring that staff members feel able to ask for help and support;

   5. speaking openly to staff members that they manage about the menopause in a sensitive, respectful and supportive way;

   6. familiarising themselves with and understanding what changes to the workplace or reasonable adjustments may be considered to support staff members;

   7. considering any communication and requests for support or adjustments from staff members they manage in a sympathetic and confidential manner;

   8. ensuring and facilitating an ongoing dialogue on and regular review of any agreed changes to the workplace or reasonable adjustments for staff members they manage; and

   9. seeking further advice (e.g. from the hr department or the employer’s) where necessary.

hr department

1. the hr department has various workplace responsibilities, including but not limited to:

   1. providing clear guidance and support to managers on menopause-related issues;

   2. providing training for managers and staff members on:

      1. the menopause, including what it is and common symptoms;

      2. how to have an open dialogue about concerns related to the menopause;

      3. how to discuss reasonable adjustments;

      4. what support is available, within the employer’s business and from external sources; and

      5. the menopause and the law.

   3. ensuring that the work environment does not exacerbate staff members’ menopausal symptoms by ensuring that the employer’s health and safety risk assessments consider the specific needs of menopausal staff members;

   4. providing support, advice and guidance to managers about how to handle and address absence and performance issues related to the menopause

recruitment and selection

1. the employer will use objective criteria during the recruitment and selection process. this includes taking steps to ensure that menopausal applicants are not disadvantaged and that applicants are not discriminated against due to their age, sex, disability or gender reassignment.
2. for more information on the recruitment and selection process, see the employer’s equal opportunities policy.

promotion and training

1. the employer will use objective criteria when making decisions about promotions or training. this includes taking steps to ensure that promotion and training opportunities do not discriminate against staff members experiencing menopausal symptoms.
2. for more information, see the employer’s equal opportunities policy.

absences from work and performance management

1. absences from work which are related to the menopause will be handled under the employer’s sickness policy. this means that a staff member’s absence due to their menopausal symptoms will be treated in the same way as other sickness absences, with the same sick pay and leave entitlements. 
2. any time taken off work due to a staff member’s menopausal symptoms will not be taken into account when assessing that staff member’s potential for promotion, pay increase or redundancy, nor will it trigger formal action under the employer’s sickness policy.

confidentiality

1. the employer understands that the menopause can be a stressful and challenging time and will treat any issues related to the menopause with the utmost confidentiality.
2. the employer will not disclose any information about a staff member’s health, including the effects of their menopausal symptoms, without their consent.
3. in the event that a staff member agrees to such a disclosure, the employer will, before making a disclosure, agree with the staff member:

   1. what information may and may not be disclosed to colleagues; and

   2. who will be told this information and by whom. 

review and further information

1. this policy and the practices and procedures that it outlines will be regularly reviewed by the employer, to ensure that it is working in practice and that all of the employer’s obligations under health and safety and equality laws are met. 
2. this policy supplements the employer’s equal opportunities policy and should be considered alongside the employer’s other policies, such as its:

   1. health and safety policy.

   2. sickness policy.

   3. grievance procedure.

3. staff members can obtain access to a copy of any of the other policies referred to within this policy by contacting the hr department and/or their line managers.
4. the employer encourages staff members to comment on this policy and suggest ways in which it might be improved or to ask any questions if they are unsure about any part of this policy or how it is applied, by contacting the hr department.

attribution

1. this menopause policy was created using a document from 2022世界杯32强抽签时间  (//www.atelimited.com/gb/en).