For years, menopause in the workplace was treated as a private matter or, at best, a wellbeing topic. That position is no longer tenable. Since April 2026, employers with 250 or more employees have been able to publish an action plan showing the steps they're taking to support employees experiencing menopause, alongside their gender pay gap data. Under the Employment Rights Act 2025, those plans become mandatory in 2027, subject to secondary legislation.
That turns menopause support from a nice-to-have into a reportable part of how larger employers operate. And for businesses of every size, existing law already sets clear expectations.
Our earlier article, Menopause at Work: What Employers Get Wrong and How to Fix It, covered the awareness side. This guide focuses on implementation: what the law requires, what a menopause policy should include, which adjustments to offer, how to train managers, and how to build an action plan that stands up.
There's no single piece of menopause legislation in the UK. Instead, three existing frameworks apply.
Menopause isn't a protected characteristic in its own right, but employees experiencing menopause can be protected under the characteristics of age, sex and disability, and in some cases gender reassignment. Where symptoms have a substantial and long-term adverse effect on someone's ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities, they may meet the legal definition of disability. The Employment Appeal Tribunal confirmed this in Rooney v Leicester City Council (2021). In those circumstances, the employer has a duty to make reasonable adjustments.
Employers must protect the health, safety and welfare of all employees, including those experiencing menopause symptoms. In practice, that means considering temperature, ventilation, access to toilets and rest facilities, and workload when carrying out risk assessments. The government's guidance on how to conduct a menopause risk assessment explains how this can help identify the right adjustments.
The government's implementation timeline confirms that action plans on gender equality and supporting employees through the menopause became available on a voluntary basis from 6 April 2026, alongside new menopause guidance, and are due to become mandatory in 2027.
Equality Act 2010
Who it applies to: All employers
What it means in practice: No discrimination; reasonable adjustments where symptoms amount to a disability
Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
Who it applies to: All employers
What it means in practice: Risk assessments that consider menopause symptoms
Employment Rights Act 2025
Who it applies to: Employers with 250 or more employees
What it means in practice: Action plan covering menopause support, voluntary now and mandatory from 2027
A policy isn't legally required, but it gives managers a clear framework and gives employees confidence that asking for help is expected, not unusual. A credible policy covers:
Name menopause explicitly. General wellbeing policies that fold it into a broader category tend to mean nobody feels able to ask for what they need.
The adjustments that help most are often simple and inexpensive. The government's list of evidence-informed actions for employers includes offering workplace adjustments, occupational health advice, menopause support groups, risk assessments, policy reviews and manager training. In practice, common adjustments include:
It's worth distinguishing between two kinds of adjustment. Where symptoms meet the Equality Act definition of disability, reasonable adjustments are a legal requirement. For everyone else, they're good practice. Most employers sensibly offer the same range to anyone who asks, without requiring a diagnosis first.
Flexible working is often the adjustment employees value most. Our Hybrid Working for Managers course helps managers make flexible arrangements work well for both the employee and the team.
The biggest source of inconsistency in menopause support is which manager an employee happens to have. One manager responds with understanding and practical help. Another is embarrassed, dismissive or simply doesn't know what's available. Training closes that gap.
Manager training on menopause should cover:
Training managers to support employees experiencing menopause is one of the actions on the government's recommended list, which makes it a natural choice for employers building their first action plan.
Our Menopause Awareness course helps managers and colleagues understand the impact of menopause at work and how to offer practical support. It works well alongside:
For multilingual workforces, awareness training in employees' own language makes a real difference to whether people feel able to raise the subject. Our self-paced courses are available in over 100 languages.
For employers with 250 or more employees, the voluntary period before plans become mandatory is the ideal time to build and test your approach. The government's guidance on creating an action plan sets out six steps, from understanding the issues in your organisation through to reviewing your plan. Employers are asked to choose at least two actions from the published list.
A credible action plan draws on:
Government guidance on offering occupational health advice also makes an important point: much of the data you'll collect is likely to be special category personal data under data protection law. Get advice from your data protection lead before you start collecting it.
Employers under the 250 threshold aren't required to publish a plan. But the same steps are a sensible way to organise your approach, and they put you in a strong position if you grow past the threshold.
For employers who want to connect menopause support to a wider programme, our guides to supporting positive mental health in the workplace and understanding EDI are useful next reads.
Menopause support works when three things are in place: a clear policy, managers who know how to use it, and evidence that it's making a difference. The voluntary period is the time to put all three in place, before reporting becomes compulsory.
Teaching 4 Business delivers menopause awareness and manager training to help employers support their people and meet their obligations. Explore our wellbeing courses or contact us to discuss a training programme for your HR team and line managers.
Q: Is menopause covered by UK employment law?
Menopause isn't a protected characteristic on its own, but employees can be protected under age, sex and disability discrimination law. Where symptoms have a substantial and long-term effect on day-to-day activities, they may count as a disability, requiring reasonable adjustments.
Q: Do employers have to publish a menopause action plan?
Employers with 250 or more employees can publish a voluntary action plan covering menopause support and their gender pay gap from April 2026. These plans are due to become mandatory in 2027, subject to secondary legislation. Smaller employers are not required to publish one.
Q: What workplace adjustments help with menopause symptoms?
Common adjustments include desk fans and cold water, flexible start and finish times, the option to work from home where possible, easy access to toilets and rest areas, breathable uniforms and quieter workspaces. The right adjustment depends on the individual's symptoms and role.
Q: Do we need a formal menopause policy?
It isn't a legal requirement, but a policy gives managers clear guidance, shows employees that support is available, and provides evidence of your approach if you're building an action plan or responding to a claim.
Q: What should menopause training for managers cover?
Managers should understand what menopause is and how symptoms vary, the legal position, how to hold a supportive conversation without asking for medical details, what adjustments are available, and how to record related absence correctly.
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