Our bodies are complicated and currently we’re still only just starting to warm up to the idea of paid menstrual leave, despite the fact that it is well documented that the symptoms of going through your monthly period are beyond awful.
However, there is one end of the spectrum that not many people address and that is menopause. Menopause is when women stop having their periods due to lower hormone levels – a natural phenomenon that occurs between the ages of 45 and 55.
Many people are mostly unaware of what happens during menopause and the symptoms that cause it. According to the NHS, menopause symptoms include hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, discomfort during sex and difficulty sleeping.
It can also affect your general mood like causing a low mood or anxiety, reduced sex drive, problems with memory and concentration, headaches, palpitations, joint stiffness, aches and pains, reduced muscle mass and recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs).
Honestly, if the symptoms are this severe, how is paid menopause leave not a thing already?
Of course, it comes as no surprise that just like paid menstrual leave, many people are in favour of paid menopause leave. According to recent YouGov data shared exclusively with HuffPost UK, 55% Brits are fully in support of paid menopause leave.
The recent Women and Equalities Committee report on menopause and the workplace argued that overlooking the impact of menopause is causing the UK workforce to haemorrhage talent and said the current law does not sufficiently protect women going through it.
According to this data, women over 50 currently represent the fastest growing segment in the workforce, and that it is crucial that the government does all it can to support and retain this talent.
However, the UK Government recently rejected the proposal to make menopause a protected characteristic and the idea of a paid menopausal leave.
The public consensus, however, is wildly different. Over two-thirds women (64%) and nearly half of the men (47%) completely support the idea of paid menopausal leave being a legal requirement in the workplace.
In general, older people who may have already gone through this phenomenon are the ones more opposed to it. While people currently undergoing, or about to undergo menopause are overwhelmingly in favour.
And that is not all, over 75% Brits believe that employers should implement workplace menopause policies, including reasonable adjustments such as flexible working hours, cooler working environments or uniform adaptations.
While the government has rejected the idea of trialling menopause leave as of right now, they are reportedly focused on encouraging employers to implement workplace menopause policies.