There are no specific protections in law for this issue and the consultation is underway to shape policy and potential new law to protect women in the workplace.
We have indeed dealt with a number of cases where such issues have attracted, indirectly, sex discrimination protections under the Equality Act 2010, where employers have treated employees detrimentally because of the effects of the menopause, However, should the protections be more specifically extended, then employers will need to be aware of them in both policies and training to fulfil their obligations to avoid new claims. The consultation is in its infancy and the team will update all clients as it progresses.