Recommendation 9

HM Government Rejected

The government does not accept this recommendation. Within the Civil Service, we are focusing our efforts on developing and promoting good practice and adoption across the Civil Service. As set out in our response to recommendation 7, last year the Civil Service launched a workplace menopause policy, and the Civil Service is one of the largest employers to sign the Wellbeing of Women menopause workplace pledge. The introduction of a Civil Service-wide policy compliments the work that has been taking place in departments over recent years, including the proposal to establish Menopause Champions and the cross-government Menopause Network. Over half the departments in the Civil Service have active menopause networks in place which hold regular menopause events, cafes and forums. Departmental menopause networks are affiliated to the cross-government Menopause Network which have developed a set of guiding principles and a toolkit for line managers and employee Within the NHS—another large, high-profile public sector employer—work is also underway to develop a model of workplace support, which centres on supporting women to remain and thrive in the workplace. The government therefore does not believe that introducing or piloting a specific policy for menopause leave is necessary. The government’s policy aim, as detailed in the Women’s Health Strategy, is to support menopausal women to remain in the workplace, and to ensure employers are well-equipped to support their workforce during the menopause. For this reason, we are focusing our efforts on disseminating best practice and encouraging employers to implement workplace menopause policies and other forms of support such as flexible working, which can play a vital role in supporting people to remain in work. We are concerned that specific menopause leave may be counterproductive to achieving this goal.