Sadiq Khan says menopause leave scheme ‘stops women suffering in silence’

The mayor of London has reflected on the ‘remarkable’ impact of City Hall’s menopause leave scheme.

Sadiq Khan introduced the new policy on International Women’s Day in 2022, to tackle what he branded at the time one of the ‘last workplace taboos’.

If necessary, an employee could be granted absence for menopause-related problems.

The changes were brought in to ‘ensure that anyone experiencing menopausal symptoms gets the same support and understanding as if they had any other health issue’.

One year on, Mr Khan has labelled the scheme as ‘groundbreaking’ and reflected on experiences of staff members who have already felt the benefits. 

Speaking at City Hall’s women’s policy summit ahead of International Women’s Day 2023, the mayor told Metro.co.uk: ‘I was reading about some experiences of two of our staff last week about the difference it’s made to them, and it’s been remarkable.

‘Previously, they’d have suffered in silence.’

He explained simple changes could be made, such as making sure managers are ‘aware of the menopause’ and that they work with staff to make adjustments. 

These could include staff having a fan at their desk, or making use of temperature-controlled areas within the building. 

‘Those sorts of things are all game changers, but also no one is being embarrassed,’ he added.

‘I don’t want anybody who works here to be embarrassed about something that’s out of their control.’

It comes after Labour MP Carolyn Harris last week called on the minister for women and equalities, Kemi Badenoch, to provide more support.

However, Ms Badenoch dismissed the idea of trialling menopause leave because it was proposed ‘from a left-wing perspective’.

To all you #menopause warriors out there wondering why progress is so slow, watch this 👇

The Minister for women and equalities argues wanting women to be supported through menopause in the workplace is left-wing and makes disparaging remarks about people with red hair. pic.twitter.com/ViTsZYnFpy

— Carolyn Harris MP (@carolynharris24) March 1, 2023

She also compared the idea of making menopause a protected characteristic to making remarks about people with red hair.

The mayor today called on the government to ensure taxpayer-funded government bodies are taking their responsibilities to women colleagues seriously, and are inclusive and supportive at every level.

In a letter to work and pensions secretary Mel Stride, he called for all public bodies to be made ‘women friendly’ workplaces.

This includes setting out new polices on domestic abuse, acute period pain and menopause. 

YouGov data from 2022 shows despite 24% of women experiencing periods so painful they affected their ability to work each month, 40% of these women said they had never taken time off work.

A further 23% only did so ‘sometimes’ or ‘rarely’. 

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