Now work uniforms must be ‘menopause friendly’, firms told
eMPLOYerS who force women going through the menopause to wear uncomfortable uniforms could be accused of discrimination, experts have warned.
Symptoms can include hot flushes, bloating and weight change, leading to discomfort – particularly when work clothing is close-fitting or made from non-breathable fabric.
workplaces which fail to deal with this problem could soon face legal action under the equality act, lawyers have said.
Jog Hundle, a partner at employment law specialists Mills & reeve, said a claim could be brought on two grounds.
‘It would be discrimination arising from a disability and would also be indirect discrimination,’ she said. ‘If you adopt a policy that is more detrimental for a certain group, which would be women over the age of 50, then you’ve got to justify that policy.’
employers would lose any legal action if they ‘ haven’t engaged in the disability debate on their uniform’, she said. employment tribunals citing the menopause rose 44 per cent last year compared to the previous year, according to the Menopause experts Group.
It told of one claimant who was reprimanded for undoing her top button despite having told her employer she was suffering hot flushes. women can bring menopause-related claims under the equality act 2010, citing the ‘protected characteristics’ of sex, age or disability.
Of the 23 menopause-related tribunals last year, 16 cited disability discrimination, ten claimed sex bias and 14 alleged unfair dismissal, the group found.
deborah Garlick, founder of Henpicked, an online forum for midlife women, said: ‘Inappropriate uniforms made with unbreathable fabrics and with unforgiving cuts can make menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes worse.’ She added if bosses ‘don’t ask, they won’t know’ about any problems endured by female staff.
Campaigners report how some workers have to take in several blouses each day to change into due to the effects of hot flushes.
The daily Mail’s Fix the HrT Crisis campaign won a major victory in May when pharmacists were allowed to prescribe alternatives to out- of- stock treatments to help with menopause symptoms.
‘Can make their symptoms worse’