Penny ‘def lated’ as menopause leave is rejected
SHE has been outspoken with her own struggles with the menopause – and fiercely fights for the rights of women in the workplace.
But Penny Lancaster is ‘deflated’ after the Government rejected calls to grant women the right to take ‘menopause leave’ from work.
The 51-year- old former model, who is married to Sir Rod Stewart, is an ambassador for the charity Wellbeing of Women.
A report by the Commons Women and Equalities Committee had urged ministers to pilot a menopause leave scheme, but ministers said it is not ‘necessary’ and may be ‘counterproductive’.
It also dismissed the committee’s plea to make menopause a ‘protected characteristic’ under the Equalities Act, saying it risked discriminating against men.
Asked for her reaction, Miss Lancaster told Sky News: ‘ Gosh, just deflated, really. I mean, women of 50 and over are the highest demographic in the workplace.’ She said three in four women suffer symptoms, with some experiencing ‘ serious’ issues. Miss Lancaster added: ‘The sad thing is that if the workplace doesn’t help women with the menopause, then they will start reducing their hours, they won’t consider promotion, and even go to the point where they will quit jobs because of the extreme symptoms...’ The TV personality, who has been a panellist on ITV’s Loose Women, said that when she started having symptoms she was prescribed antidepressants before accessing hormone replacement therapy (HRT). She explained: ‘The antidepressants didn’t help, and make things worse, because you end up feeling like you’re going crazy, but with no one to talk to you, you feel very alone, and in the end I was diagnosed that it was, in fact, the menopause and I have luckily been on HRT – and it’s been life-changing.
‘So more women need that guidance and help and particularly support in the workplace.’
Wellbeing of Women calls on employers to sign the Menopause Workplace Pledge, which aims to make work more comfortable and welcoming to menopausal women. Miss Lancaster said her workplace, the City of London Police, where she is a special police constable, has set up coffee mornings, signed the pledge and pursued other initiatives to help women going through the menopause.
The cross-party committee published its report in July last year but in a response published yesterday the Government rejected a number of recommendations.
It warned of ‘unintended consequences which may inadvertently create new forms of discrimination, for example, discrimination risks towards men suffering from long-term medical conditions’.
A spokesman for the Government said: ‘We recognise that the menopause can be a challenging time for women, which is why we have put women’s health at the top of the agenda as part of the first-ever women’s health strategy for England.’