DOL to employers: Support workers experiencing menstruation and menopause

Washington — Employers can improve the on-the-job experience for workers affected by menstruation and menopause by providing protections and accommodations, and being flexible, the Department of Labor says.

In a recent Issue Brief, the DOL Women’s Bureau notes that menstruation and menopause impact nearly half of U.S. workers but remain taboo topics in many workplaces. That could change with low-cost accommodations and workplace policies ensuring these employees get more support on the job.

Some employers provide access to bathrooms, handwashing facilities, clean drinking water and regular breaks during work hours. Other accommodations could include:

• Access to temperature controls or ventilation, such as fans and windows that can be opened.
• Uniform and dress code flexibility, including the addition or subtraction of layers of clothing as needed.
• Opportunities to change clothes at work.
• Bathroom access and increased frequency for bathroom breaks when needed.
• Sufficient supply of various feminine hygiene products in bathrooms.
• Access to an adequate number of frequently emptied waste disposal units near bathrooms.
• Flexible scheduling and work options, such as telework and shift modifications.

Policy changes employers can consider:

• Guaranteeing access to paid sick leave, specifically for workers experiencing menstruation- or menopause-related symptoms and allowing these as reasons to use leave.
• Training employees and managers on the symptoms of menstruation and menopause and how workers can be impacted by the symptoms.
• Including menstruation and menopause support services in employee assistance programs.
• Ensuring menstruation and menopause treatments and management in job-based health insurance plans.

“These actions can improve worker recruitment and retention and, in turn, strengthen the overall labor force,” DOL says. “More importantly, these protections and accommodations signal a willingness to help all workers maintain the dignity they deserve.”