Until now, menopause support in the workplace has largely been a matter of good practice. Some organisations have taken meaningful action, while others have done little to address the challenges employees can experience.
In the UK, the Employment Rights Act 2025 introduces a new reporting and planning framework for larger employers. Rather than creating a separate statutory right to menopause-specific support, it requires employers to set out the actions they are taking in the prescribed areas. For HR teams and senior leaders, the challenge is to turn that reporting requirement into practical support that employees can actually access.
Is this the same as "menopause leave"?
No. The Employment Rights Act 2025 does not create a new statutory entitlement to menopause leave or require employers to introduce separate paid leave for menopause symptoms. Instead, it introduces an Employer Action Plan framework covering the prescribed areas of gender pay gaps and menopause support.
An employer may choose to include a menopause leave policy or other leave arrangements among its workplace support measures, but that is different from a statutory requirement to provide menopause-specific leave. The key distinction is between documenting the action an employer is taking and creating a new individual entitlement.
In my experience
In my work with organisations, I often find that managers want to support staff experiencing menopause but don't know what practical adjustments to make. Having a written plan is important, but it only makes a difference when managers understand how to have supportive conversations and put those commitments into practice.
Explore menopause manager training to help managers turn policy into meaningful support.
What the Act actually requires
The Employment Rights Act 2025 establishes a framework for employers covered by the relevant requirements to publish Employer Action Plans. The plans address two prescribed areas:
Reducing the gender pay gap.
Supporting employees experiencing menopause, including perimenopause and post-menopause.
The plan must meet the minimum action requirements set out in the applicable regulations and government guidance. Employers should check the final requirements carefully, including the number of actions required, how they relate to the prescribed areas and any rules governing sign-off and publication.
Employers should also consult the relevant government guidance on governance, sign-off and submission arrangements. Requirements should be confirmed against the final regulations and official guidance rather than assumed in advance.
The timeline: what happens when
Implementation is being phased to give organisations time to prepare and develop meaningful workplace support.
April 2026 - Voluntary period
Under the announced timetable, voluntary publication is expected to begin in 2026 for eligible employers. This provides an opportunity to assess current practice, identify gaps and develop an action plan before mandatory requirements take effect.
Mandatory publication - Check the final implementation timetable
Mandatory publication is expected to follow under the government's implementation timetable. Employers should confirm the effective date, reporting period and deadline for the first compulsory plan against the latest official guidance.
Before publication becomes mandatory, employers should monitor the Office for Equality and Opportunity, GOV.UK and ACAS for final regulations, reporting deadlines and publication arrangements.
For many organisations, the biggest challenge won't be writing an Employer Action Plan. It will be ensuring managers know how to apply it consistently. Policies alone rarely change employee experience. Manager confidence, practical adjustments and supportive conversations determine whether a plan makes a real difference.
What an action plan should contain
An effective Employer Action Plan should identify practical measures that support employees experiencing menopause and explain how the organisation intends to put those measures into practice.
The government framework provides a starting point for developing an action plan. The following examples illustrate practical measures employers may wish to consider when strengthening menopause support in their organisation.
Policy and procedure
A written menopause policy in plain language, accessible to all employees.
Clear processes for employees to request workplace adjustments without unnecessary bureaucracy.
Appropriate recording and review of menopause-related absence, with due regard to confidentiality and data-protection requirements.
Manager capability
Training for line managers that focuses on practical, compassionate responses, not just legal compliance.
Designated menopause champions or peer-support facilitators, where appropriate.
Regular check-ins incorporated into existing wellbeing conversations.
Workplace environment
Environmental risk assessments that consider temperature regulation, ventilation and suitable rest areas.
Flexible working options that are genuinely available in practice, not just permitted in policy.
Access to occupational health support where appropriate.
Culture and transparency
Menopause awareness sessions for staff to reduce stigma and encourage informed conversations.
Visible support from senior leaders.
Feedback mechanisms that allow employees to report whether workplace support is effective.
A practical process for developing a plan
Employers can use the following five steps as a starting point:
Understand the issues: Review existing measures and gather appropriate workforce feedback and data.
Select actions: Identify priorities that are relevant to the organisation and its employees.
Prepare and publish the plan: Follow the applicable reporting requirements and submission arrangements.
Monitor progress: Assess whether actions are delivering the intended outcomes.
Review regularly: Update the plan in response to feedback, changing needs and lessons learned.
The precise submission process and any mandatory steps should be checked against the final government guidance.
The good news is that organisations don't need to wait until mandatory reporting begins to improve menopause support. Measures such as manager training, workplace adjustments and menopause awareness can be introduced now, helping employers support staff while preparing for future reporting requirements.
Help managers turn policy into practice
A workplace plan can set out the organisation's intentions. Managers determine how those intentions are experienced day to day.
The free Menopause Manager Guide provides a practical starting point for understanding menopause-related conversations and responding more confidently to employees.
Download the free Menopause Manager Guide
The shift from passive reporting to active accountability
This is the structural change that matters most for HR leaders and senior teams to understand.
Mandatory gender pay gap reporting, introduced in 2017, increased transparency by requiring eligible employers to publish pay-gap statistics. However, publication alone does not guarantee that organisations will take effective action to address the causes of a pay gap.
The Employer Action Plan framework adds a focus on documenting action. Once mandatory publication begins, eligible employers will be expected to publish plans that meet the applicable requirements. Until then, voluntary preparation provides an opportunity to develop a credible, evidence-informed approach rather than leaving everything until a deadline approaches.
For organisations that have already taken menopause support seriously, this is an opportunity to document and communicate what they have built. For those that have not, the preparation period provides an opportunity to assess current provision, gather appropriate evidence and develop the organisational capability needed to put effective support into practice.
What happens if an employer doesn't comply?
The consequences of failing to comply with the Employer Action Plan requirements should be checked against the final legislation and implementing regulations. Employers should not assume that publication alone will satisfy every applicable obligation, or that the absence of a fixed financial penalty means there is no compliance risk.
Separately, changes to ordinary unfair-dismissal protection may affect how employers approach capability procedures and dismissal decisions. These changes do not create a menopause-specific right. However, where an employee's health affects their work, employers should continue to follow fair procedures, consider relevant evidence and assess whether reasonable adjustments or other support may be appropriate.
The precise legal position depends on the applicable law and the circumstances of the case. Employers should seek specialist employment-law advice when dealing with individual cases or making decisions that could affect an employee's rights.
The wider context: where this fits
The Employer Action Plan framework is part of a broader conversation about workplace equality, employee wellbeing and employer responsibility.
Although the Employment Rights Act 2025 introduces a framework for larger employers to report on their actions, it does not replace existing legal obligations. Depending on the circumstances, the Equality Act 2010 may protect employees experiencing menopause-related difficulties from discrimination and may require reasonable adjustments where an employee meets the legal definition of disability.
For employers, this means that developing an Employer Action Plan should be part of a wider approach to menopause support, rather than a standalone compliance exercise. A written plan is most useful when it connects workplace policies with manager training, appropriate adjustments and consistent support for employees.
For a more detailed explanation of the legal framework, including discrimination, disability and reasonable adjustments, read the guide to Your Legal Rights at Work During Menopause.
How prepared is your organisation for menopause support?
A policy is a starting point. The real question is whether your managers know how to respond, employees understand what support is available, and your organisation can turn its commitments into consistent practice.
Use the free Menopause Workplace Assessment for HR & Organisations to identify potential gaps and clarify where to focus your attention next.
Download the free Menopause Workplace Assessment for HR & Organisations
A practical first step towards a more confident, consistent approach to menopause support at work.
What smaller employers should know
The mandatory Employer Action Plan requirement is intended for employers meeting the relevant employee threshold. Smaller organisations should check the final rules to establish whether they fall within scope.
However, smaller employers should not assume that being outside the mandatory action-plan requirement removes their existing legal responsibilities. Depending on the circumstances, the Equality Act 2010 may require reasonable adjustments for a disabled employee and prohibits relevant forms of discrimination. Employers also have health and safety responsibilities under applicable legislation.
These duties are distinct from the action-plan reporting framework and should be assessed according to the circumstances of the workplace and the individual case.
The action-plan framework can also provide a useful structure for smaller organisations that want to improve menopause support voluntarily. A proportionate approach can help them identify priorities, strengthen manager confidence and make support more accessible without waiting for a legal mandate.
If you're not in HR: what this means for you
If you're an employee experiencing menopause symptoms at work, the main point is that the Employer Action Plan framework does not replace your existing rights or automatically create a new individual entitlement to menopause-specific leave.
You can still speak to your manager or HR team about the difficulties you're experiencing and discuss whether workplace adjustments or other support may help. Your options will depend on your circumstances and the relevant legal duties.
Read more about menopause rights at work and talking to your manager about menopause.
For HR: the practical questions to answer now
If you are responsible for compliance or people strategy, use the preparation period to consider the following areas.
Audit: What do you already have in place—policy, training, flexible working practices, occupational health access and absence recording? What is the gap between what exists on paper and what employees actually experience?
Data: What does your existing workforce data show about retention, absence and engagement? Can you identify patterns that warrant further investigation without making assumptions about individual employees? Review the lawful basis, privacy safeguards and practical limits of any data collection relating to health or menopause.
Governance: Who owns this work? Where senior sign-off is required, how will it be obtained? Has menopause support been discussed at board or leadership-team level as a workforce, wellbeing and compliance matter?
Action selection: As a practical starting point, consider selecting three to five actions that are relevant and achievable for your organisation, while ensuring that the final plan meets the legal minimum and any applicable reporting requirements. Measures that address both policy and workplace culture are more likely to be useful than a policy document alone.
Publication: Even if you choose not to publish voluntarily, developing the plan internally—including consultation, appropriate data gathering and action selection—can help build the organisational readiness needed before mandatory publication begins.
This is a starting point, not a ceiling
The minimum legal requirement should be treated as a starting point, not a destination. Organisations can use the action-planning process to engage with their workforce, understand the real experiences of employees affected by menopause, train managers to respond practically and compassionately, and create conditions in which experienced women can thrive at work.
Menopause support done properly is not simply a cost. It can be an investment in retaining experienced professionals whose skills, knowledge and experience are valuable to an organisation.
Ready to turn your assessment into action?
Identifying the gaps is the first step. Closing them requires practical support that works for your organisation and the people within it.
I work with organisations to develop a more effective approach to menopause at work, including:
Employer Action Plan support: Helping you identify priorities and develop a practical approach to implementation.
Menopause training for managers: Building the confidence to have supportive conversations and respond appropriately.
Workplace sessions and education: Helping employees and managers understand menopause and the support available.
Workplace strategy: Connecting policies, manager capability and day-to-day practice.
The aim is to move beyond a policy that exists on paper and towards support employees can actually experience.
Discuss workplace menopause support for your organisation
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Employment Rights Act 2025 give employees paid menopause leave?
No. The Act's Employer Action Plan framework concerns employer reporting and planning. It does not itself create a new statutory entitlement to menopause-specific paid leave.
Do employers have to introduce a menopause policy?
The action-plan framework should not be confused with a requirement to introduce a standalone menopause policy. A policy can nevertheless provide a practical way to explain the support available, how managers should respond and where employees can access help.
Which employers have to publish an Employer Action Plan?
The requirement is aimed at employers meeting the applicable employee threshold. Check the final regulations and government guidance for the precise threshold, how employee numbers are calculated and the relevant reporting requirements.
When does publishing an Employer Action Plan become mandatory?
Mandatory publication is expected to follow the government's implementation timetable. Employers should check the latest official guidance for the effective date and deadline for the first compulsory plans.
Does this apply to small businesses?
The mandatory reporting requirement is aimed at employers meeting the applicable threshold. However, existing responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 and health and safety legislation may still apply to smaller employers, depending on the circumstances.
This article is informed by the Employment Rights Act 2025 and relevant government and workplace guidance. It is written within the scope of health and nutrition coaching practice and does not constitute legal advice. Implementation dates, statutory requirements and guidance should be checked against current official sources. For specific compliance questions, consult an employment-law solicitor or HR legal specialist.
References
Employment Rights Act 2025. Royal Assent 18 December 2025. Available at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2025/36 .
Office for Equality and Opportunity (2026) Government launches landmark gender pay gap and menopause action plans to help women thrive at work. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-launches-landmark-gender-pay-gap-and-menopause-action-plans-to-help-women-thrive-at-work .
Office for Equality and Opportunity (2026) Review policies and procedures to meet the needs of employees experiencing menopause. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/review-policies-and-procedures-to-meet-the-needs-of-employees-experiencing-menopause .
Office for Equality and Opportunity (2026) Action plans: list of actions. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/action-plans-list-of-actions .
Department for Business and Trade (2026) Unfair dismissal rights. Available at: https://www.business.gov.uk/campaign/employment-changes/employee/unfair-dismissal-rights/ .
Department for Business and Trade (2026) Employer action plans. Available at: https://www.business.gov.uk/campaign/employment-changes/employers/employer-action-plans/ .
UK Government (2026) Employment Rights Act 2025: factsheets. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/employment-rights-bill-factsheets .
The Employment Rights Act 2025 (Unfair Dismissal) (Removal of Limit on Compensation) (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2026. Available at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2026/9780348287622 .
Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (2026) Menopause at work. Available at: https://www.acas.org.uk/menopause-at-work .
Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (2026) Unfair dismissal: changes under the Employment Rights Act 2025. Available at: https://www.cipd.org/uk/knowledge/employment-law/employment-rights-act-2025-unfair-dismissal/
Pal v Accenture (UK) Ltd 2026 EAT 12. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/employment-appeal-tribunal-decisions/ms-s-pal-v-accenture-uk-ltd-2026-eat-12 .
Equality Act 2010, c. 15. Available at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/contents .
Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023. Available at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/51/contents .
UK Government (2025) Menopause in the workplace literature review. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/menopause-in-the-workplace-literature-review/menopause-in-the-workplace-literature-review
