Menopause: This is what the Mayor of London is doing for people with menopause

The Mayor of London announced on International Women’s Day that he will be introducing a number of accommodations for those who go through menopause.

Menopause: Mayor of London introduces menopause leave and other accommodations
© John Phillips /Getty
Menopause: Mayor of London introduces menopause leave and other accommodations

Sadiq Khan announced on Lorraine’s morning show that he will be introducing menopause leave and other accommodations for his staff at City Hall that go through menopause in order to make the workplace more inclusive.

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Menopause leave

Sadiq Khan has helped make his workplace at City Hall more inclusive for those going through menopause. Indeed, the Mayor of London has given extra leave for those who are going through menopause to ensure that their comfort and needs are met.

Menopause can be exhausting with constant hot flashes, anxiety, disrupted sleep, and pain which can all interfere with work, making it more difficult to be productive.

Sadiq Khan told Lorraine:

We've got to make sure the workplace is inclusive that means the women's network will be having meetings with our staff and drop-in sessions.

He added:

If it's the case that somebody is going through the transition we're going to make sure that women feel confident to ask for support.

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Other accommodations

Sadiq Khan is also introducing temperature-controlled rooms for staff going through menopause so if they are experiencing hot flashes, they can adjust the temperature to their liking to make them feel comfortable. He is also allowing extra breaks if their symptoms become too severe as well as more time for appointments.

He is also encouraging his staff at City Hall to report any inappropriate behaviour or derogatory remarks surrounding menopause. This is to help shift the way we think about menopause and make it the norm in the workplace.

According to Sadiq Khan, his initiative is ‘world-leading’ and will change the way workplaces view menopause.

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