During yesterday’s States sitting, Deputy Louise Doublet called on Social Security Minister Judy Martin to take action to ensure women experiencing menopausal symptoms were treated fairly in the workplace. The St Saviour Deputy said that it was estimated that one in ten women had left jobs as a result of issues relating to the menopause.
All employers should have a menopause policy, she added, calling on Deputy Martin to ensure that the government – as the Island’s largest employer – took a lead in this area.
Asked by Deputy Rob Ward if she thought enough was being done to increase awareness of the menopause and its effect on women, Deputy Martin said: ‘The menopause isn’t a taboo subject, but it should be talked about more openly – one in eight [working] women are affected by the menopause [at any point] and as people work to an older age it will go up to one in six.’
A range of awareness-raising activity was planned for World Menopause Month in October, the minister added.
She agreed with Deputy Doublet that work was needed to avoid the loss of female members of the working population, and said she would ‘absolutely’ work together with her fellow States Member in this area.
