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Closed Make menopause a protected characteristic and introduce new employment rights

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I am making this petition to call for Menopause to be made a protected characteristic in the Equality Act 2010 and for statutory "menopause leave" and flexible working to be introduced for female workers going through their menopause cycle, with rights to paid leave and to work from home.

Menopause is a cycle in which a woman stops having periods. This usually happens between 45 and 55 years old.

Symptoms can include: anxiety, changes in mood, difficulty sleeping, feeling of loss of self, hair loss, thinning, headaches, hot flushes, aches & pains, loss of self-confidence, memory fog etc.

There are up to 30 menopause symptoms which can have an impact on workplace performance.

Sign this petition to push the Government to make menopause a protected characteristic and grant new rights for female workers going through their menopause cycle.

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  • Related activity

    MPs debate a motion on Menopause

    On Thursday 26 October, Peter Dowd MP opened a debate in Parliament on menopause. During the debate, MPs discussed the challenges of menopause, raising awareness among medical professionals and access to treatment.

    What are backbench business debates?

    Backbench business debates give backbenchers (MPs who aren’t ministers or shadow ministers) an opportunity to secure a debate on a topic of their choice, either in the Chamber or Westminster Hall.

    MPs can make a request for a debate to the Backbench Business Committee, who hears and decides which debates to schedule.

    Backbench debates can either be general debates (which do not end in a vote) or be on a substantive motion (which calls for an action and can end in a vote). This debate was a general debate.

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    This petition can now be signed.

    If this petition gets 10,000 signatures, government will respond to it.

    If this petition gets 100,000 signatures, it will be considered for debate in Parliament.

    This petition will stay open until 8 September 2023.