Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee signed the nation’s first menopause accommodation requirements into law earlier this summer.
Effective June 24, an employer operating in the Ocean State must protect and reasonably accommodate employees experiencing symptoms of menopause unless it can show evidence that providing such an accommodation would cause undue hardship to the business. The state becomes the first to protect women experiencing symptoms of menopause, which can include vasomotor symptoms such as hot flashes or night sweats, brain fog, migraines, and others.
“Menopause is a difficult and personal subject that has been stigmatized in this country, but as something that affects half our populations, it’s time we recognize it as a workforce issue—especially as our workforce ages along with our population,” said the bill’s sponsor, state Sen. Lori Urso (D), in a statement about its passage. “The current lack of protections contributes to inadequate retirement savings and lost leadership opportunities for women, and poses an economic challenge for employers facing workforce shortages and the loss of experienced employees.”…