Employment Rights Act 2025: how to get menopause action plans right

Key takeaways:

• Research shows that menopause-related employment tribunal claims have more than trebled between 2022 and 2024.
• The UK Government launching Menopause Action Plans under the Employment Rights Act 2025 marks a “genuine turning point”, according to Mridula Pore, CEO and Co-Founder of Peppy Health.
• What employers need to be aware of and what should go into Menopause Action Plans.

The Employment Rights Act 2025 has brought in a raft of changes to workers’ rights and legal obligations for employers.

Whilst proposals around unfair dismissal and zero hours contracts have grabbed headlines, a key part of the legislation focuses on improving gender equality in the workplace, to help women succeed and thrive at work.

Firms employing over 250 staff will now be expected to publish Menopause Action Plans (MAPs), and whilst voluntary initially, MAPs are expected to become mandatory from Spring 2027.

For Dr Mridula Pore, CEO and Co-Founder of Peppy, an employee health provider that specialises in employee health support, including menopause, the introduction of MAPs marks a “genuine turning point”.

“For the first time, menopause moves from a discretionary wellbeing initiative to a legal obligation with real accountability attached to it. That shift in status changes the conversation entirely,” she adds.

Why menopause support matters

With almost eight in ten menopausal people in work[1], it’s an issue employers can no longer shy away from. Yet, many businesses are still playing catch up.

According to research from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), only 24% say that their employer has a menopause policy, or other support in place[2]. A third don’t know whether any support exists[2].

The lack of clarity and support can often result in a loss of talent for employers; 17% of staff have considered leaving work due to a lack of menopause-related support. A further six per cent have actually left the workforce[2].

“Menopause sits at the intersection of health, discrimination, absence and retention. As tribunal access expands and scrutiny increases, employers will need to show not just that they had a policy, but that support worked in practice when issues arose,” Dr Mridula says.

Dr Mridula Pore, CEO and Co-Founder of Peppy

It comes at a time where analysis from law firm Nockolds, based on HM Courts and Tribunal Service figures, found that the number of employment tribunals linked to menopause more than trebled between 2022 and 2024[3].

The analysis also suggested that potential legal changes could result in an increase in menopause-related claims[3], making it crucial that employers get it right.

What should go into a Menopause Action Plan?

Based on emerging guidance and practical experience, Dr Mridula, says there are seven key focus areas for employers when creating a Menopause Action Plan:

1. Understand where menopause risk shows up. Review absence, employee relations and performance cases where menopause may be a factor. Identify patterns, delays or inconsistent handling.
2. Put clear ownership in place. Define accountability within HR, people or wellbeing functions and clarify what managers are expected to do.
3. Make early support easy to access. Ensure employees can access confidential, expert support without relying solely on manager confidence.
4. Set out reasonable adjustments clearly. Treat menopause adjustments as you would any other health-related adjustment, ensuring fairness and consistency.
5. Equip managers properly. Provide clear guidance and clear signposting pathways so managers are not left to interpret symptoms alone.
6. Communicate clearly. Make support visible, simple and easy to find.
7. Review and improve. Treat the plan as a live document, using feedback and data to close gaps.

“The overall aim is early intervention,” Dr Mridula says. “Menopause cases rarely escalate because of bad intent; they escalate when symptoms are raised late, handled informally or inconsistently, or when managers feel unsupported,” she adds.

A clear framework and guidance will ensure that managers are properly trained, employees have access to the right support and that employers can engage, retain and attract top talent.

Supporting women’s health at work: both now and in future

While action plans provide a crucial structured framework for large companies, Dr Mridula explains that employers, regardless of size or budget, can take additional steps to support women’s health at work.

Awareness days and toolkits can spark timely conversations, but this must be supported by training for line managers and underpinned by formal policies which set expectations for staff, managers and HR. “Leadership plays a critical role through storytelling,” Dr Mridula explains. “When leaders share their own experiences, it reduces stigma and builds trust.”

Tangible support offered by providers such as Peppy, which Vitality health members have access to, can give employees easy, unlimited access to specialist clinicians via chat, consultations, articles and live expert events.

Research has shown that menopause impacts a significant portion of people in work[1]. It’s therefore a topic that’s best treated as ‘always on’ rather than just for annual awareness days.

“Organisations that demonstrably support employees through this life stage will have a meaningful retention and recruitment advantage,” Dr Mridula says, adding that, “businesses who act early will be better positioned – both from a legal standpoint but also as an employer for top talent.”

[1] Menopause in the workplace, NHS England

[2] Menopause in the workplace, CIPD, employee experiences in 2023, October 2023

[3] Menopause-related tribunal claims  triple in two years – what should HR do to address the issues? People Management, February 2025

Related: Supporting women in the workplace