The Know Daily - Thursday 22 February 2024

_{Read in 5m 37s ∙ Listening to Hinds ∙}

Hedgehogs in the UK have had some “unexpected good news”: their numbers may finally be increasing, following decades of decline. Sightings of the spiky creatures were up 2% this year, according to a count by readers of BBC Gardeners’ World magazine - and we’ll leave a guide to making your neighbourhood more hedgehog-friendly right here.

🧑‍💼 Menopause in the workplace

Employers could be sued for discrimination if they do not make “reasonable adjustments” for women going through the menopause.

Tell me more…
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has today released new guidance for employers. It states that menopause symptoms - which include brain fog and difficulty sleeping - can be a disability under UK law, if they have a long-term and “substantial” impact on a woman’s ability to carry out day-to-day tasks.

This means that under the Equality Act 2010, an employer who fails to make “reasonable adjustments” could face legal action. 

What could these adjustments look like?
According to the guidance, adjustments might include “letting women work from home or wear cooler clothes”, along with “providing rest areas in offices”, reported the BBC. The EHRC has also said that language that “ridicules someone’s symptoms” could constitute harassment.

What’s behind the new guidance?
It comes amid “concern over the number of women leaving their jobs due to [menopause] symptoms”, said The Guardian, with research showing that one in 10 women have done so. 

Postmenopausal women represent the fastest-growing demographic in the workforce, noted The Times, with nearly five million women aged 50-64 in employment. 

How has it been received?
While many menopause campaigners have welcomed the updated guidance, The Times pointed out that the reaction has not been universal, with radio presenter Mariella Frostrup questioning the appropriateness of considering “a perfectly natural life stage” as a disability.

But EHRC chairwoman Baroness Kishwer Falkner said the guidance aims to clarify employers’ responsibility to protect their staff. “We hope that this guidance helps ensure every woman going through the menopause is treated fairly and can work in a supportive and safe environment,” she said.