The CSPDM Board of Directors is pleased to present this 90-minute webinar providing members with 1.5 CEC.
Accommodating Menopause in the Workplace
Date: April 25th 2023
Time: 08:00-09:30AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
CEC: 1.5 hrs.
A CSPDM Series Confirmation of attendance email will only be sent to participants who log in and stay the duration of the webinar.
Advanced Registration is now closed.
A recording of this webinar will be added shortly. Each attendee will also receive a link to this recording with your conformation of attendance email.
To view the recording of this webinar, please click the link below
Session Summary:
Blindsided by a variety of symptoms , Janet Ko’s personal journey through menopause impacted her career and led her to discover many women suffer in silence with limited support from the healthcare system or workplace.
The symptoms of menopause can be disabling. One in four women will suffer from severe symptoms and may require accommodation in the workplace as they transition through this natural, yet complex phase of their life. Menopause has over 30 symptoms affecting physical and cognitive function and can have a negative impact on women’s health, their relationships, their work, and their overall quality of day-to-day living.
The Menopause Foundation of Canada’s landmark national research report: The Silence and the Stigma: Menopause in Canada, was published in October 2022 and reveals the steep toll of silence and stigma on Canadian women as they go through menopause. Highlighting the significant menopause knowledge gap, the report identifies health, gender and ageist inequities that impact an estimated five million Canadians (approximately 25% of Canada’s 19-million-person labour force.)
Women represent almost half of the workforce in Canada and make a significant contribution to the economy. As companies look to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion, it is time to break the silence and the taboo of menopause in the workplace. We must confront the ageism and the sexism that prevent us from talking openly about menopause and providing the support women need.
Disability Management Professionals can play an integral role in helping employers create menopause-inclusive policies/practices that include accommodation when necessary.
Objectives:
At the end of the webinar, you will have a better understanding of:
- The scope of menopause and its impact within the workplace for the individual and organization,
- Menopause as an equity issue for women in Canada,
- Workplace opportunities for accommodations and best practices, and,
- How to reduce the stigma and promote a menopause inclusive workplace to improve stay-at-work and return-to-work outcomes.
Co-Moderators:
Lorraine Evans, Director, Employee Engagement, Canada Post, CSPDM Board member
Lani deHek, NIDMAR, Disability Management, WDA Grant Implementation, CSPDM Board
Featured Speaker: Janet Ko, President, and Co-founder Menopause Foundation of Canada
Sharing from her lived experience, Janet will talk about her journey through menopause which led to the creating of the Menopause Foundation of Canada and landmark national research.
Janet has held numerous senior leadership positions in pharmaceuticals, global life sciences and the senior living sector. She has served on the management teams of leading Canadian companies as SVP Communications and has led marketing and organization development functions throughout her career. An award-winning creator of innovative communication campaigns, Janet has launched thought leadership programs focused on raising awareness of ageism and fostering inter-generational learning. She is dedicated to helping women thrive through their menopausal years and advocates for system change to improve women’s health. Janet is a passionate speaker on menopause and believes women deserve to feel healthy in the prime of their lives.
She received her Master of Arts in Journalism from Western University and holds a Queen’s University Certificate in Organization Development
Menopause Foundation of Canada – was created to raise awareness of the impact of menopause on women and society. Their mission is to eliminate the social stigma and taboos associated with menopause to ensure that this important women’s health issues is fully supported by our health care system, government, business, and the broader community. The organization is guided by a Medical Advisory Board of leading menopause clinical specialists. https://menopausefoundationcanada.ca/
Resources for review
Canada:
https://www.benefitscanada.com/benefits/a-look-at-brain-fog-and-its-impact-on-employees/
Britain: British Menopause Society:
Dr. Heather Currie – menopause explained.
https://www.womens-health-concern.org/help-and-advice/menopause-in-the-workplace/
https://www.nhsemployers.org/system/files/media/HSWPG-menopause-at-work-March-2020%20FINAL_0.pdf
tps://www.cipd.co.uk/Images/menopause-guide-2022_tcm18-55426.pdf
International Menopause Society:
https://www.benefitscanada.com/benefits/a-look-at-brain-fog-and-its-impact-on-employees/
UK
Menopause and the Workplace: How to enable fulfilling working lives: government response – GOV.UK
UK govt task force on menopause in the workplace report released July 2022
UK NHS workplace guidance. The NHS is the largest employer of women in England.
USA
According to a 2014 Yale University study looking at healthcare claims of Fortune 500 companies, women who experienced hot flashes are mostly untreated. This cost of work lost to these companies was more than 27 million during the 12-month period of the study.
https://medicine.yale.edu/news-article/the-high-cost-of-hot-flashes-in-menopause/
An American study from 2015 suggests that women who experience hot flashes and night sweats have more absenteeism compared to colleagues who are asymptomatic
Sarrel P, Portman D, Lefebvre P, et al. Incremental direct and indirect costs of untreated vasomotor symptoms. Menopause. 2015;22(3):260-266. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25714236/
A few more items that may be of interest…
Menopause checks at 45 recommended in the UK
https://www.bbc.com/news/health-63212957
US Bill Proposes $100 million in menopause research
NAMS News Release on Hormone Therapy
“The benefits of hormone therapy outweigh the risks for most healthy symptomatic women who are aged younger than 60 years of menopause.”
https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/press-release/ht-position-statement-release.pdf