2 August 2024
Menopause has been in the headlines recently, as the government considers whether workers should be entitled to menopause leave to help manage symptoms.
Liberal Senator Hollie Hughes recently told a Senate committee that employers could be reluctant to hire or promote women if menopause leave is legislated.
“People aren’t going to employ women, if this is all the mandated stuff that’s going to come in, and this is a reality for those of us that live in the real world,” Hughes said.
“Women will, whether it’s intentional or not, (have) bias against (them) when it comes to promotion, when it comes to employment.”
The stance from Hughes contrasts with a movement which has sought to show how menopause impacts women's careers, pushing back against the stigma around the issue.
Why menopause leave matters
Australian research into the impact of menopause on women’s careers found 17% of women aged 45 to 64 reported taking an extended break from work in the last five years.
Menopause was also found to be a significant factor in women retiring 7.4 years earlier, on average, than men. That means a loss of earnings of more than $577,512 per woman – and along with that less superannuation and less comfort in retirement.
Christina Hobbs, General Manager of Advocacy at GuildSuper’s parent company Future Group, says Hughes couldn’t be more wrong about the impact of workplace policies designed to support those experiencing menopause.
“As somebody who’s founded a business and is now general manager of a financial services company in Australia, one that is performing very well as well as bringing these policies ... our concern is in attracting and retaining women,” Hobbs told the Senate committee.
“It’s ensuring that everyone can come up to work and perform their best.”
Medicine and menopause
There has been a global shortage of menopause medications this year, which have left women without the medication to help them manage symptoms for months at a time.
Hormone replacement therapy patches are often prescribed to help manage the symptoms of menopause - which can include high anxiety, depression, mood swings, forgetfulness or brain fog.
The Estalis hormone replacement therapy patches, for example, are still on the Therapeutic Goods Administration’s list of medicines experiencing shortages.
Shortages aren’t the only challenge women face getting treatment for menopause symptoms. The Australian Medical Association (AMA) is concerned that socioeconomic status, ethnicity, age, disability, employment status and geographic location greatly impact the ability of someone experiencing menopause to access treatment.
Australia is currently without a national framework or action plan for menopause, and the AMA hopes that the Senate inquiry will recommend creating such a plan.
An action plan would include an analysis of medical and therapeutic support to combat the symptoms of menopause. This would help medical professionals understand the treatment options available and how they can support women.