menopause policy

Summary

A request was made for a standardized formal policy on female and male menopause within the Isle of Man public sector, but the Cabinet Office confirmed that no such specific policy is held.

Key Facts

• The Office of Human Resources does not hold a formal policy specifically relating to female or male menopause.
• Employees absent due to menopause symptoms are covered under the existing Management of Sickness Absence Policy.
• Menopause is not explicitly defined as a disability under the Equality Act 2017, though symptoms may meet the definition on a case-by-case basis.
• The disability provisions of the Equality Act 2017 were scheduled to come into force on 1 January 2020.
• The request was formally closed on 15 January 2019 with an outcome of 'Information not held'.

Data Disclosed

• 28 December 2018
• 15 January 2019
• 1 January 2020
• 687968
• Equality Act 2017
• Freedom of Information Act 2015

Original Request

is there a standardised formal policy on female menopause and male menopause, are there any gaps or any variances in each part of the public sector and are they compatible with the Equality Act?

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Government Office Douglas Isle of Man IM1 3PN Telephone: (+44) 01624 686244 Website: www.gov.im/co

Our ref: 687968 15 January 2019

Dear ###

We write further to your request which was received on 28 December 2018 and which states:

"is there a standardised formal policy on female menopause and male menopause, are there any gaps or any variances in each part of the public sector and are they compatible with the Equality Act?"

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the public authority does not hold the information that you have requested. There is currently no formal policy held by the Office of Human Resources, Isle of Man Government, specifically in relation to the female and male menopause. To provide you with advice and assistance, we can advise that if an employee is absent due to the symptoms of the menopause, the Management of Sickness Absence Policy applies. This policy is available on the Isle of Man Government website at https://hr.gov.im/sickness-and-absence/ .
With reference to the Equality Act 2017, the menopause is not defined as a disability under this Act, however, the symptoms of the menopause may meet the definition of disability and each case will be unique. The disability provisions of the Equality Act 2017 come into force on 1 January 2020.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post. Please quote the reference number 687968 in any future communications.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.

I will now close your request as of this date.

Yours sincerely