With more than one third of workers in the finance sector who experience menopause symptoms saying it made them more likely to retire early, and over half saying menopause made them less likely to apply for a promotion, the Finance Sector Union is calling for the adoption of policies that include 12 days of paid menstrual and menopause leave. The union’s National Secretary, Julia Angrisano, said the finance sector lagged behind in the national gender pay gap, and recognising the profound impact of menstruation and the transition to menopause on its workers would help the sector to close the gap. The union surveyed 680 Australian finance workers in 2023-24, finding that almost 60 per cent of workers going through the menopausal transition were challenged by managing work demands and their symptoms. And 60 per cent said they did not feel like they could talk to their line manager about it. “Menopause and menstruation are workplace issues and its time they are treated like other forms of leave that the finance sector has led the way on – like paid maternity leave and domestic violence leave. “It’s clear from our members that too many women are struggling to balance the often-hidden symptoms of menopause and menstruation with their paid work. “Because menopause and menstruation are still largely taboo subjects, the lack of understanding and stigma means that workers suffer menopausal symptoms largely in silence. “The very great shame is that menopause often hits workers at a point in their careers when they would be in line for senior roles but are held back by their menopausal symptoms. “We need to treat the issue of menopause at work the way that mental health has been addressed. Stigmas and taboos need to be broken to support workers experiencing the menopausal transition.” The union is calling for all finance sector employers to follow the lead of workplaces like Cbus Super, Police Bank, Aware Super and NAB, and introduce 12 days per year menstruation and menopause leave, under a framework that provides advice, support, flexibility and paid leave to workers who are experiencing menopause. The framework promotes flexible working arrangements, changes to the physical work environment and cultural changes to better support workers to manage menstruation and menopause at work. In conjunction with the launch of this framework the FSU will be launching the Breaking Taboos campaign on 19 Sept which is Finance Industry Equal Pay Day. The campaign is designed to engage with members to help them normalise talking about menopause and menstruation and break the taboos and stigma that hold back workers who suffer these symptoms in the workplace. The FSU will also be releasing our menopause and menstruation leave framework to workers, providing vital information about the importance of paid leave and providing support to workers who are struggling to balance the symptoms of menopause and menstruation with work. | 
