In the bustling halls of American enterprise, a silent transition is occurring every day, affecting the lives of a substantial demographic of the U.S. workforce. We're referring to perimenopause and menopause. You shouldn't be surprised, and it shouldn't be a secret. After all, 75% of American women in their 40s and 50s (the window in which perimenopause and menopause usually occur) continue to contribute vigorously to the economy. More specifically, the same percentage of women (75%) between the ages of 45 and 54 are in the U.S. workforce.
The bottom line here is that roughly 27 million employees, or 20% of the U.S. workforce, are in some stage of menopause transition, and the number of post-menopausal women is expected to reach 1.1 billion globally by 2025.
Yet, a mere fraction of U.S. employers acknowledge, much less accommodate, the unique challenges posed by this natural phase of life — a transition that isn't limited only to employees who identify as women but which certainly comes to the forefront with Women's History Month. For example, one 2023 study found that only about 4% of U.S. employers that offer sick leave are providing additional support for menopause, such as access to hormone therapy and counseling for employees experiencing the vast range of symptoms associated with this physiological and psychological change.
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