Menopause at centre of increasing number of UK employment tribunals

Rise in women taking employers to court citing event as proof of unfair dismissal and discrimination

• Case study: the social worker fired while perimenopausal

Growing numbers of women are taking their employers to court citing the menopause as proof of unfair dismissal and direct sex discrimination, researchers have said.

According to the latest UK data, there were five employment tribunals referencing the claimant's menopause in 2018, six in 2019 and 16 in 2020. There have been 10 in the first six months of 2021 alone.