Beginning Jan. 1, the city will prohibit discrimination on the basis of menstruation, perimenopause, and menopause, and will require employers to provide reasonable accommodations for related needs.
Beginning Jan. 1, the city will prohibit discrimination on the basis of menstruation, perimenopause, and menopause, and will require employers to provide reasonable accommodations for related needs. The updated Philadelphia Code will protect employees from discrimination because they need accommodations for symptoms of hormonal cycles and changes.
Imagine you’re a server at a busy restaurant that requires you to wear a form-fitting, polyester shirt as part of the uniform. When a hot flash hits, you are a sweaty mess. You really wish your employer would let you wear a cotton T-shirt instead.
Recently, I’ve taken up strength training, protein shakes, and needlepoint. I’m clearly leaning into my identity as a woman over 50. I believe the Philadelphia ordinance is a model for other cities and states to provide relief for workers suffering from symptoms of hormonal cycles and changes while balancing the needs of employers.
fewer than one-third of programs included curriculum on menopause. This is despite the fact that every single woman, if she lives long enough, will go through it.
Section 9-1128 , which requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations for needs related to pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition. That list now also includes “symptoms of menstruation, perimenopause, or menopause” — provided the employee requests the accommodation and it does not cause an undue hardship for the employer.
and described the physical and emotional symptoms women and girls may face during these life stages. These symptoms include abdominal or pelvic cramping, fatigue, mood changes, headaches, irregular menstrual cycles, hot flashes, sleep disturbances, and cognitive changes. Employers will not have to accommodate every symptom, only those that “substantially interfere with an employee’s ability to perform one or more job functions.” Although the new ordinance does not define “substantially interfere,” the intent is to require accommodations when a worker cannot perform some part of her job — for instance, if period pain is so high that a retail worker cannot stand for their shift, or if hot flashes prevent a food service worker from staying in the kitchen.
laws also prohibit employers from discriminating against people with disabilities and require reasonable accommodations to allow them to perform the essential functions of the job.during menstrual cycles, face an uphill battle. Instead of requiring employees who experience these sorts of symptoms to fit their cases into other statutes, Philadelphia’s new ordinance makes protection clear and explicit.
: access to bathrooms and drinking water, brief flexible breaks, breathable uniforms, temperature control to manage hot flashes, fans or ventilation, ability to layer clothing, stocked period products, and brief scheduling flexibility. The type of accommodations necessary will change depending on the employee’s industry. Many women who experience symptoms already can decide what they wear to work, when they take a bathroom break, and maybe even whether to work remotely. However, for workers in retail and service, or other workplaces with strict break policies, the ability to request a bathroom break or to drink water during a shift could significantly ease symptoms. Just as the accommodations required will differ by job and industry, the employer’s ability to demonstrate undue hardship will also differ. Under the Philadelphia Code, undue hardship is anthat considers such factors as the cost of the accommodations, the size of the workforce, and the employer’s financial resources. The devil is in the details, of course, but come January 2027, relief should be on the way for workers who are just trying to do their jobs while suffering from symptoms caused by menstruation, perimenopause, and menopause.
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