Workplace Case Study: Arthritis Society Canada

Reviewing the full suite of HR policies and benefits annually based on employee feedback and expert recommendations (e.g. Menopause Foundation of Canada’s Creating a Menopause Inclusive Workplace: A Playbook for Employers). Recent updates include:

• Updating the Pregnancy, New Parents and Peri/Menopause HR policy. All reasonable steps are taken to accommodate an individual unable to perform their essential duties because of peri/menopausal symptoms, such as adjusting schedules.
• Ensuring individuals absent from work due to peri/menopausal symptoms can, under our policy, use any sick, personal or other paid time off to cover their absence.
• Reducing unnecessary barriers to support, such as requiring a doctor’s note for accommodations.
• Facilitating coverage verification with the benefits provider for menopause-related medications and treatments.
• Ensuring flexibility in the employee health care spending account and healthy living account to support the needs of all employees, including women experiencing menopause.
• Offering access to a virtual health care service to address concerns and write prescriptions to address menopause symptoms, without having to leave home or work.

Confirming the physical environment is as menopause inclusive as possible: Our Downtown Toronto office, where most of our staff are based, is a large, bright, well-ventilated and well-air-conditioned open workspace, with smaller more private meeting rooms, including a Meditation Room, with the overarching design goal of maximizing physical and emotional wellness.

We welcomed Janet Ko, President and Co-Founder of the Menopause Foundation of Canada, to one of our monthly national CEO-led all-staff Fire Halls, to level-set on awareness and to provide education and training on creating a menopause-inclusive workplace.

Our CEO facilitated a focus group roundtable with a segment of our staff to review the revised policy and learn how we can be a more menopause inclusive workplace.