Microsoft and the NBA Are Offering Menopause Benefits to Keep Women in Workforce
More companies highlight policies as older women gain ground
Menopause costs the national economy $26.6 billion a year in lost productivity and medical expenses.
Photographer: elenaleonova/E+/Getty ImagesMicrosoft Corp., Palantir Technologies Inc., and Abercrombie & Fitch Co. are among a small but increasing number of US businesses offering menopause benefits, with women most likely to be affected now representing 20% of the female workforce.
About 4% of employers that offer sick leave are providing additional support for menopause such as access to hormone therapy and counseling, according to a report Tuesday by benefits consultant NFP. The survey, which polled 522 human resources employees involved in creating and updating their companies’ leave policies, found that about a third of businesses that don’t currently provide accommodations for menopause are open to offering them in the next five years. It was the first time NFP asked the question about menopause benefits.