Limerick Council to call on employers to provide extra support to staff

LIMERICK councillors have called on employers locally and nationally to help staff meet work commitments while managing the impacts of menopause, perimenopause and menstruation.

Independent City East councillor Ursula Gavan saw a notice of motion passed at January’s full council meeting which will now lead to a formal request being made by the local authority.

She wants a conversation to begin to help the more than half of workers impacted by these issues.

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Cllr Gavan believes more than half the working population are affected.

And she also thinks this will also help companies stand out as they compete to recruit and retain talent in a challenging labour market.

“Everyone’s menstrual/menopausal experience is unique, and the level of support needed may vary. Yet workplaces are not always set up to deal with the reality of what they go through, and it’s not often something that is openly talked about either,” she said.

Her motion was supported by Cllr Elisa O’Donovan, Social Democrats and Cllr Sharon Benson, Sinn Fein.

Cllr Gavan says there are a number of simple initiatives company bosses can do immediately.

Among these are providing free sanitary products to all staff and making sure there are accessible, proper toilet facilities.

She also wants to see the use of darker fabrics for upholstered furniture and permission for employees to wear darker clothes, with more breathable fabrics.

Offices, she added, could have a form of temperature control for those experiencing hot flashes.

Improved training could also be offered to line managers and supervisors, the former Sinn Fein councillor suggested.

Her motion came as part of the trade union backed Stop the Stigma campaign to raise awareness.