World of HR: Spain approves measure to provide paid menopause leave

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Spain just became the first European country to enshrine menopause protections in the workplace, Euro News reported.

Where in the world? As of December 1, women in Spain who are diagnosed with a secondary menopause disorder that limits their ability to work will have the right to tailored medical leave, as long as they can provide their employer with a doctor’s order that deems the condition “impairing” (i.e. severe hot flashes that can prevent work from being completed).

Employers will be responsible for the beneficiary’s salary on their first day of leave, after which social security benefits will take over. Workers must have contributed to social security for 180 days during the previous five years.

Spain was among the first countries to introduce period leave in 2023, though early reports found that just 1,559 women used the leave in its first year, due in part to its strict parameters, according to the Guardian.

The UK rejected a proposal to enact specific menopause protections in 2023 because the government felt the Equality Act already covered severe menopause symptoms, and was concerned new rules could create new problems.

Satellite view. Rhode Island became the first state in the US to guarantee menopause protections in 2025, when it mandated that employers must provide reasonable accommodations to people experiencing menopause symptoms.

Since then, Illinois, Washington, and California have enshrined similar rules, and more than half of states have introduced menopause-specific protections.

However, not everyone believes that early menopause legislation rules are practical.

“If you read the law, it actually doesn’t make a lot of sense because when it describes a non-exhaustive list of potential accommodations, they are all related to pregnancy,” Gregory Tumolo, shareholder and co-chair of the handbooks and policies practice group at Littler, told HR Brew of Rhode Island’s law last year.

Some employers, such as CVS, are taking proactive steps to become a “menopause-friendly” workplace through accommodation education and employee engagement.

“We spend a significant portion of our working lives navigating menopause,” Sarah Chavarria, CEO and president of Delta Dental Insurance Company, told USA Today. “Menopause affects both oral and whole-body health and in no way should managing these symptoms impact your success at work or your employment status.”