Rhode Island is the first state to provide menopause accommodations at work

Rhode Island will now provide workplace accommodations for women experiencing menopause. The groundbreaking move makes the state the first ever to mandate any accommodations related to menopause by law. 

Effective June 24, 2025, the state’s Fair Employment Practices Act, which covers conditions relating to pregnancy, labor, and postpartum, added menopause to the list of conditions it covers. Under the amended act, reasonable accommodations for menopause or menopause-related conditions, including “the need to manage the effects of vasomotor symptoms,” such as hot flashes (one of the most common menopause symptoms), are included. The bill, however, did not provide more detail on what reasonable accommodations look like.

“Menopause is a difficult and personal subject that has been stigmatized in this country,” Senator Lori Urso (D-Dist. 8, Pawtucket), who introduced the legislation, earlier this year said in a press release. “But it’s high time we normalize it, especially for the benefit of women in the workplace.” Urso added that a lack of such protections contributes to the gender pay gap and causes women to lose leadership opportunities. 

Under Rhode Island’s Fair Employment Practices Act, the state already required employers with at least four employees to provide accommodations for pregnant persons and conditions related to pregnancy and childbirth. At least 31 states mandate such accommodations—a number that has been rising in recent years. All 50 states must require some accommodations for lactation, too, under the Fair Labor Standards Act. In 2022, the PUMP Act expanded those protections to include more industries, like nursing, education, truck and taxi drivers, and more. 

However, menopause accommodations have long been overlooked. That’s in spite of the fact that the normal, yet often uncomfortable, condition impacts nearly half the population. An estimated 85% of people experience symptoms such as mood swings, migraines, hot flashes, insomnia, anxiety, night sweats, and more during menopause. For some, those symptoms can be severe, however, until now, no state has legally acknowledged the condition in the workplace. 

The ACLU of Rhode Island spoke to the importance of the proposed legislation earlier in a press release prior to its passing. “Menopause is a natural and common phase in the lives of millions of individuals, but its impact and symptoms can have profound and long-lasting effects on a person’s health and daily life,” said Madalyn McGunagle, policy associate at the Rhode Island ACLU.

McGunagle continued, “The ACLU of Rhode Island supports this bill, which would make explicit that employers must provide reasonable accommodations to employees experiencing menopause, just as the law currently requires accommodations for various pregnancy-related conditions. By extending protections to those experiencing menopause, we can ensure that they are given the necessary accommodations to continue performing their jobs effectively.”

Unlike the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which was written in gender neutral language and covers transgender individuals, Rhode Island’s Fair Employment Practices Act does not include such language. Fast Company reached out to Senator Urso’s office to clarify whether menopause accommodations will include transgender individuals but did not hear back by the time of publication.