Menopause at work in France does not entitle employees to any specific statutory leave, but an employee can obtain adjustments under occupational health, safety and non-discrimination rules. The most practical route is often the occupational physician, who can recommend workplace adjustments without disclosing the diagnosis to the employer.

The issue potentially affects many people: the report submitted to the Government by MP Stéphanie Rist in April 2025 refers to 17.2 million women over 45 in France. According to the same report, one in two women believes menopause affects her work, and 20 to 25% experience severe symptoms. Yet French law creates no special status, so it is important to know how to use the mechanisms already available.

What rights actually exist for menopause at work in France?

The first point is simple: the Labour Code provides neither menopause leave nor an automatic right to specific days off. A bill tabled on 21 January 2025 by MP Delphine Lingemann notably proposes a trial of dedicated sick leave and adding the subject to the mid-career medical examination, but it was referred to the Social Affairs Committee. For its part, the April 2025 Rist report rejected the creation of specific leave, particularly because of the risk of hiring discrimination and its cost.

This does not mean an employee must simply endure troublesome symptoms without a solution. Three general protections may apply: the employer's safety obligation under Article L4121-1 of the Labour Code, the ban on health-related discrimination under Article L1132-1, and recommendations from the occupational physician, governed in particular by Articles L4624-3 and L4624-6.

In practice, if symptoms are severe and medically justify sick leave, time off work can be prescribed under the usual rules. Otherwise, the main issue is adapting working conditions: hours, remote work, breaks or workstation organisation according to needs and the arrangements applicable in the company.

Why is the occupational physician the best source of support?

For an employee who does not want to discuss menopause with her manager, the occupational physician provides a particularly useful route. She does not have to disclose her diagnosis to her employer. The physician is bound by medical confidentiality and can issue adjustment recommendations without stating their cause.

These recommendations carry practical weight. If an employer decides not to follow them, it must explain the reasons for its refusal in writing to the employee and the occupational physician. This significantly changes the nature of the request: instead of having to convince her manager alone that her symptoms warrant an adjustment, the employee can rely on a professional recommendation focused on her ability to work in suitable conditions.

In my view, this is where the difference lies between abstract awareness and a genuinely usable approach: start by defining the work problem that needs solving. Difficulty coping with certain hours, an occasional need to work remotely or the need for extra breaks are much more actionable requests than a general discussion about menopause.

Which agreements already provide practical adjustments?

Collective bargaining is moving faster than legislation. According to an analysis published by Capstan, 182 company agreements filed in Légifrance's ACCO database mention menopause: 32 through the end of 2023, 35 in 2024, 76 in 2025 and 39 during the first seven months of 2026. However, only two include the word “menopause” directly in their title: the agreement of the Les Eaux Vives Emmaüs association dated 24 June 2024 and Cahute's agreement dated 24 March 2025.

The measures adopted mainly show that there is no single model. Crédit agricole Technologies et Services provides three additional remote-working days per month in the event of menopause symptoms. Plan International France grants one additional remote-working day per week when symptoms are temporarily disabling. At Coallia, the scheme includes one paid day per month based on a sworn statement, flexible hours and clothing made from natural fibres.

Other approaches exist. CRIT provides an additional break without reducing effective working time. Pro BTP reimburses up to €125 per year for menopause treatments not covered by the French social security system. In March 2026, Metro France extended its menstrual leave to gynaecological issues, with two days per month and continued pay.

The movement also extends beyond individual companies. An agreement dated 8 April 2026 in the national collective agreement for salaried employees of construction economics and quantity-surveying firms provides one to three remote-working days per week for people experiencing temporarily disabling menopause-related symptoms, in consultation with their manager. In companies with union representatives, negotiations on professional equality and quality of working life under Article L2242-1 also provide a framework in which the issue can be addressed.

How can you request an adjustment from your employer?

An effective approach can be taken in several stages. Start by identifying precisely what is making work difficult and what adjustment could genuinely help: occasional remote work, more flexible hours, an extra break or a practical workstation change. Then check your collective agreement and the agreements applicable in your company: some employees already have rights that are more favourable than the statutory minimum without necessarily knowing it.

• 1. Define the need: describe the work-related difficulties and the adjustment you want, without feeling obliged to disclose a diagnosis.
• 2. Contact occupational health: request an assessment when symptoms affect your working conditions.
• 3. Obtain recommendations: the occupational physician can recommend adjustments to the employer while respecting medical confidentiality.
• 4. Make a traceable request: send the adjustment request to the appropriate contact in the company, relying where available on medical recommendations and applicable collective provisions.
• 5. Review the response: if the employer refuses to follow the occupational physician's recommendations, it must give written reasons for that refusal to the employee and the physician.

This method avoids presenting the request as an attempt to obtain a privilege. It puts it back in its proper context: enabling work to continue under conditions compatible with the employee's health and the employer's obligations.

Frequently asked questions

Is there statutory menopause leave in France?

No. No provision of the Labour Code currently provides specific menopause leave. Companies and collective agreements may, however, introduce days off, remote work or other more favourable measures.

Do you have to tell your employer that you are menopausal?

No. An employee does not have to disclose her diagnosis to her employer. The occupational physician is bound by medical confidentiality and can provide adjustment recommendations without stating the medical reason behind them.

What legal grounds can support a request for an adjustment?

A request may notably rely on the safety obligation in Article L4121-1, protection against health-related discrimination in Article L1132-1, and the rules on occupational physician recommendations in Articles L4624-3 and L4624-6. The applicable collective agreement and company agreements should also be checked.

Which companies have already introduced menopause-related measures?

Examples identified include Crédit agricole Technologies et Services, Plan International France, Coallia, CRIT, Pro BTP and Metro France. Measures range from additional remote work to breaks, flexible hours, paid days off and reimbursement for certain treatments.