Illinois employers will soon face new obligations concerning employees and applicants experiencing menopause-related conditions. On August 7, 2026, Governor JB Pritzker signed the Illinois Menopause Equity and Care Act (the “Act”), which amends the Illinois Human Rights Act (“IHRA”) to extend workplace protections to menopause-related conditions. The Act’s amendments to the IHRA take effect January 1, 2027.
Expanded Protections Under the IHRA
The Act expands the IHRA’s definition of “pregnancy” to include a “menopause-related condition,” defined to include perimenopause, menopause, and associated medical or symptomatic conditions, including vasomotor symptoms, sleep disruption, cognitive or mood changes, and osteoporosis-related changes.
Beginning January 1, 2027, menopause-related conditions will therefore be covered by the IHRA’s existing protections against pregnancy discrimination and its reasonable accommodation requirements. Employers may not discriminate against an employee or applicant based on a menopause-related condition and may not deny a reasonable accommodation for a known condition unless the employer can demonstrate that the accommodation would impose an undue hardship.
The IHRA’s existing pregnancy accommodation provisions will also apply to menopause-related conditions. Among other things, an employer may not require an employee to accept an accommodation the employee did not request or require an employee to take leave if another reasonable accommodation can be provided.
Reasonable Accommodations
The Act also expands the IHRA’s examples of potential reasonable accommodations. Specifically, the statute will expressly recognize flexible scheduling or modified work hours and temperature- or climate-adjusted workspaces as potential accommodations.
Depending on the circumstances, other accommodations already recognized under the IHRA may also be appropriate, including more frequent or longer breaks, temporary modification of job duties, reassignment to a vacant position, or leave. Employers should evaluate requests on an individualized basis and engage in the interactive process to determine whether a reasonable accommodation is available.
Notice and Handbook Requirements
The Act also affects employers’ existing notice obligations. The IHRA requires employers to post information concerning employees’ rights to reasonable accommodations for pregnancy and related conditions in a conspicuous workplace location and to include such information in employee handbooks, if the employer maintains a handbook.
Beginning January 1, 2027, those notices and handbook provisions will need to account for the IHRA’s expanded protections for menopause-related conditions. Employers should monitor the Illinois Department of Human Rights for updated notices and guidance.
Takeaways
The Illinois Menopause Equity and Care Act expands employers’ existing obligations under the IHRA to expressly cover menopause-related conditions. Employers with Illinois employees should review their anti-discrimination and reasonable accommodation policies, employee handbooks, workplace notices, and accommodation practices and train HR personnel and managers on the expanded protections before they take effect on January 1, 2027.
If you have any questions regarding the Illinois Menopause Equity and Care Act or its impact on your business, please contact the authors of this post or your regular Saul Ewing attorney.
