Public policy shapes whether people can access informed care, reliable health information, and workplace support. Through the Menopause Equity Initiative (MEI), the UConn Health Disparities Institute (HDI) works alongside the Menopause Equity Collective (MEC), community members, healthcare providers, advocates, policymakers, and other partners to bring lived experiences into policy conversations and advance more equitable systems of care and support.
Policy Progress and Advocacy
During the 2026 legislative session, Connecticut made progress in two connected areas: menopause care and workplace disability-accommodation awareness. A menopause-specific provision required developing a statewide provider toolkit, while broader workplace provisions increased employees' access to information about disability-related accommodation rights.
Learn more about these policy advancements and ongoing advocacy efforts.
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Learn how community voices, lived experiences, and partnerships helped move menopause equity from public awareness to legislative action and implementation in Connecticut.
Menopause Provider Toolkit — Public Act 26-13, Section 18
Workplace Accommodations and Disability Rights — 2026 Legislative Advocacy and Public Act 26-12, Sections 30–31
During the 2026 legislative session, the Menopause Equity Collective supported efforts to make workplace protections for menopause-related conditions more explicit.
State Representative Kai Belton described the legislative outcome as important progress for workers:
"We also advanced protections for workers experiencing menopause-related symptoms through changes to Connecticut's disability and workplace accommodation framework."
—State Representative Kai Belton, MEI Impact Report: From Community Concerns to Legislative Action
Sections 30 and 31 of Public Act 26-12 require the Connecticut Department of Labor to provide information about the Americans with Disabilities Act and require employers to notify employees about their right to reasonable workplace accommodations for a disability under federal law.
Although the final law does not specifically name menopause, these provisions can increase awareness of accommodation rights that may apply when menopause-related impairments meet the definition of a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Eligibility for workplace accommodations depends on each person's circumstances and how their symptoms affect major life activities.