A new law in Illinois requires health plans to cover therapies for menopause, and another new law in Philadelphia prohibits employers from discriminating based on menopause or menstruation. Several other states provide legal protections for female employees experiencing menopause, but Philadelphia is the first major city to provide these protections.

• In Illinois, a new law requires individual and group health plans to cover treatments for menopause symptoms.
• In Philadelphia, a new law bars employers from discriminating against employees based on menopause, perimenopause, or menstruation, and requires accommodations for employees based on menopause, perimenopause, or menstruation symptoms.
• The Illinois law took effect on January 1, 2026, and the Philadelphia law will take effect on January 1, 2027.

The Illinois law requires that health plans cover menopause therapies that are medically necessary and recommended by a qualified physician. It includes hormonal and non-hormonal treatments that are proven safe and effective in peer-reviewed studies.

The Philadelphia law adds “menstruation, perimenopause, menopause” to the list of protected traits or conditions in the city’s antidiscrimination statute, the Philadelphia Fair Practices Ordinance (PFPO). It requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to employees for needs related to menstruation, perimenopause, and menopause, if the symptoms substantially interfere with an employee’s ability to perform one or more...

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