The following article first appeared on Robinson+Cole’s Manufacturing Law Blog. It is reposted here with permission.
In a landmark move, Rhode Island has become the first state in the U.S. to mandate workplace accommodations for employees and applicants experiencing menopause and related medical conditions.
The law became effective June 24, 2025, amending the Rhode Island Fair Employment Practices Act, to explicitly include menopause as a protected condition.
This requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations for menopause, joining pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions.
The new law applies to employers with four or more employees, and requires such employers to engage in a timely, interactive process to identify reasonable accommodations for individuals experiencing menopause or related conditions, such as vasomotor symptoms, commonly referred to as hot flashes and night sweats.
Under the law, employers are prohibited from: (1) denying employment opportunities based on the need for menopause-related accommodations; and (2) requiring employees to take leave if another reasonable accommodation can be provided.
While the law does not yet define specific accommodations for menopause, it builds on the existing framework for pregnancy-related accommodations, which may include flexible scheduling, modified work environments, or additional breaks.
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