Employers with even one worker in either jurisdiction face new accommodation and notice duties from January 1, 2027
Illinois and Philadelphia both begin enforcing workplace menopause protections on January 1, 2027, leaving employers with workers in either place about seven weeks to prepare.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed the Illinois Menopause Equity and Care Act, Public Act 104-0793, on Aug. 7, 2026. It amends the Illinois Human Rights Act to bar discrimination and harassment over perimenopause, menopause and associated symptoms, and it covers employers with one or more employees, according to a benefits compliance bulletin from NIS Benefits.
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How the Illinois law works
The act adds menopause-related conditions to the state's definition of pregnancy, which brings them under the existing pregnancy accommodation framework, according to law firm Fisher Phillips. Employers must assess requests and, absent undue hardship, provide reasonable accommodations. The law also expands the notice employers must post under the Illinois Human Rights Act. Fisher Phillips advised employers to watch for an updated notice from the Illinois Department of Human Rights.
The National Law Review advised Illinois employers to review the way their handbooks describe reasonable accommodations. A handbook that mentions accommodation only for disability and pregnancy now leaves out a protected category.
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker signed Bill No. 250849 on Dec. 3, 2025, according to law firm Duane Morris. The ordinance amends the city's Fair Practices Ordinance to prohibit discrimination based on menstruation, perimenopause or menopause and to require accommodation. It takes effect on the same date as the Illinois law.
Rhode Island was first. Its law took effect on June 24, 2025 and requires employers to accommodate menopause-related conditions within the state's pregnancy accommodation framework, according to Morgan Lewis and the National Law Review.
Coverage and the wider trend
The Illinois act also reaches health insurance. A legal summary published by Mondaq says insured policies issued or renewed in Illinois must cover specified menopause and perimenopause treatments beginning January 1, 2028. Maryland will require insurers to cover evaluation and management of menopause and related conditions starting January 1, 2027, according to law firm Venable. Venable noted that Congress has considered, but not enacted, menopause-specific employment and benefits legislation.
Employer support is growing from a low base. The Society for Human Resource Management's 2026 Employee Benefits Study of 5,472 organizations found that 27 percent of employers offer menopause support or resources, up from 18 percent a year earlier.
Gallagher's benchmark data shows turnover climbing as employers plan growth on constrained workforces.
