Van Vliet v Footlaffs Ltd [2026]) – HR Lessons from a £32,000 Menopause Discrimination Claim
Menopause Discrimination Claim
Ms Van Vliet was a senior aesthetic therapist experiencing severe menopause symptoms.
She asked for a change to her working hours to avoid doing late night shifts. The request was not engaged with.
Her employer later failed to offer her a role in the successor business during a restructure. She was the only therapist left behind and not re-engaged.
The Tribunal concluded that the real issue was the perceived inconvenience of accommodating her symptoms and awarded her more than £32,000.
Lessons for HR
- Menopause can be a disability under the Equality Act where symptoms are long term and affect an employee’s ability to do their job.
- A flexible working request may also be a request for a reasonable adjustment for a disability.
- Deal properly with flexible working requests. Consult with your employee as to whether the request can be accommodated, explore alternatives that can be offered and make a decision within two months.
- If you’re saying ‘no’ to a flexible working request, have a clear and evidenced reason.
