Philadelphia has amended its Fair Practices Ordinance to expressly prohibit discrimination against employees experiencing menstruation, perimenopause, or menopause. This change expands existing protections related to reproductive health autonomy, pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions. Mayor Parker signed the legislation on December 3, 2025, and the amendment becomes effective on January 1, 2027.
Under the legislation, employers must provide reasonable accommodations when symptoms substantially interfere with an employee’s ability to perform one or more job functions. An accommodation must be requested by the employee and must not cause an undue hardship to the employer. Examples include additional restroom breaks, assistance with manual labor based tasks, adequate temperature control to address and alleviate hot flashes, and flexible or hybrid work schedules. These measures are designed to support employees while maintaining workplace operations.
Philadelphia is among the first major United States cities to adopt explicit protections for menstruation, perimenopause, and menopause, following a similar law passed by Rhode Island in June.