Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson has signed an executive order that tells state agencies to create on-the-job accommodations for people experiencing perimenopause and menopause. The move is designed to keep midcareer employees, and the leadership experience they bring, in the workforce. State officials say the order should give managers practical ways to respond when symptoms like hot flashes, insomnia and brain fog start cutting into the workday.
Executive Order 26-01 puts the Washington State Women’s Commission in charge of working with cabinet agencies to roll out those accommodations, develop training and draft guidance that both state and private employers can use. The governor’s office points out that about 38% of working women in Washington are between 40 and 59 years old and may be dealing with perimenopausal or menopausal symptoms. “We are losing women in the workforce with tremendous knowledge and experience,” Ferguson said, according to the Office of the Governor. Local coverage of the signing also appeared on KOIN.
What the order directs
The Women’s Commission will team up with the Department of Health, the Health Care Authority and the Bree Collaborative to pinpoint best practices and update policies for public employees, as well as write guidance that private employers can adopt if they choose. Examples already on the table include telework options, more flexible dress codes, and better access to cold water and temperature control at work. The commission is also charged with creating manager training so supervisors know how to respond and employees understand their rights and how to ask for help, according to The Spokesman-Review.
The numbers behind the push
Supporters point to national research that shows menopause is already reshaping the workforce. About two in five women have thought about leaving or actually left a job because of menopausal symptoms, and one in four considered stepping back from leadership opportunities, according to the Society for Women’s Health Research. A 2023 Mayo Clinic study estimated that uncontrolled menopausal symptoms cost the United States roughly $1.8 billion each year in lost work time, as reported in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. A national survey by AARP found that about 90% of women age 35 and older report menopausal symptoms that can interfere with daily life, according to AARP.
What employers should expect
The executive order directly binds state agencies, but the playbook it produces is meant to be usable by private employers as well. The Washington State Women’s Commission is expected to submit a report with recommendations and best practices by April 30, 2027, and it will begin drafting training materials and model policies this year, according to KUOW. Many of the changes advocates are pushing, such as flexible scheduling, better access to water and improved temperature control, are relatively low-cost and are aimed squarely at keeping midcareer staff in their jobs.
Where this fits nationally
Washington joins a growing lineup of states and employers that are treating menopause as a workplace issue instead of a private problem. In 2025, Rhode Island amended its Fair Employment Practices Act so that employers must provide reasonable accommodations for menopause-related conditions. Legal analysts say state-level rules like these are intended to patch gaps where federal protections are less explicit and to cut down on turnover among experienced workers, according to Nixon Peabody. Employers in other states have already tested manager training and modest workplace tweaks that advocates say reduce absenteeism and lost productivity.
Advocates' reaction
Advocates are treating Ferguson’s move as a long-overdue update to workplace equity. “Menopause has been invisible in workplace policy for too long,” Brittany Gregory, executive director of the Washington State Women’s Commission, said, calling the order “smart workforce policy” that helps experienced employees stay, grow and lead, according to the Office of the Governor. The commission says it will bring health-care stakeholders, labor representatives and employers into the conversation as it crafts the final guidance.
