Workplace Consulting Services
Physician-led. Evidence-based.
Menopause Happens. Great Workplaces Should Know What to Do.
We can help your organization. Our experience shows that it’s possible to bring this hidden subject out into the open relatively easily with the right approach.
Illinois Employers: Are You Ready for the New Menopause Law?
On January 1, 2027, menopause-related conditions become a protected status under the Illinois Human Rights Act. Employers must provide reasonable accommodations, post required notices, and engage in good-faith dialogue with every employee who asks.
Your lawyers will update the handbook. We prepare your people.
What changes on January 1
Menopause becomes a protected status. Discrimination and harassment based on menopause-related conditions — perimenopause, menopause, and symptoms like hot flashes, sleep disruption, cognitive and mood changes — are prohibited under the Illinois Human Rights Act.
Accommodations become mandatory. Flexible scheduling, modified hours, and temperature-adjusted workspaces, delivered through a required "interactive dialogue" with the employee.
Notice becomes required. Workplace postings and written policies must tell employees about their rights.
Coverage follows in 2028. Illinois health plans must cover medically necessary menopause evaluation and treatment starting January 1, 2028 — which means employee education becomes a benefits-utilization strategy, not just a wellness perk.
What we offer
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Your people leaders are on the front lines of employee support. We provide targeted training to help managers recognize common menopause-related health challenges—like brain fog, hot flashes, anxiety, or sleep disruption—and respond with appropriate accommodations and care.
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Small changes can make a big difference. We help companies reimagine their work environments, offering greater control over temperature, building in more frequent breaks, and adapting roles or routines to meet evolving needs.
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We help you build a workplace culture where conversations about menopause are normalized—not stigmatized. Through facilitated discussions and inclusive messaging, we make space for employees to share their experiences (if they choose to) and ask for the support they need to thrive.
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Whether it’s flexible scheduling, access to care, or clearer accommodations, your policies can be a powerful signal of support. We can help!
Menopausal women are the fastest-growing workplace demographic. Their experience, education, and knowledge give your business a competitive advantage. But many are suffering silently through menopause or dropping out of the workforce altogether.
This represents a cost to organizations as they struggle to hold on to female leaders, and a cost to women. Women want a more supportive and inclusive work culture, and can choose to leave when they don’t feel supported, especially during menopause. Left unaddressed, menopause represents a major barrier to career progression and limits women’s ability to thrive in the workplace.
The good news is that workplace fixes are not terribly costly or burdensome; they might be as simple as awareness and education. And the benefits certainly outweigh the costs. The benefits of making your organization more receptive to and understanding of menopausal issues include:
Increased employee retention
Reduced absenteeism
Improved productivity
Enhanced employee engagement
Better recruitment and retention
Greater profitability
Who we are
Maureen Tart, MD, FACOG
Maureen Tart, MD, FACOG, MSCP, is a board-certified OB/GYN and Menopause Society Certified Practitioner with more than 25 years in women's health in Chicago. A former Vice Chair of her OB/GYN department, she specializes in menopause and midlife health and is known for translating complex clinical information into practical, plain-language guidance. Learn more about Dr. Tart at Beyond Gyne Health.
Co-Founder
Kate Jackson, MA, MBA
Kate Jackson is Co-Founder of WM Retreats, where she brings the workplace half of the menopause conversation, building the case for employers and designing programs that turn clinical expertise into something organizations can actually act on. She is an entrepreneurship educator at Northwestern's Farley Center and Founder of the Girl Gonna Launch Foundation. She holds a BA and MA from the University of Chicago and an MBA from UCLA Anderson.
Co-Founder
Kristi Tough DeSapri, MD, MSCP, CCD
Kristi Tough DeSapri, MD, MSCP, CCD, is the founder of Bone & Body Women's Health and a national voice in bone health and menopause. A certified menopause practitioner and clinical densitometrist, she has held faculty appointments at Northwestern and the University of Chicago and trains physicians nationally in bone density interpretation You can learn more about Dr. DeSapri at Bone & Body Women’s Health.
Women's Bone Health Expert
Jill Foos, NBC-HWC, is a board-certified health and wellness coach and the founder of Jill Foos Wellness in Chicago. She works with midlife women on integrative nutrition, strength, and hormonal health, helping them trade scattered information for a structured long-term plan. She holds a B.A. from The George Washington University.
Nutritionist