Zora Health / Employer guide / Bulgaria
Support your experienced employees through menopause, and help them stay at their best.
Two thirds of Bulgarian women aged 55 to 64 are in work, above the EU average, and medical costs are rising far faster than the European average. Zora Health helps you build practical menopause support, from workplace policies and manager training to confidential care navigation and access to 128+ partner clinics in 16 countries, around your workforce and budget. Companies including Hilton, LinkedIn, Sanofi, HSBC, Mastercard, Carousell and Singapore Management University work with us.
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Five things Bulgarian HR leaders should know
- 67.0% of Bulgarian women aged 55 to 64 were in work in 2025, above the EU average of 60.8%.
- Patients choose a GP and need a referral to see a specialist.
- GP visits carry a user fee of €1.48, or €0.51 for pensioners.
- The employer pays the first 2 working days of sick leave at up to 70%; the National Social Security Institute then pays 80% or 90%.
- Aon projects Bulgaria’s medical trend at 21.0% for 2026, against a European average of 8.2%.
Why menopause is a business problem for employers
Menopause rarely announces itself at work. It looks like a senior manager who slept four hours, a wave of heat in the middle of a client meeting, a word that will not come in front of the board. Symptoms come and go for years. Many women do not link them to menopause, and fewer tell their manager.
So the cost stays out of your reports. It shows up instead as:
- Working through it. 67.0% of Bulgarian women aged 55 to 64 were in work in 2025 (Eurostat), so most go through menopause on the job.
- Referral needed. Patients need a GP referral to see a specialist (European Commission, 2026), which can slow access to menopause care.
- Rising costs. Aon projects an 18.7% rise in medical costs after inflation for 2026 (Aon, 2026 report), so private care is getting more expensive for employees.
- Little local data. We found no Bulgarian study on menopause age, symptoms or work. A confidential survey of your own employees is the quickest way to see the picture in your company.
What employers gain
Keep the people who know how your business runs
Replacing an employee costs one-half to two times their annual salary, according to Gallup. With 67.0% of Bulgarian women aged 55 to 64 in work, many of your most experienced employees will go through menopause at work. A written policy, trained managers and quick access to the right doctor can help address barriers that contribute to employee attrition.
Stand out to experienced women
Sofia is a fast-growing hub for tech and shared services, and few employers offer structured menopause support. A clear offer stands out to senior women weighing their next move.
Make menopause support financially predictable
Aon projects Bulgaria’s medical trend at 21.0% for 2026, or 18.7% after inflation (Aon, 2026 report). Much of what helps menopause costs very little: a flexible start time, a fan, a manager who knows what to say.
Zora helps employers set an annual allowance or top-up around NHIF cover and your private health benefits, so HR can run the programme within an agreed budget. The benefit works alongside your existing insurance.
Want to see what this would look like for your Bulgarian workforce?
What menopause care costs, and what the state pays
Employees are covered by the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF). Small user fees apply, and many employers add private health benefits.
| Item | Public support | What the employee still carries |
|---|---|---|
| GP visit | Covered by the NHIF | A user fee of €1.48, or €0.51 for pensioners |
| Specialist care | Covered on a GP referral | Private fees for direct or faster access |
| Hospital stay | Covered by the NHIF | €0.51 a day for the first 10 days |
From the European Commission guide to social security in Bulgaria, 2026. We could not confirm HRT reimbursement or private consultation fees. These are published examples, not guaranteed current prices: actual costs depend on cover, clinic, doctor and treatment, so confirm fees with the provider before budgeting.
67.0% of Bulgarian women aged 55 to 64 were in work in 2025.
We have found no menopause workplace law or guidance in Bulgaria. For employers, the practical opportunity is to help employees recognise their symptoms, understand their options and reach appropriate clinical advice sooner.
Menopause support that fits your workforce and budget
You do not need to overhaul your existing health insurance to support employees through menopause. Start with awareness and manager education, add confidential one-to-one support, or introduce a fuller programme across your offices. There is no minimum company size.
Where included in the employer programme, eligible employees can use talks and care navigation without paying Zora a separate fee. Care navigation allowances are set in each proposal. Treatment and other third-party costs are paid separately, either by employees or through the allowance their employer provides.
Companies starting the conversation
Essentials
Expert-led talks for employees and managers, menopause policy templates, manager guides and full access to the Zora app. Up to 2 talks a year.
Employees supported one to one
Navigation
Everything in Essentials, plus confidential one-to-one care navigation and access to our partner clinic network.
Large teams across countries
Complete
Everything in Navigation, plus quarterly anonymised reporting, a dedicated account manager and scheduled review meetings with HR.
Optional add-ons can be added to any programme, subject to availability: hormone diagnostics and telehealth with specialists. Pricing is tailored to your headcount, your countries and the services you choose. Most companies start with a single talk.
Request a proposal See how Zora works for employers
Comparing menopause benefit providers? Use our RFP question bank
Our question bank has 40 questions for multi-country benefits teams, with why each one matters, what a good answer looks like and a scoring sheet for three providers. Six of the questions for menopause support in Bulgaria:
- Is menopause support included as standard, or only fertility?
- What access do employees get to menopause specialists and hormone testing, and how quickly?
- How does the programme help employees reach a menopause specialist quickly, given the GP referral requirement?
- Do you provide fertility and menopause policy templates for our markets?
- How can an employee get help confidentially without telling their manager?
- What individual-level data does HR see?
Your download link appears as soon as you submit. Zora Health may contact you about employee benefits; see our privacy policy.
Plan your menopause benefit budget
Menopause care allowance planner
Model the annual claims budget for a menopause care allowance. Change any number.
This is a claims budget, not a Zora quotation. Zora’s programme fees, implementation and optional services are separate.
It estimates the annual budget for a menopause care allowance from your eligible workforce, expected utilisation and allowance per employee, and assumes each user claims the full allowance. Eligible employees defaults to 15% as a stand-in for women aged 45 and over; use your own headcount data. The default allowance of €300 is an illustrative figure for private consultations, tests and treatment. Utilisation is an editable assumption, not observed Zora data. For a proposal covering both programme costs and employee benefits, request an employer proposal.
Estimate the potential workforce impact of menopause symptoms
A rough planning scenario. It applies a published estimate to your headcount, so it is not a prediction for your workforce, a measured loss or a forecast of savings from any programme.
Range: €8,582 to €25,979 a year, depending on replacement cost.
Assumptions: 13.4% of working women aged 45 to 60 reported at least one adverse work outcome due to menopause symptoms, and those who missed work lost a median of 3 days a year (Faubion et al., Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 2023). This was a US clinic sample, so treat it as a rough benchmark for Bulgaria. The default salary is the 2024 Eurostat average full-time adjusted salary for Bulgaria, €15,387. Use your own. Replacing an employee costs one-half to two times their annual salary (Gallup, 2019); the headline uses the low end. Absence is valued at salary divided by 250 working days. Exit rate is your own assumption.
Already have corporate health insurance? Here is where Zora fits
Your medical plan may cover some consultations and treatment. Employees still need to recognise their symptoms, understand their options and find a doctor who knows menopause care, and many never get that far.
Zora works alongside your existing insurance and benefits. We help employees get reliable information, navigate their care options and reach suitable specialists, and we give HR manager training, policy templates and, on the Complete programme, anonymised reporting. You strengthen menopause support without replacing your medical plan.
How Zora works
For your employees
Employees join the Zora app with a company code, or single sign-on for larger teams. They can learn about perimenopause and menopause, understand what your benefit covers, book a confidential care navigation call and find partner doctors and specialists.
For HR
- Kick-off, week 1. Agree goals, countries and which employees are eligible.
- Policy and benefit design, weeks 2 to 4. Draft or update your menopause policy and flexible work guidance using our templates.
- Launch, typically weeks 4 to 6. A launch talk for employees and managers, plus a communications pack for HR to send.
- Live support. Employees book care navigation calls and use the Zora app.
- Reporting, every 3 months, on the Complete programme. Anonymised usage, common themes and our recommendations, reviewed with your account manager.
Privacy
On the Complete programme, HR receives anonymised, aggregated reports only: how many employees used the programme, which services they used and the common themes. On every programme, HR never sees an individual employee’s health information, bookings or test results, and employees can get help without telling their manager. Employee data is stored on Amazon Web Services in Singapore and handled in line with Singapore’s Personal Data Protection Act.
Clinics and doctors in Bulgaria
Zora’s clinic and doctor directory does not list providers in Bulgaria yet. It lists 421 clinics and 1,185 doctors across 25 countries, mostly in Asia Pacific and the Middle East (browse clinics or browse doctors). Employees in Bulgaria can still use Zora’s education and the Zora app. Ask us how your team in Bulgaria would use Zora before you launch. See Zora’s employer guides for every country.
Rules and eligibility in Bulgaria
Sick pay
The employer covers the first 2 working days of sick leave at up to 70% of daily gross pay. After that, the National Social Security Institute pays 80% or 90% of average daily gross pay over the last 18 months, with 6 months of insurance required (European Commission).
No menopause workplace rules
We have found no menopause-specific workplace law or guidance in Bulgaria. A written company policy is the clearest way to set expectations for managers.
EU strategy and a new standard
The EU Gender Equality Strategy 2026 to 2030 includes menopause, with a study planned for 2028, and European trade unions launched a campaign for EU menopause-at-work legislation in October 2026 (Euronews). ISO 45010, published in September 2026, gives guidance on menstruation and menopause in the workplace, including risk assessment and individual adjustments (ecnews.it).
Why employers choose Zora
Companies including Hilton, LinkedIn, Sanofi, HSBC, Mastercard, Carousell and Singapore Management University work with Zora Health. We work alongside your existing insurance, helping employees use the cover they already have and find suitable doctors and specialists based on their needs.
Zora Health helped me to reclaim my confidence to thrive at work!
Questions HR teams ask us
Do Bulgarian employers have to give menopause leave?
No. There is no menopause leave. Employees use sick leave, holiday or flexible arrangements unless their employer offers more.
Who pays sick pay in Bulgaria?
The employer pays the first 2 working days at up to 70%. The National Social Security Institute then pays 80% or 90%.
What does a GP visit cost in Bulgaria?
A user fee of €1.48, or €0.51 for pensioners.
Do employees need a referral to see a gynaecologist in Bulgaria?
Patients need a GP referral to see a specialist.
How many Bulgarian women work in their late fifties and early sixties?
67.0% of women aged 55 to 64 were in work in 2025.
Does Zora replace our health insurance?
No. Zora works alongside your insurance. We help employees understand their options, find suitable specialists and use the cover they already have.
How much does menopause support cost an employer?
It depends on the programme, any allowance and expected uptake. Use the budget planner on this page for a first estimate, then ask us for a tailored proposal based on your headcount and countries.
How quickly can we launch?
Typically 4 to 6 weeks from contract to launch, depending on scope and countries. Most companies start with a single talk.
Related guides for Bulgarian employers
Build a menopause support programme for your team
Whether you are introducing menopause benefits for the first time or improving an existing programme, tell us your headcount, countries and priorities. We will come back within two working days with suitable services, an indicative budget and a practical rollout plan for your Bulgarian team. No obligation.
Sources
- Eurostat, Employment rates by sex and age, 2025
- Eurostat, Average full-time adjusted salary per employee, 2024
- European Commission, Your social security rights in Bulgaria, 2026
- Aon, Global Medical Trend Rates Report 2026
- Euronews, Trade unions call for EU law on menopause at work, 17 October 2026
- ecnews.it, ISO 45010 on menstruation and menopause in the workplace, September 2026
- Gallup, This fixable problem costs US businesses $1 trillion, 2019
- Mayo Clinic News Network, Faubion et al., Impact of menopause symptoms on women in the workplace, Mayo Clinic Proceedings, April 2023