Zora Health / Employer guide / New Zealand
Support your experienced employees through menopause, and help them stay at their best.
A quarter of New Zealand women with symptoms say menopause halved their ability to work, yet only one in ten has told her manager. 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 New Zealand HR leaders should know
- The average age of menopause in New Zealand is 51.
- In a 2023 NZIER study of 1,061 women aged 40 to 60, three quarters of those with symptoms said symptoms harmed their work, and 24% said their ability to work fell by at least half.
- Only 11% had talked to their manager, and 94% of employers surveyed had no concerns about performance.
- Any employee can request flexible work from day one, and employers must reply within one month.
- There is no menopause-specific law or leave. Employees get 10 days of paid sick leave a year.
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:
- Lower performance. In the NZIER study for Global Women, three quarters of women with symptoms said symptoms harmed their work, and 24% said their ability to work fell by at least half (NZIER, The Silent Transition, 2023).
- Silence at work. Only 11% had talked to their manager, while 94% of the 500 employers surveyed said they had no concerns about performance.
- Small changes wanted. Women most wanted to work from home (22%), flexible start and finish times (20%) and reduced hours (14%).
- Wide reach. 89% of women aged 40 to 60 had experienced new or worsening symptoms (Understanding menopause, women.govt.nz).
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. Women’s labour force participation was 66.8% in early 2026 (Stats NZ, via Figure.NZ), so many of your 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
The NZIER study found most employers were unaware of the problem. A clear menopause offer, explained in your benefits pack, stands out to senior women weighing their next move.
Make menopause support financially predictable
Aon projects New Zealand’s medical trend at 18.0% for 2026 (Aon, October 2026). 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 public care and your group plan, 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 New Zealand workforce?
What menopause care costs, and what the state pays
Public health care covers much of menopause treatment, with GP fees and prescription charges paid by the patient. Some employers add private health insurance for faster specialist access.
| Item | Public support | What the employee still carries |
|---|---|---|
| Funded HRT | Pharmac funds oestradiol patches (Estradot and Estradiol TDP Mylan from 1 December 2025) and oestradiol gel | A $5 prescription charge for most adults |
| GP visits | Subsidised | A GP fee that varies by practice |
| Time off for appointments | 10 days of paid sick leave a year for eligible employees | No menopause leave |
From Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa, 1News and Employment New Zealand. Pharmac reported supply problems with some HRT products in 2026. We could not confirm current GP 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.
Only 11% of New Zealand women with menopause symptoms had talked to their manager about them.
We have found no government menopause guidance for New Zealand employers. 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 New Zealand:
- 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 managers respond to flexible work requests under Part 6AA of the Employment Relations Act within the one-month deadline?
- 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 NZ$1,500 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: NZ$41,275 to NZ$124,942 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 New Zealand. The default salary is median weekly earnings of NZ$1,419 (June 2026 quarter) multiplied by 52. 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 New Zealand
Zora’s directory lists 14 clinics and 37 doctors in New Zealand. Locations include Auckland, Wellington and Hamilton, and 4 of the clinics list menopause care among their services.
Employees can browse clinics in New Zealand and find a doctor in New Zealand on the Zora app. The directory is for information only and is not an endorsement. See Zora’s employer guides for every country.
Rules and eligibility in New Zealand
Flexible work requests
Under Part 6AA of the Employment Relations Act 2000, any employee can request flexible work from their first day. The employer must reply as soon as possible and no later than one month, and may refuse only on listed business grounds (Employment New Zealand).
Discrimination risk
Sex discrimination under the Human Rights Act may, in some circumstances, include failing to reasonably accommodate gender-specific health conditions such as menopause, though menopause is not dealt with specifically in law (Anderson Lloyd, July 2025).
Employment Leave Act 2026
The new Act replaces the Holidays Act. Sick leave will accrue in hours from day one (HCAMag, August 2026). Until then, eligible employees get 10 days of paid sick leave a year (Employment New Zealand).
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 New Zealand employers have to give menopause leave?
No. There is no menopause leave. Employees use sick leave, annual leave or flexible work unless their employer offers more.
Can employees ask for flexible work because of menopause?
Yes. Any employee can request flexible work from day one, and the employer must reply within one month.
How does menopause affect work in New Zealand?
In a 2023 NZIER study of 1,061 women, three quarters of those with symptoms said symptoms harmed their work, and 24% said their ability to work fell by at least half.
Is HRT funded in New Zealand?
Pharmac funds oestradiol patches and gel. Most adults pay a $5 prescription charge.
At what age do women in New Zealand reach menopause?
The average age is 51, and most women reach it between 45 and 55.
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 New Zealand 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 New Zealand team. No obligation.
Sources
- Understanding menopause, women.govt.nz, 2025
- NZIER for Global Women, The Silent Transition: Understanding the Impacts of Menopause in New Zealand Workplaces, 2023 (1,061 women, 500 employers)
- Stats NZ Household Labour Force Survey via Figure.NZ, 2026
- Stats NZ earnings data via NEWS WIRE, September 2026
- Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa, Pharmac to fund Estradot and Estradiol TDP Mylan, June 2025
- 1News, Budget 2024: $5 prescription fee returns, May 2024
- Employment New Zealand, Sick leave
- Employment New Zealand, Requesting flexible working arrangements, December 2025
- Anderson Lloyd, Mind the legal gap, July 2025
- HCAMag, Employment Leave Act to take effect in August 2028
- Aon, APAC medical cost growth, October 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