The council has voted unanimously to become the first endometriosis-friendly local authority in the north of England.
Redcar deputy mayor Keri Cowley was diagnosed with the condition when she was in her early 20s and has struggled with “excruciating pain” for years.
As well as Redcar and Cleveland Council, Southwark and Stoke-on-Trent city councils have joined a national scheme run by the charity Endometriosis UK to help employees better manage the condition alongside work.
The 43-year-old said it would be “huge” to get more businesses on board and make sure “no one is struggling alone”.
The deputy mayor said: “As a woman who has lived with this condition for a long time, I know all too well the difficulties many other women face.
“One in 10 women also suffer and struggle to be listened to or heard, and it takes eight to 10 years to get a diagnosis.”
Cowley described how she was lying in the bath one day in “absolute agony”, decided to look for support groups in the area and discovered endometriosis in the UK.
She said that before she was diagnosed, she always went to doctors with pain and did not understand what was wrong.
“They told me it was irritable bowel syndrome or just heavy periods, they told me a lot of reasons why I was in so much pain,” she said.
“It’s much bigger, it’s talked about more, and it requires more awareness.”
Endometriosis occurs when cells similar to the lining of a woman's uterus grow in other parts of the body and can lead to severe pain and fertility problems.
Fay Farthing, director of the Endometriosis UK Campaign, said she looked forward to working with Redcar and Cleveland Council to help tackle the “stigma” of the condition.
“We are delighted to hear that the council is committed to informing other employers locally about the Endometriosis Friendly Employer Scheme, as well as working more broadly to improve support for those affected by endometriosis.”
