Period Leave: Perk or Right?

Conversations around workplace inclusion often leave out one of the most routine yet stigmatized aspects of women’s health, i.e.,menstruation. For many women, what should be a matter of basic support turns into daily discomfort because workplaces fail to consider menstrual needs as part of employee well-being.

A recent study on menstrual hygiene management in Kerala’s urban workplaces highlights this gap. Over 62% of women reported facing challenges in disposing of menstrual waste due to inadequate facilities, leading to discomfort and reduced concentration at work. Conducted by the Sree Uthradom Thirunal Academy of Medical Science and published in March 2024, the findings underline how even states with high literacy levels continue to overlook menstrual health in their workplace infrastructure.

Karnataka’s groundbreaking menstrual leave policy, introduced on October 12, 2025, is now facing judicial scrutiny. What began as a progressive step, granting one paid menstrual leave day per month to all working women across public, private, and informal sectors has moved from policy debate to the courtroom. 

Currently, the matter is being heard by the Karnataka High Court, which will examine whether such leave can be mandated through an executive order or requires legislative backing.

Even as the legal debate continues, Karnataka’s policy has sparked a much-needed conversation on normalizing menstruation as a routine health experience deserving institutional support. Inspired by global precedents in Spain and Indonesia, and mirrored by companies like Zomato and Swiggy, it redefines menstrual leave, not as a perk, but as a workplace right.

This move breaks the silence around menstrual discomfort, legitimizes women’s health needs, and nudges workplaces toward genuine inclusion. When policy reflects lived realities, equality shifts from an idea to everyday practice.

Menstrual leave, then, isn’t a special privilege but a fundamental right—an affirmation of health, dignity, and fairness at work.

Why Menstrual Leave is a Necessity

Karnataka’s decision to grant one paid period leave per month isn’t a perk—it’s a necessity. By recognizing menstruation as a natural process that needs workplace support, the policy upholds women’s dignity, well-being, and equity across all sectors.

Data from a 2025 U.S. study assessing menstrual cycle symptoms reveals that 45.2% of women reported absenteeism due to menstrual symptoms, losing on average 5.8 workdays annually. Yet absenteeism tells only part of the story. The same study highlights that presenteeism, working while impaired by pain, fatigue, and mood changes, was far more prevalent, affecting 80.7% of women. This presenteeism leads to a loss of nearly 9 days of productive work annually, far exceeding days lost to actual absence. Symptoms during menstruation significantly diminish concentration, efficiency, energy levels, workplace relationships, and mood, showing that without accommodations, women struggle to perform optimally.

Despite increased awareness and education about menstruation in India over recent years, the social stigma surrounding periods remains deeply rooted. The workplace culture and outlook towards periods in corporate India are not conducive to fostering period sensitivity. Many women continue to suffer silently, choosing not to disclose their pain or seek rest due to fear of judgment or discrimination. 

According to estimates by the Endometriosis Society India, over 25 million women suffer from endometriosis, a condition that can cause such intense pain during periods that women may pass out. Additionally, the Clinical Evidence Handbook notes that 20 percent of women experience symptoms like cramps and nausea that are debilitating enough to hamper daily activities. This persistent stigma creates a barrier to open discussion, leaving women to endure painful symptoms in silence, which affects their productivity and overall well-being.

Hence, it is imperative to recognize that menstrual or period leave is not a privilege or a freebie, but a long-overdue right that countless women in this country still await.

Recognizing Menstrual Health as a Workplace Right

In the landmark Francis Coralie Mullin v. The Administrator, the Supreme Court held that Article 21 goes beyond mere survival, it’s the right to live with human dignity, free from degrading conditions.

Yet, India currently lacks any central legislation mandating menstrual leave. While some states and companies have voluntarily adopted policies, there is no nationwide legal framework ensuring paid menstrual leave as a workplace right. This legislative gap leaves many women vulnerable to workplace insensitivity and stigma, denying them a basic accommodation essential to their health and well-being.

In Shailendra Mani Tripathi v. Union of India (2023), the Supreme Court dismissed the PIL for nationwide paid menstrual leave, deeming it a policy choice for government, not judicial mandate and warning mandates could worsen hiring discrimination against women.

In this current case as well, Karnataka’s government is vigorously defending its one-day paid menstrual leave policy before the High Court. They argue it directly advances constitutional guarantees: Article 14’s equal protection of laws, Article 15’s ban on sex-based discrimination, and Articles 21’s mandate for life with dignity plus humane working conditions.

Women aren’t lobbying for handouts or extras. They’re insisting on workplaces that acknowledge the harsh reality of severe menstrual pain and treat it with the basic respect it deserves.

Leading With Examples 

Many Asian countries have menstrual leave policies, although the extent of implementation varies. Japan, as early as 1947, introduced a law requiring companies to allow women to take unpaid period leave for as long as necessary. However, a 2020 Labor Ministry survey found that only around 30 percent of companies provide full or partial pay during this leave. South Korea’s policy allows women one unpaid day off per month for menstrual leave. Taiwan offers three days of menstrual leave with partial pay under its Act of Gender Equality in Employment. Indonesia passed legislation in 2003 granting women two days of paid menstrual leave monthly without prior notice. Similarly, Zambia implemented a policy in 2015 where female workers can take a day off, referred to as ‘Mother’s Day,’ for menstruation without advance arrangements.

In India, Bihar took an early lead by introducing a policy in 1992 that allows women employees two days of paid menstrual leave every month. More recently, Kerala extended menstrual leave rights in 2023 to female students across all universities and institutions, alongside granting up to 60 days of maternity leave for students above 18 years of age. Odisha has also enacted provisions granting one day of menstrual leave per month for government employees under 55. 

Several Indian companies have begun adopting menstrual leave policies that recognize the importance of supporting women’s health and well-being at work. iVIPANAN offers 12 paid leaves annually, taking inspiration from Zomato’s 10-day policy. Swiggy provides two paid days each month, while Mathrubhumi allows employees the flexibility of working from home or taking a full day off. Magzter grants one paid day per month, and IndustryARC offers one or two days with the option of work compensation. FlyMyBiz also provides 12 paid leaves a year, and Gozoop was among the early adopters, introducing one paid day per month.

Together, these examples signal a slow but meaningful cultural shift , one where menstruation is no longer treated as an inconvenience to manage, but as a natural, recurring reality that workplaces can and should accommodate. 

The Road Ahead Has Hinderances

“Menstruation is not a ‘handicap’ and it shouldn’t warrant a specific policy for ‘paid leave,'” stated former minister Smriti Irani, reflecting a common perspective that challenges the need for designated menstrual leave policies. 

Even while addressing a public address litigation, Former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud emphasized that mandating menstrual leave might inadvertently cause women to be shunned from the workforce. He asserted, “We do not want that what we try to do to protect women can act to their disadvantage,” underlining that menstrual leave is a matter best addressed through policy rather than judicial intervention. The Supreme Court permitted the petitioner to approach the Ministry of Women and Child Development to explore if a model policy could be framed after stakeholder consultations, clarifying that their ruling would not hinder states from taking independent steps.

The Right of Women to Menstrual Leave and Free Access to Menstrual Health Products Bill, 2022, which proposes three days of paid leave for women and transwomen during menstruation, is still pending and has not yet become law. 

Menstrual leave must be understood not as a workplace concession, but as a fundamental right that upholds equality, health, and dignity at work. However, to make this right meaningful, policy alone is not enough. Workplaces need sustained cultural change that trains managers to lead with empathy, builds awareness around menstrual health, and integrates supportive accommodations like flexible schedules or rest provisions when required. Clear reporting structures, transparent communication, and strong anti-retaliation safeguards are equally important to ensure women can use these provisions without hesitation or bias.

At Ungender, we have seen that organizations become stronger when inclusion moves beyond paperwork and enters everyday practice. Menstrual equity is one of the clearest tests of that maturity, it reveals whether a workplace can approach lived realities with understanding rather than discomfort, and care rather than avoidance.

Because the true measure of inclusion isn’t in written policies but in how confidently people can bring their real selves to work, every single day. As this conversation gains momentum across India, perhaps the real question is not whether menstrual leave belongs in our workplaces, but whether a workplace can truly call itself inclusive if it leaves menstruation out of the conversation.