On menstrual leave in the workspace

Lucy Lettice, co-founder of sustainable period care brand &SISTERS, explores the steps needed to achieve menstrual leave in the workspace.

At first glance, “menstrual leave” sounds like just the thing we need to normalise period pain and related chronic conditions in the workplace. A set amount of time off designed to support me during menstruation that doesn’t affect my annual holiday or sick leave? Sign me up. However, there’s a bigger picture to look at here; menstruation has been stigmatised worldwide for generations and comes from a long history of silence on the topic.

Research into menstrual health has been under-researched, underfunded and under regulated for decades, with menstrual pain swept under the rug because of society’s belief that period blood is “disgusting”.

However, on the flip side by using the term “menstrual leave” there’s potential for periods and gynaecological issues to detach further from chronic and general health concerns. 

There’s zero doubt that giving your colleague specific time off for period-related suffering has power, however we believe that adding a one liner permitting menstrual leave on the end of your sickness policy simply isn’t enough. It’s time employers realise half the population menstruates, and it’s time they were okay with that. 

The workplace must realise that periods and period-related issues are a genuine reason to take time off and accept them within the standard parameters of sick leave and flexible working. These policies should be readily available to support anyone who suffers with chronic conditions and should not ostracise a specific issue many of us experience over our lifetime.  

Societal factors play a huge big part in us seeking help and advice, especially if we’re suffering from menstrual discomfort. A huge number of us who have periods would rather tell their boss they’re suffering from diarrhoea rather than menstrual pain. Whether it’s because they felt embarrassed for openly “admitting” to being on their period or not believing that period pain is a justified reason to request time off, it’s clear that changing workplace attitudes towards menstrual and gynaecological conditions is a crucial initial step forward. 

One barrier of “menstrual leave” is the possible requirement of a doctor’s note in order to qualify for the time off. I’m sure we’ve all experienced just how difficult it is to even get an appointment with your GP, let alone a gynaecologist and many of us have discovered that our menstrual health is not taken as seriously as it should be. A lot of people fear being faced with discrimination, judgement or skeptisim when reporting chronic pain and period-related issues; sufferers of other common and debilitating gynaecological conditions such as PMDD, PCOS and endometriosis (to name a few) know all too well how long it can take to get a confirmed diagnosis. 

One third of people suffer from dysmenorrhea during their period, a crippling affliction that includes severe and frequent cramps and pain and can also be indicative of underlying conditions. Studies have shown that some people who experience severe period pain feel that they’re unable to complete their work to the best of their ability but also feel they cannot justify asking for time off. Due to social stigma surrounding periods, many sufferers feel like they just have to fight through the pain and have nowhere to turn. One way that a concept like “menstrual leave” could help these people is the safe knowledge that there is space for them to take time off work and manage their body, pain and symptoms on their own terms, just as nature intended.

Menstrual leave isn’t a new concept either, in fact Japan has offered this since 1947, however less than 10% of female workers regularly take part. A nationwide survey discovered that women felt reluctant to apply when they had a male superior or because so few of their peers actually took those days off. The fear of social stigma against menstruation can be felt across the world. A nefarious possibility is discrimination in the job market, there’s potential for patriarchal leadership to not employ or promote those who could qualify for menstrual leave.

I think it’s important to note that industrial right does not equal normalisation. Workplaces need to let their employees know that they truly respect the right to menstrual leave and build the right kind of company culture with better flexible working and sick leave policies designed for inclusivity and equality. Companies can easily embrace the concept by providing the most basic of amenities such as easy access to healthy period care by providing free products in their office bathrooms and sanitary bins. They also need to recognise the severity of periods for some people and encourage open and honest conversations between management and employees about their wellbeing. 

So, should people with severe period pain get paid time off work? Absolutely. Is “menstrual leave” enough of a step towards normalising periods in the workplace? Possibly.