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French retail giant Carrefour to give workers with endometriosis extra paid days off

By Published On: May 26, 2023
French retail giant Carrefour to give workers with endometriosis extra paid days off

The French retail giant Carrefour has announced it will allow workers with endometriosis to take 12 days of extra paid leave per year.

The move, Carrefour says, is part of its long-term commitment to championing women’s health in the workplace and supporting female employees suffering from endometriosis, as well as those recovering from miscarriages and undergoing IVF.

The new measure will be first rolled in France and will cover about 50,000 of the 200,000 employees who work at the distributor globally. However, the giant has said it will soon make the change in all countries it operates in.

According to a statement published on its website, Carrefour says it has come up with a number of solutions to help women overcome health challenges more easily and has introduced a welfare protection scheme which includes:

  • 12 days of authorised medical leave per year for women with endometriosis who are in possession of a document – recognised by the company – confirming their condition (official recognition of their status as a worker with a disability), or an inclusivity card, or a disability certificate issued by the CPAM sickness insurance fund;
  • three days of authorised medical leave following a miscarriage;
  • one day of leave for women undergoing IVF at the time of embryo transfer, in addition to the legal measures already in place.

“Gender equality in the workplace is not just a theory for us. On the contrary, it is something quite real that takes women’s specific circumstances into account in the performance of their jobs – particularly when it comes to their health,” said Alexandre Bompard, chairman and chief executive officer of the Carrefour Group.

“Through our commitments regarding endometriosis, IVF and miscarriages, we are seeking to improve day-to-day life for our 50,000 female employees, as well as going even further and helping to evolve practices in all companies.”

The extra days of leave, which previously required a medical certificate and which could result in women incurring several days of absence, will be supported and financed by Carrefour France for all female employees, the group has said.

The three measures will also include an awareness-raising campaign which aims to instruct managers as to how to behave in relation to the various health problems women may encounter at work.

Women concerned will also be encouraged to consult the free and anonymous psychological support service that is open to all employees, Carrefour has added.

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