Karnataka approves one-day paid menstrual leave; experts urge rules to be made more women-friendly

BENGALURU: As the State Cabinet on Thursday approved Menstrual Leave Policy that allows one-day paid leave every month for women employees working in government and private sector, stakeholders urged the government to make the rules more women-friendly that will enable them to avail leave without hesitation.

While women organisations welcomed the move, industrial representatives expressed concern over unplanned leaves that may hamper work.

Labour Minister Santosh Lad said they were working on this for the last one year.

"We had consulted industries and we will consult them again before framing the rules,'' he said.

Prathiba R from the Garments and Textile Workers Unions hailed the move.

The policy will help garment workers which constitute 90 per cent of the women workforce.

"They get only 15 to 20 earned leaves in a year. During discussions in the committee, it was pointed out what if women misuse it. Every time, when the issue of leaves, including maternity leave, comes up, they say it will be misused. This is not correct,'' she said.

She said many women might hesitate to seek MLP leave but companies should make it women-friendly.

FKCCI President Uma Reddy said that giving an extra leave for women may not be a burden for big companies but for the MSME sector which is already going through a bad patch, it may pose additional burden.

Uma said there will be some uncertainty at workplace.

"If there are women in large numbers, this may hamper work in general,'' she said. This may also lead to women not being given priority during hiring, she added. Dr Sowmya Sangmesh, consultant obstetrician and laparoscopic surgeon, has her reservations.

"Many misuse even maternity leave. How will one be certified if they are having cramps or discomfort. Menstrual cycle, for some it may not feel discomfort, but for some, it will. This does not make logic, if a woman avails leave on the first day, what about the second day if she feels pain or discomfort,” she questioned.

A woman police constable, however, welcomed the move. "But it is difficult to avail it," she said.

The story is reported by Ashwini M Sripad for The New Indian Express