mn should start a campaign for women to have several period days a year

[sarahighseas]

I suffer from really bad periods. My work have a policy of only paying for 3 sick days per year.

I easy use more than this just with bad periods.

Anyone else think women should get more sick days to allow for periods?

Surfsup1
It does depend on where you work. Some places I've worked are really chill about sick days and we had bosses and employees calling in "sick" on new game releases (yes, we still were very productive company with high quality products because we had happy workers). I've also worked at places that require a doctor's note to avoid disciplinary action.

Obviously you don't toss a sick day on deadline day (or even call in sick unless you're dying for that matter). That's why I said at her discretion, meaning be wise about it. If it's a lull in the production period or you're working the dead shift, calling in sick isn't a big deal.

I look at it like speeding. Not a huge deal if you're smart about it. But if it backfires, you have only yourself to blame.

Even if its deadly quiet at work and unlikely to impact anyone, it's still unethical to call in sick unless you actually are sick.

So, OP, if your periods are so bad they prevent you from working, have you seen a docropptor?

I agree Star, it's essentially theft.

I mean, I've done it, but it's still not justifiable. If the bosses are doing it too then I can only assume they are not the owners, so they are equally wrong.

Owl - that sounds scary!

They are far more efficient at stopping these things than a doctor.

(Bloody ipad)

docropptor makes me imagine a cross between a doctor and a helicopter in some sort of unnatural man-machine fusion

That would scare plenty of health problems away

I'd like to know what my ipad thinks it means and why I might want to type that rather than, you know, a real word.

Anyway, I've found ibuprofen brilliant for bad periods.

I've seen many doctors , nothing really helps. If they are really heavy I just have to have a bottle of red wine in the bath

Never taken a sick day due to period pain in my life. Yabu, get to a GP

Red wine instead of painkillers?

Or as well? If so, I hope you're aware that you need to take care when mixing some painkillers (i.e. paracetamol) with alcohol.

Red wine instead of proper pain killers? No way.

Noooo! Terrible idea, YABU!

I had a lady who worked for me pull this with her previous male boss, who being a bloke didn't want to deal with 'women's business' so sent her home everytime she complained of period pains. When she tried this with me I offered her paracetamol and made a nice cup of tea, once done I said right back to work then! She got the message and never tried it again.

Jeez, this would make gaining credibility in the workplace even harder for women!

Thank goodness I don't work with anyone who takes the fraudulent and dishonest approach to sickness bulbasaur is advocating. It stinks quite frankly.

Sarah, have the checked you for endometriosis? I had it for years and was horribly effected by it - could not possibly have left the house for a couple of days per month. Totally fixed with a quick laparoscopy.

This actually happens in Japan

Most places in Japan make employees use a day of their paid vacation if they are sick. I would be astounded if period leave is common here. I'll ask DW (who is Japanese) if she has ever heard of this.

Docropter is my new favourite word! No, I don't think more sick leave just for period pain is right, but at the same time really heavy periods ARE a 'real' illness/problem. Mine used to be so awful I couldn't do anything, I'd cramp like I was in labour, and I'd flood my clothes a couple of times a day. I had a hysterectomy (not for the periods) and it wasn't until then I realises how much my life was taken over by them.

From the Wikipedia link posted up thread.

While Japanese law requires that a woman going through especially difficult menstruation be allowed to take leave, it does not require companies to provide paid leave or extra pay for women who choose to work during menstruation.

I thought so. If your period becomes unbearable, you can take your leave. You don't get any extra leave for it.

Whilst I think the OP's suggestion is a little bonkers for a number of reasons, it is not as unreasonable as bulb's attitude to sick days. Shame on you bulb and on your colleagues who do the same.

There isn't always a fix for period problems (other than perhaps hysterectomy which has its own issues) and they can be debilitating. I'm a SAHM and I need constant access to a loo due to flooding during my period. I also have crippling PMS that makes it really difficult for me to function.

I've been seeing doctors about my periods since I was 14 (so more than quarter of a century) and no fix yet.

Badlad If your period becomes unbearable, you can take your leave. You don't get any extra leave for it.

It's actually saying you get extra leave but you don't necessarily get paid for it. A bit like childcare days I think.

I don't understand how you think being truly sick won't make everything cease to function, but faking sick will

Doesn't matter it I'm truly sick or faking sick. If for any reason I don't go into work, people have their operations cancelled. We don't have the luxury of being able to afford spare anaesthetists in my hospital to hang around and cover if someone is sick.

I don't think it's at all like speeding (which if you're really smart about it, you don't do either. It has this irritating habit of causing serious injury, which drags me out of bed at 3am to deal with).

Perhaps working with people who are genuinely ill gives a different outlook.

Enlighten me, Schmee, which part - which specific words - says that extra leave is given?

I am a SAHM at the moment but when I was working I would have liked it. I don't have painful periods but for two days each period ( I don't have them monthly) I bleed so heavily I force out a super plus extra tampon in less than an hour and fill night-time pads in about the same. I have to sit on a towel to save my furniture. I have been the same since my periods started.
When I was at school I had to have time off each time, as I couldn't get through a lesson without changing my sanitary towel and leaving splodges of blood on the chairs.
And before anyone says it isn't normal, I know that and have been under a consultant gynaecologist for the past 10 years. It is due to PCOS and I can't have hormonal treatments for other reasons.

I remember being in labour and waiting for the pain to get worse than bad period pains. I was still waiting when I started to push.