To wonder whether menstrual and menopause leave is a good thing?

[prettyvisitors]

name changed as this involves my work, so I don’t want to be identified.

My company are currently looking into their policies, and have been asked by some staff to consider making changes or additions to various policies. We have a very active women’s network at work, which is a great part of working for my company as there’s a space to discuss women’s issues in and out of work, and it creates a lovely atmosphere. Some members of the group have asked SLT to look into offering specific menstrual and menopause leave, which is a new concept although is being offered at some other companies. The idea is you will get some paid leave on top of normal sick leave to accommodate women’s health issues.

Am I being unreasonable to feel uncomfortable with this? When I’ve seen discussions of it prior to this conversation at work I’ve not liked it, as I don’t love the idea that women need “special time off” from work just simply because they’re women. I’m worried it becomes more of a way for men to not hire us, in the same way maternity leave clearly still impacts women in the workplace. Our workplace already has a generous fully paid sick leave allowance and a very flexible working policy with complete working from home if you want to, as and when, so I feel that a lot of menstrual issues can be covered in this way under the standard policy without needing to target women. But then again, I know I really benefit from and enjoy more open discussion of these things at our work, so maybe this is just the next step?

I don’t know, my thoughts aren’t fully formed enough to discuss them in our women’s group yet as some people are very passionate about it, and I don’t want to upset them or make them feel against something when I don’t really know how I feel.

Wondering if anyone else has any better ideas than me on it?

Bad idea if you are that bad you wdf or take a sock day.

People will take the piss and just use it as leave and ruin it for those that need it as a cohort woman will be judged as not able etc

Entirely agree.

@YukoandHiro its tricky. Obviously some women do have really difficult pregnancies, but you can also predict which women are going to be off for the whole of their pregnancy, and which ones you’re going to have to send home because they are trying to soldier on. Overall I’m not a fan of inherently pathologising women’s biology.

Like all other things, it 'raises awareness', yes, but whether any other 'practical support' is actually relevant depends on the type of job. And of course, whether upper management are happy to accept that making 'concessions' actually requires resources.