To think menstrual leave should be a thing?

[ItsTheSeasonOfTheStick]

It might just be me, but I find coming into work on my period really hard. I get awful cramps, I feel sick, I am exhausted even after sleeping a full night and I can feel myself bleeding all the time. I just find it so overwhelming and I’m in an awful mood. I’d happily work extra hours for the rest of the month to make up for it, but I genuinely find the first couple of days so hard to work through.

That’s the problem — and we shouldn’t end up on capability for something that is so debilitating. I’ve suffered very badly with my periods for the last 5 years (I always thought it was stress due to COVID, my dad passing away, studying a course, moving house, new job etc). I concealed it from work because I’ve been so terrified of being put on capability and losing my job or not being considered for promotion. Women’s health is not being taken seriously or being supported and women such as myself are really suffering. I appreciate this isn’t every woman’s experience.

I understand why you’re saying this but I don’t think it should be specifically period leave. I have endometriosis and some months it is awful. I have had to take two days off in the last year for it and was honest and said my endometriosis was in flair up and I was in too much pain. Work were fine and treated it as any other absence.

It doesn't affect us all badly enough that we're unable to work though which is why it would be difficult.

I lost my job because my child had cancer. I'd like to see some paid leave for parents with ill children but I don't see that happening either.

I’ve always felt fine, if a bit uncomfortable, on my period but just recently I’ve been getting severe headaches a few days before that can be bad enough to be off work for. Think it is part of my peri symptoms.

I agree that employers should be understanding to particular issues
around the needs for individuals and flexible working requests taken seriously.

This.

My family has a long line of women with complications with fibroids which have resulting in at debilitating periods.

I would not be impressed if I had to continually cover a colleague's work because they were on continually off on menstrual leave. Nobody minds the odd day. but regular absences would be unacceptable.

That is truly awful. I hope your son is doing ok now.

I get that it leaves work short but I have had adjustments for it
my sickness is way higher than most people but work knew it was temporary while waiting for an operation
my colleagues have mostly been understanding but yes I’m sure there is a lot of shit talked about my high absence for “periods”

You say that but the company I work for has exempted Menopause symptoms from our absence percentage

If you're fit to work, then you work. If you're too unwell you're not. That's the threshold, and this is the case whatever the nature of the complaint.

If you have a diagnosed condition then, if this becomes a problem for your employer, it's possible you might be protected under sex discrimination criterion of the EA 2010. However, anyone in this position should take legal advice ASAP because I'm only flagging a possibility. It's not a given, and as ever this will depend on individual circumstances. If employers notice specific patterns of absence and there are not reasonable adjustments on record, then it's very likely you'll be asked to justify it. And that's fair.

This is the overall issue I'd have first and foremost with any suggestion of leave for this issue. Each case is judged on its merits: a blanket 'menstruation leave' will do nothing but put women even further back in terms of our workplace rights, progression, and the usual glass ceiling.

There are many fights still to be won, medical misogyny not the least of them. Were this not the problem that it clearly is, then the whole thing might just be less of a problem in the workplace. Some women have to fight tooth and nail to get their hands on much-needed HRT, and an endometriosis diagnoses took years for me - my doctor refused to believe it was anything other than a hernia.

This is a complex issue and takes more unpicking that a suggested 'solution' that would cause more problems than it prevents: not that this is being mooted seriously anywhere other than on Mumsnet.

What a fantastic company. I’m seeing more and more employers recognising menopause. We have menopause cover in our healthcare cover at work. I want to see support for menstruation and hormonal issues in women.

He's been in remission for just over a year now and is doing well. Thanks.

I would tolerate covering for a short period but after that I would not be interested in covering at all. I empathize with the issue but I would essentially be doing job and a bit for no extra money. That would be a no from me.

My job luckily doesn’t mean anyone needs to cover for me in a way, call centre work
it was about 6-9 months of high sickness and capability meetings while I was waiting for a surgery date
I donated all my leftover leave to a colleague who had a child with cancer so she could be off and get paid so I needed some flexibility back

In some countries in Asia there actually is ‘Menstruation Leave’ that can be used. Im not sure if historically it evolved from when some cultures used to believe that a woman was unclean during her period or not, and if it came from a better ideology.
still exists in some countries

Basically women have tried hard to compete in a man’s world - designed for men - if men had periods, menopause , pregnancy and everything else that goes with being a woman - then playing field would have been different.

it is not weak , for a woman to have adjustments made, that’s bull that we’ve been fed along with we need to be the same as men.
whilst I know how lucky women in this current modern - more developed countries are in , we’ve also lost a lot through this ‘equality’
sometimes I genuinely wonder if we did ours ever any favours?

I say this- whilst loving my profession -and have gone far in it and have worked since I was 14- in my late 40/ now and tired!!

Even this idea that we shouldn’t ask for adjustments made cos they would employ more men - is unfair - cos it stops women asking for something that a man wouldn’t think twice about if they were experiencing something similar

Ok? Then so be it. If men bled and had excrutiating pain for days or weeks on end then they'd be off too.

My periods are awful, luckily I work in a predominantly female team and work from home when things are bad, I have ademyosis and couldn't work in a job without that flexibility

Hi OP, I'm sorry to hear you are having a hard time.
We now have 10 days per year of 'reproductive leave' in Qld Australia. This covers difficult periods, menopausal symptoms, pap smears etc, breast screens, testicle or prostate checks, etc.
I've used mine for a(nother) ultrasound to check whether I have uterine cancer (I don't). Other people have used them for migraines or whatever stops them from functioning properly at work.
I work in healthcare - it's nice that our health and well-being is finally being prioritised as well as that of our patients.
Coming to work when you are not well just puts other at risk.
Hope things improve for you soon x

Looove this!!! Way to go Australia 🇦🇺

There is a huge difference between 'bleeding' and having a menstrual disorder like endometriosis which comes often with excruciating pain, very heavy bleeding etc.

I remember bleeding through pants and onto my office chair regularly and barely able to cope with the heavy pain. luckily I am menopausal now and done.

but periods are periods.

for many sick leave is unpaid esp the first few days. imagine, you have endo and you really struggle. so you are supposed to miss out pay every months for several days - just for being a woman. But I don't have the answers either. as someone said, it will just make employers more vary of hiring women of a certain age.

I'm so glad to hear that. So nice to hear some good news.

Good on Australia, what an excellent idea.

A state in India has also has approved a menstrual leave policy, allowing women in both the government and private sectors to take one paid day off per month during their period — a total of 12 days a year.

Also, in other states menstrual leave is only offered to public employees or students, up to 2 days a month.

Yes I think that menstrual leave should be a thing.
I have terrible periods. I find it very hard to work on the first two days of my period. With pain cramps and blood flowing ot of me. Of course we should be allowed to rest at this time. At the very least, we should be allowed to work from home during our period.

Work is currently designed around men.

Some countries already have started implementing menstrual leave.

It would be limited to one day per month. Better than nothing.