The Karnataka Cabinet has passed the Karnataka Menstrual Leave Policy-2025, which will allow women working for the private sector as well as for the state government to avail a day’s menstrual leave every month. With this approval, Karnataka has become the first Indian state to include both the private and public sectors in its menstrual leave policy.
The recommendation for the policy had come via a report submitted by an 18-member committee to the labour minister, urging to introduce paid menstrual leave. The Labour Department had earlier suggested six days a year, when the idea of paid menstrual leave was mooted by the trade unions, while employers’ response was far from positive.
In November of 2024, women’s organisations, trade unions and the general public were asked to provide their feedback on the six-day menstrual leave policy that Karnataka’s labour department had proposed. The stakeholders had been asked to express their opinions within a month.
Now, the approval of the policy is being seen as a progressive step in the right direction towards empowering and protecting the rights of women in the workforce. It is hoped that a legal framework will be established for its effective implementation promptly.
While there is no policy at the national level on paid menstrual leave, many private employers across the country offer this benefit to the women in their workforce and so do certain state governments.
However, even when the idea was first mooted there were critics who were concerned that such policies may discourage employers from hiring women.
