On May 17, the Spanish government will present a law which proposes, among other things, to grant three to five days of rest to employees with painful menstruation.
- Several organizations are concerned about a possible “stigmatization” of women.
- In France, 68% of women are in favor of menstrual leave.
Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Zambia… In these countries, women can benefit from days off in the event of painful periods. For the time being, no European state has introduced menstrual leave. But that could soon change. According to the daily El País, Spain could become the first country in Europe to authorize rest days for employees suffering from painful menstruation. According to the newspaper, a draft law on the matter is currently being prepared by the government.
Menstrual leave valid for one year
Next Tuesday, the Spanish Ministry of Equality plans to present an abortion law. The latter includes a section guaranteeing the right to menstrual health, in which is mentioned the possibility of obtaining a maximum of three days off in the event of painful and disabling periods. On presentation of medical proof, employees may benefit from two additional days. According to the draft law, this three-day menstrual leave would be valid for one year and renewable each year.
“No slight discomfort”
“It is important to clarify what painful periods are: we are not talking about mild discomfort, but about serious symptoms such as diarrhea, severe headaches and fever”, explained, journal El PeriodicoAngela Rodriguez, Spanish Secretary of State for Equality.
