The introduction of menstrual leave is an option approved by a majority of French women, according to an Ifop survey. However, it would not be used by all the employees, for fear of the repercussions on their professional life.
- Nearly 66% of employees are for the introduction of menstrual leave in the company.
- About 53% of the women questioned suffer from dysmenorrhea.
Menstrual leave corresponds to the additional rest time granted by companies to female employees suffering from painful periods. In 1947, Japan was the first country to introduce this device. Over the years, South Korea, the Philippines, Indonesia and Zambia have also implemented menstrual leave. For the time being, the introduction of menstrual leave is not planned in France.
In a recent survey conducted by Ifop for the Eva-and-Co menstrual cup brand, 1,000 employees aged 15 and over were questioned about the possibility of setting up menstrual leave, but also about the impact of menstruation at work.
Menstrual leave, a solution to compensate for the difficulties associated with menstruation
Slightly more than half of working women reported suffering from painful periods. Dysmenorrhea, in other words menstrual pain, has negative effects in the professional life of two out of three employees. Various problems that they may face were mentioned by the participants in particular: difficulty concentrating (48%), difficulty standing (44%) and accessing the toilet to change hygienic protection (38%).
Menstrual leave could therefore be an alternative to help working women with dysmenorrhea. Two-thirds of French women said they were in favor of introducing menstrual leave in the workplace and two-thirds of women could benefit from it in the event of painful periods. “This leave is considered as a solution that can compensate for the moments of weakness and the real difficulties related to menstruation, in particular by those who are, or have been, victims of teasing, as well as by women whose periods are very painful.underlined Louise Jussian, in charge of studies at the “Politics / News” pole of Ifop.
A company offering menstrual leave would be more attractive to 66% of women
While the majority of employees are in favor of setting up menstrual leave, 82% fear that this system becomes a brake on the hiring and/or development of women. “Even if it were implemented, menstrual leave would not be used by all women likely to need it because they anticipate the consequences vis-à-vis their professional entourage. Among those who say wouldn’t use it, more than half (53%) say they’re worried they won’t be believed or seen as lazy”, can we read in the Ifop document. However, 66% of women surveyed felt that a company offering menstrual leave would be “more attractive”.
Painful periods: teasing or derogatory remarks
Periods are still a taboo subject in professional circles. Half of the employees have never addressed the issue of menstruation in the workplace. This silence can be partly explained by the difficult remarks on the rules. One in five menstruating women has already experienced teasing or derogatory remarks from colleagues. Women working in construction and industry are those most affected by these reflections.
“To this ‘invisibility’ of the question of rules at work is added the powerful fear that the use of menstrual leave will give rise to suspicion, to ridicule, or even constitute an obstacle to the professional career of women, that it be it their recruitment or their development in the company. Faced with this feeling that women have in a society that is not yet ready to accept menstrual leave without prejudice, the introduction of such a measure must obviously be accompanied by a release of speech aimed at breaking the taboo of the rules and a pedagogical phase with all employees and their managers”said Louise Jussian.
