New Delhi: In a forward-thinking step to promote the female workers, Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has introduced a day’s menstrual leave policy. This policy is likely to help around 5,000 female workers of the company that has a total of 60,000 employees, out of which about 9% are women workers.
The decision was announced by L&T Chairman S.N. Subrahmanyan, who said that women working for the parent group company will now be able to take a day off during their menstrual cycle. The move comes after a similar policy was implemented in Odisha in 2024, where government and private sector employees were given a one-day menstrual leave. Bihar was the first state in India to do so.
In addition, Karnataka is planning to include a provision of giving six days of menstrual leave per year to women employees in the public as well as private sectors. A draft bill, ‘Right to Menstrual Leave and Free Access to Menstrual Health Products,’ is being prepared to tackle the physical and mental well-being issues of women. The bill is being finalised by a committee appointed by the government.
L&T’s menstrual leave initiative comes after Chairman Subrahmanyan’s controversial earlier statement regarding a 90-hour work week for employees. He had previously also made statements about men looking at their wives at home, which were widely criticised. L&T’s move towards menstrual leave has been considered largely positive, though, towards employee well-being.
States like Bihar, Kerala, Sikkim, and Odisha have so far introduced menstrual leave for women workers. In Bihar, women workers up to the age of 45 can avail themselves of menstrual leave, and the trend is expected to follow in other states. L&T’s move contributes to the latest buzz around office inclusivity and employee health in India.
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