Odisha Announces Paid Menstrual Leave For State Govt & Pvt Sector Employees

Cuttack: Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida on Thursday announced one-day paid menstrual leave for state government and private sector employees.

She made the announcement during district-level Independence Day celebration in Cuttack.

The leave can be availed on the first or second day of the menstrual cycle. “It will be optional,” she said.

Once the order comes into effect, Odisha will become the third state to implement this provision for the female employees.

The Lalu Prasad government in Bihar had introduced such a step nearly 32 years ago, granting female employees two days of paid leave every month for menstruation-related reasons. In 2023, Kerala government announced menstrual leave for female students in all state universities under the Department of Higher Education.

The Karnataka government has also started consultation to provide one-day paid menstrual leave for those working in factories, information technology, garment sectors, and multi-national companies where several lakh women are employed.

In July this year, the Supreme Court had refused to consider plea seeking menstrual leave for female employees and had instead instructed the central government to engage in discussions with all relevant stakeholders and states to formulate a model policy on this matter.

Notably, Right of Women to Menstrual Leave and Free Access to Menstrual Health Products Bill, 2022, which 3 days of paid leave for women and transwomen during the period of menstruation, is yet to be implemented.