Health Activist Proposes Menstrual Leave That Would Allow Workers to Take Off 36 Days a Year

The controversial proposal from the U.K.'s Green Party would be separate from sick leave or vacation days

NEED TO KNOW

• Details have leaked about a controversial proposal from U.K.’s Green Party, which would allow 3 days off a month for menstrual leave
• Supporters say the policy could reduce stigma and economic costs tied to absenteeism from painful menstrual conditions
• Critics argue the policy could be exploited and raise concerns about workplace resentment and inclusivity challenges

A controversial new menstrual leave proposal from the U.K.'s Green Party would give every worker who menstruates 3 days off a month — up to 36 days a year.

The three days wouldn't be counted against vacation time or sick leave, according to leaked documents that outline the proposal, The Spectator reports. Workers who struggle with conditions like endometriosis, adenomyosis, or PMOS (polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, formerly called polycystic ovary disease, or PCOS) can request additional time off as well.

The policy triggered a wave of support — and outrage. The reaction was mixed among members of the community who struggle with painful periods and other conditions.

"I think it could be a step in the right direction and I would like to hope that those who needed it would would take it," Sanchia Alasia, who sits on the board of Endometriosis UK and shares that she has the painful condition, told Good Morning Britain on June 29. "It could be that some people would need less and some people might need more. But we know already that absenteeism due to people having painful periods or endometriosis or adenomyosis already costs the U.K. economy £11 billion per year. And this could be a more organized way and a more supportive way in which people who suffer from these conditions could take the leave without stigma, without fear."

Alasia praised the policy, saying it "shines a light on the difficulty of managing these conditions. These are chronic pain conditions that can fluctuate from month to month and so we'd want that support to be there in that way." She added that in Spain, where a similar policy is in place, "people haven't taken the 36 days … they've taken the time that they've needed."

But journalist Sophie Wilkinson, who said she has PCOS, told Good Morning Britain that people in the U.K. would take the full 36 days off, as the culture is one where "when we're given an inch, we'll take a mile." She said that the policy has "so many issues …  36 days is a long time."

"I do think that there would be some resentment," Wilkinson said. "There are lots of comments from employers saying, 'We can't handle this.' "

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And while Wilkinson says the language used in the proposed policy, "workers who menstruate," was designed to be inclusive, she said, "The idea of a trans man being like, 'Oh, I'm going to take menstrual leave,' just to me, it doesn't quite compute, and I don't know how well thought through this has been."

"I cannot think of a group less likely to want people to know that they're getting their period."

The proposal was submitted by Allan McLeod, a trade union representative for the Darlington Green Party. The policy will be addressed at the Green Party's Autumn Conference in October.

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