Time off for PERIOD CRAMPS?

Question

Spain recently drafted a bill that would create a nationwide menstrual leave policy for workers—if a woman gets a doctor’s note for severe period pain, they could take government-funded time off (PTO).

Other countries provide menstrual leave: Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia, and Zambia.

Research shows that 50%–90% of women experience pain during periods, and 33% say that the pain prevents them from performing daily activities.

Japan has had paid period leave since 1947, but the policy has seen a decline in use.
* In 1965, 26% of women in Japan took menstrual leave.
* In 2022, 1.9% of women say they use it “almost every time”
The top reason for not using their allotted leave is wanting to avoid having an awkward conversation with their male boss or colleagues.

What do you think? Is giving paid time off for period cramps a good idea or not?

Updates

1 y

Thanks to all for pointing out that a woman can take time off if she's not feeling good, for cramps or
ay other reason. What's unique about what Spain is doing is that the government, not the employer, would pay for the time off.

WinterWaves · Accepted Answer

Ok
So here's the thing
Some jobs are better suited for men and some jobs are better suited for women
But still
No woman deserves to go through extreme pain just to be equal to her male peers
I understand that Men have physical advantage and dont bleed and all that stuff

But see from the perspective of let's say... a disabled person or a kid...

Let's say... if a kid is unable to earn money a kid doesn't deserve a healthy household?
Or a disabled person doesn't deserve to be financially independent?

I understand they may not be the BEST employees but still they are trying in every way they can even after having to face a lot of difficulties to be treated equally to perfectly fit people

And we must create employment for anyone no matter how weak or in a bad condition they are... so that they dont have to rely on other people for their livelihood... because... when a person is not independent... people can take advantage of them in all sorts of ways

Of course non of it matters to many companies... but as humans we should look out for each other... so that everyone can be self reliant.

TrueConfection · Accepted Answer

Most employers give X number of paid sick days per year that a woman could use of her cramps are that debilitating.

No way would I allow an employer (or anyone other than my doctor) keep a chart of my menstrual cycles. 🤔

NathanDavis · Accepted Answer

it brings awareness too...

I've known a few girls that think that those hellish killer kind of cramps are just "something they have to deal with" and keep taking the regular medication for regular cramps... when in fact they should be going to an ObGyn and specialists to see which conditions are affecting them and then get a more proper medication or treatment

that can make a big big difference in their lives but unfortunately, there's still many women that are told or they're just think "it's just period cramps" and they should not complain because "everyone else has them too so just get over it"

jshm2 · Accepted Answer

You say it like it's a new thing.  Women would ordinarily take off such time as "sick leave" instead.  Seems legally dubious to give women paid time off for "period pain".

Anonymous · Answer

I think it's ridiculous. I get period cramps and if they're bad enough I'll take a PTO day, but we shouldn't be given extra time off over and above what men get because of period cramps. That's not equality.

What bothers me most about things like this is how they undermine respect for my gender and reduce our value as potential employees. We say they want equality, which we deserve and should have, but what we're talking about here is not equality. If you put yourself in the shoes of an employer who is hiring someone for a critical role, would you want to hire a woman who will be 15% less productive than a man because she'll take 3 of the 20 business days off each month, or a man who will work all 20 days? Would you rather hire and put all the time and resources into training a woman who has a high likelihood of going out on maternity leave (and possibly never coming back) or a man who will be there every day?

We women need to stop asking for equality at the same time we're asking for special treatment.

just_a_potato · Answer

I would love something like that. But I only gets those extreme period pains every other cycle. So some cycles I can definitely still do things on. I'd have to have it only on the days I can't get out of bed and am sobbing. Otherwise I'd feel like I'm abusing it lol.

Anonymous · Answer

Yeah, for some women it’s so bad you can’t even stand up. I used to have incredibly painful periods sometimes when I was a teen so I know. You can kind of see it as calling in sick/taking sick days. Even if you’re not sick as in fever and cough, again it can be so bad you can’t stand or even sit up straight, and you can even vomit or feel nauseous from the pain, so obviously you can’t go to work and at least not do a good job if you’re in that much pain.

purplepoppy · Answer

If it's bad enough to seek a doctor then fair enough but we can't be using it as an excuse to have a few extra days off. There's always the risk companies will stop employing women.

Cubus · Answer

I tell this all the time.

In theory it's a very good idea and it should be like this. The problem is: if you take a leave someone else would have to balance it. Because the amount of work to be done would still be the same.

I'm not against it, but this stick has two ends.

Aiko_E_Lara · Answer

Anyone can take a time off if they aren't feeling well and unable to work. Which is why people take sick leaves and that include period cramps. No need to make a special day for that alone because it's not every month they NORMALLY have it so severe just like people don't NORMALLY get sick every month.

Astarlessnightsky · Answer

If you are sick you are sick.

And everyone has a different tolerance for pain or simply not feeling well enough to work.

Some will call in sick for every cough, other will continue working with a broken leg.

So why make it a special discussion if women are allowed to call in sick for period cramps.

Anonymous · Answer

Men and women face different health issues, but generally women live longer and healthier lives than men because men are plagued by more health issues and at higher rates than women are. Why in the world would we decide women deserve three more days per month of sick time than men do because of one particular health condition? This is just another absurd example of how society treats women with kid gloves.

How are women ever to be seen as equals when they really only want to be treated as equals when it benefits them, but given special treatment anywhere where they are disadvantaged?

Anonymous · Answer

Men die younger than women, and they are more burdened by illness during life.

Men are nearly 10 times more likely to get inguinal hernias than women.

Men are five times more likely to have aortic aneurysms.

Men are four times more likely to get gout.

Men are more than three times more likely than women to develop kidney stones

Men are more than three times more likely to have bladder cancer.

Men are twice as likely to suffer from emphysema.

Men are twice as likely to get a duodenal ulcer.

Women are 100% more likely to have period cramps, so clearly the government "needs to" pay them more than men, which is exactly what giving them three days off per month is.

Why do we as humans care more about women's problems than men's? That's the real question here, isn't it?

TheLoneTerran · Answer

Well, it's something half of us never have to deal with so we can already count that as a win. Secondly, if she's been to the doctor, and has a note, then it's severe pain just like other types of pain. If a doctor thinks it's bad enough that the woman has medical advice to rest, then she should follow her doctor's advice and get rest.

And 2% or 1 in 50 is a really tiny amount of people considering it's out of half of the population. Most people would never even be affected by it.

FunkyMonkee · Answer

I heard about that! Shouldn't guys get equal time off?

Phoenix98 · Answer

I think it’s appropriate if they are bad enough.  My my oldest sister gets em so bad sometimes that she’s bed ridden. in those kinds of cases I think that’s fine.

douride2 · Answer

Take the time off if it is so bad you can't function. Most jobs have a set number of paid sick days. Use those after that. Your on your own. It shouldn't happen.

dustybiker · Answer

No. My medical concerns should fall under regular medical leave. The details are my own.

MagicCarpet1 · Answer

I will tell you the secret cure if you promise to be my girlfriend after I cure you.

Anonymous · Answer

Can we stop pretending that women are oppressed now?

PatriceONeal · Answer

But... but.. gender pay gap.. lmao

RandomGuy1030 · Answer

Why do we give retards jobs

Time off for PERIOD CRAMPS?

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