Period leave not new in Bengaluru

Many companies in Bengaluru give two days off every month for women in menstruation

Zomato’s introduction of paid period leave has kicked up a row on the Internet. Many women called it progressive, while others, led by journalist Barkha Dutt, said it would result in a harmful “gendering” of the workplace.

Period leave is not so rare in Bengaluru, Metrolife found out. Varsha Jeetendra Kunhody, an influencer and marketing specialist, is the reason behind the period leave policy at The Mavericks.

“In July last year, my boss asked me if there was a reason why I was taking one day sick leave every month. I told him my polycystic ovary syndrome caused very painful periods and casually remarked that period leave would be helpful,” she says.

Since then, her company has been giving women employees the option of taking two days of period leave every month. And the best thing, she says, is that no one in the company saw this as a discriminatory move.

“Lack of knowledge of what a woman’s body goes through has created the idea that it is not an authentic enough reason to take leave. Taking a day off in a month to give your body the rest it is demanding is only natural,” she explains.

Ashika Bhat, copy supervisor, says her company, Dentsu India Slingshot, has followed a work-from-home policy since January to help menstruating women.

“We can work from home once a month. I took it once and no one questioned it,” she says.

Not that women take period leave every month. “The comfort of knowing there is such an option is motivating,” she says.

Dimple Raj, who works in corporate communication and PR, suffers from PCOD, so when her company, Horses Stable, introduced period leave in June, she was extremely happy.

“The policy, called ‘nay to yay’, gives women two days of paid leave every month and also one day of paid leave to married men to be there for their wives,” she explains.

Dimple says that in her previous company, she would take two days off every month due to her painful periods. It depleted her leave, and some people raised their eyebrows that she was taking sick leave for two days every month.

Mohit Kukreti, creative director at the same company, took leave to take care of his wife during her period. Any policy that helps someone work to the best of their abilities must be welcomed and embraced, he believes.

“I thought it was needed as I have seen how much pain my wife goes through during her period. I would not be comfortable asking an employee going through that kind of pain to work through it,” he told Metrolife.

He says people who have a problem with the policy have been conditioned to look down upon menstruation. “They must understand it is a natural process,” he adds.

What is period leave?

It is given to women over and above other forms they are entitled to. Many companies allow women to take two days off as period leave. Some companies allow married men a day’s leave to be with their wives during period leave.

Companies with policy

Zomato

Dunzo

Horses Stable

The Mavericks

Dentsu India Slingshot