Sikkim HC introduces menstrual leave policy for women employees | Fusion - WeRIndia

In a pioneering move, the Sikkim High Court has implemented a menstrual leave policy for its women employees in the registry.

The High Court issued a notification on May 27, announcing that women employees can avail 2-3 days of menstrual leave each month.

This leave requires prior recommendation from the Medical Officer of the High Court and will not be deducted from the employee’s overall leave balance.

This initiative makes the Sikkim High Court, the smallest in India with three judges and nine officers in the registry, the first in the country to introduce such a policy.

The registry includes one woman officer, as noted on the High Court’s website. Currently, India has no national policy or law mandating menstrual leave.

In February 2023, the Supreme Court refused to entertain a petition seeking menstrual leave for students and working women nationwide.

The bench suggested that the petitioner present their case to the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development instead.

However, Minister of Women and Child Development Smriti Irani expressed opposition to a menstrual leave policy.

In December 2023, she argued that menstruation should not be viewed as a handicap and voiced concerns about equal opportunities.

She also highlighted the potential biases that might arise due to differing views on menstruation.

In the same month, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare proposed a draft Menstrual Hygiene policy.

This policy recommended that work-from-home options or support leaves should be available to women to prevent discrimination.

The introduction of the menstrual leave policy by the Sikkim High Court marks a significant step towards addressing women’s health needs in the workplace.

By allowing women to take necessary leave without affecting their overall leave balance, the policy aims to promote a supportive work environment.

This move could potentially pave the way for broader acceptance and implementation of menstrual leave policies across other institutions in India.

Image from Pxhere (Free for commercial use / CC0 Public Domain)

Image Published on January 28, 2017

Image Reference: https://pxhere.com/en/photo/564489