Spain offers a menstrual holiday, but it’s not the first country to do so

UPDATE: On February 16, 2023, Spain became the first country in Europe. providing their employees with paid menstrual leave. Legislation allows workers suffering from debilitating menstrual pain to take paid leave. The original story continues as posted below:

Spain was trends on twitter after it was reported in the media that the government could allow people to take up to three days off a month due to their periods.

More than half of menstruating women experience pain one to two days a month, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. For some people, the pain is so severe that it prevents them from doing their usual activities for at least a few days a month.

The Spanish cabinet is expected to discuss the proposed law on Tuesday, May 17, and the country’s minister for integration, social security and migration called the final version “still under discussion,” reports the Associated Press. It is not yet clear whether the leave will be paid or unpaid.

The Telegraph newspaper in the United Kingdom reported that Spain would be the first Western country to offer a menstrual holiday. In response, The Women Factor revealed in an Instagram post that Spain would join the list of other countries that have already done so.

Do other countries offer menstrual holidays?

Yes, other countries provide menstrual leave.

After World War II, Japan became the first country to allow people to take menstrual leave. The law states that people can take time off during their period if lower abdominal pain, back pain or headaches, among other symptoms, are preventing them from doing their jobs. It does not set limits on the number of days, nor does it require a person to receive payment during that time.

Paid and unpaid menstrual leave policies have also been documented in Vietnam, Indonesia, Zambia, Taiwan, and parts of India and China. Here is a breakdown of current menstrual policy by country.

In Indonesia, workers are not required to work on the first and second day of their menstrual cycle if they notify their employer in accordance with labor law.

Zambia offers one day of menstrual leave per month.

Employees in Taiwan receive three days of menstrual leave per year, which do not count towards sick leave days under the Employment Gender Equality Law. The salary for menstrual leave is half of the employee’s regular salary.

India does not provide menstrual leave for all residents of the country, but some states have a policy, including Bihar, which has offered a two-day leave since 1992. Some private companies in India, including Mumbai-based media firm Culture Machine, also offer menstrual leave.

According to a 2020 report from the South China Morning Post, northeast China’s Liaoning province offers two days of menstrual leave per month due to menstrual pain. CNN reported in 2016 that several other provinces in the country also offer menstrual leave.

According to the UN’s International Labor Organization (ILO), Vietnam offers one 30-minute paid break every day of your period, rather than a full weekend.

Policies under consideration in other countries

Western countries such as Italy, Chile, and Mexico have also considered menstrual leave policies. Some Australians are also in favor of paid menstrual leave.

According to the US Department of Labor, there is no paid or unpaid menstrual leave in the United States, and there are no federal legal requirements for paid sick leave in the country. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) requires covered companies to provide unpaid sick leave. Cases have been documented of women taking unpaid sick leave due to menstrual cramps.