Female employees of L&T to get paid menstrual leave

Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has announced a one-day paid menstrual leave for its female employees, benefiting around 5,000 women working at its headquarters. The policy was unveiled by Chairman and Managing Director S N Subrahmanyan during an event on International Women’s Day.

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While L&T is still finalizing the implementation details, the policy applies only to employees of the parent company and does not extend to its subsidiaries in financial services or technology. With a workforce of 60,000 employees, women constitute 9% of L&T’s total staff.

This initiative places L&T alongside companies like Swiggy and Zomato, which have already introduced similar menstrual leave policies in India. The move also aligns with broader discussions on women’s health and workplace inclusivity.

The announcement follows controversy surrounding Subrahmanyan’s earlier remarks on work hours, where he advocated a 90-hour workweek and expressed regret about not enforcing Sunday workdays. His comments, including a remark about "staring at your wife," led to widespread criticism.

Menstrual leave policies have gained momentum in India, with Odisha becoming the first state to introduce it for both government and private sector employees in August 2024. Karnataka is also considering a bill proposing six days of paid menstrual leave annually, along with free menstrual health products.