Indian food delivery company Zomato offers women ‘period leave’

Female employees will now get 10 more days of leave compared to their male counterparts to help “foster a culture of trust, truth and acceptance”.

Indian food delivery and restaurant guide company Zomato will allow female employees to take up to 10 extra days of “period leave” a year.

Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal made the announcement in a staff email on Saturday, explaining that it was brought in to reduce stigma around menstruation.

“At Zomato, we want to foster a culture of trust, truth and acceptance. Starting today, all women (including transgender people) at Zomato can avail up to 10 days of period leaves in a year,” he said.

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Woman with menstrual pain

Mr Goyal wrote that it was “our job to make sure that we make room for our biological needs” and there “shouldn’t be any shame or stigma” for women who apply for period leave.

“You should feel free to tell people on internal groups, or emails that you are on your period leave for the day,” he said.

But Mr Goyal warned that women should “not abuse these leaves or use them as a crutch to take time out for other pending tasks” and report any “unnecessary harassment, or distasteful comments from men” about taking period leave.

“A note for men – our female colleagues expressing that they are on their period leave shouldn’t be uncomfortable for us,” he said.

“This is a part of life, and while we don’t fully understand what women go through, we need to trust them when they say they need to rest this out.”

The move was applauded on Twitter:

Good move! But as far as I know, Menstruation is a monthly occurence. 12 menstrual leaves every year would have been better. What say @miraigirls

— Samriti Goel (@GoelSamriti) August 8, 2020

A great move by Zomato. I always wanted some company to start this as this is much needed. I hope that this is a trendsetter.

— Divyanshi Mangal (@divyanshimangal) August 8, 2020

Despite being a male founded company, it’s heartwarming to see @Zomato recognizing the value and needs of all the employees

— Charu Pardasani (@pardasanicharu) August 8, 2020

However some feared it could have unintended effects:

This is an extremely dangerous precedent 2 set.Provide equal opportunities in appointments, promotions n pay structure. Providing holidays as period leaves will only work as a deterrence 2 employers in hiring women.I don’t think or support the idea tht women need period leaves.

— Madhubanti Chatterjee (@MadhubantiChat3) August 8, 2020

Very very bad idea. Creates a mindset in managers minds that women are less productive workers. They will just hire a man instead. Work from home for periods once a month is a much better idea.

— स्तुति शर्मा (@Stuti_d_great) August 8, 2020

In India stigma around menstruation still exists in some parts of the country, with girls and women barred from certain activities while on their period.

In February university students living in a hostel in the western Indian state of Gujarat complained after female teachers made them show their underwear and strip to prove they weren’t on their periods.

The college had stipulated that female students were not allowed to use the kitchen, temple or sit near other students while menstruating, the BBC reported.

There has been some progress however, with a landmark 2018 ruling allowing women of a menstruating age to enter the Sabarimala temple in the southern state of Kerala after previously being banned.