L&T chairman announces one-day paid menstrual leave

Specific details regarding the implementation of the 12-day annual menstrual leave policy remain undetermined.

In a first for major corporate houses, engineering and construction industry, Larsen & Toubro chairman S N Subrahmanyan introduced a one-day paid menstrual leave every month for their women employees, reported Times of India.

The announcement was made during the Women's Day celebrations at the Powai office in Mumbai, where the chairman addressed 350 women employees.

The organization has a total workforce of 60,000 people, of which 9% of the total staff, about 5,000 of them are women employees.

The policy excludes L&T's non-construction and non-engineering businesses, such as financial and technology services. These businesses have work-from-home and flexible work arrangements, while the main L&T operations have an office-based working policy, reported Times of India.

The announcement of menstrual leave on Thursday comes after the L&T chairman received flak over his 90-hour workweek statement. Subrahmanyan had earlier suggested a 90-hour work week for employees while also expressing disappointment about the inability to implement working on Sundays.

Specific details regarding the implementation of the 12-day annual menstrual leave policy remain undetermined, including its commencement date and whether it constitutes additional paid leave beyond existing entitlements and the permissible timing within the menstrual cycle.

While India lacks national legislation on menstrual leave, several organisations, such as AU Small Finance Bank, Orient Electric (part of CK Birla Group), Swiggy and Zomato and states like Odisha, Bihar and Kerala have independently adopted this policy to support women's health and well-being. Last year, the Supreme Court suggested the government formulate a policy on the issue.

According to a Times of India report quoting KS Legal and Associates' managing partner, Sonam Chandwani, said, despite positive intentions behind menstrual leave policies, practical issues exist.

"While it recognises biological differences and supports workplace inclusivity, it could unintentionally reinforce gender biases. Employers might hesitate to hire or promote women in roles requiring continuous availability, fearing additional leave requirements like maternity leave. This could set back workplace equality," she said.