The Odisha government on Monday issued notification on the menstrual health policy allowing one day menstrual leave for women employees engaged in the government sectors.

The additional casual leave for female employees has been granted considering the physical discomfort during their monthly menstruation. The government has now extended the benefit of 12 days of additional casual leave (one day every month) for female employees, the notification stated.

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This will be over and above the existing 10 days of casual leave and 5 days of special casual leave. The state government female employees, aged up to 55 years (till completion of 55 years of age), can avail of one day of additional casual leave every month.

Un-availved additional casual leave of a month shall lapse at the end of the month, i.e. it shall not be carried forward to the subsequent month. “The office memorandum supersedes finance department O.M No 6466/F dt. 12.03.2024 (which was regarding the grant of 10 days of additional casual leave in favour of state government female employees over and above the existing 10 days of casual leave and 5 days of special casual leave,” the notification concluded.

It’s pertinent to note here that the Supreme Court hearing a PIL in this regard earlier had asked the Centre and the states to take a call regarding mandatory menstrual leaves for working women across India.