- Menstrual leave (also called period leave) is paid or unpaid time off for employees who experience significant physical discomfort during their menstrual cycle.
- Central mandate? No. There is no national law requiring it for private sector employees.
- States with policies: Bihar (since 1992), Odisha (October 2024), Karnataka (October 2025). Karnataka is also the first state to cover private sector employees.
- Biggest update in 2025: Karnataka's Menstrual Leave Policy covers both government and private sector workers. One paid day per month.
- Is it paid? Yes, in all current state policies and at most private companies that offer it.
- Key fact: Karnataka is the first Indian state to make menstrual leave mandatory for private sector employers, covering an estimated 60 lakh women workers.
Menstrual leave gets discussed a lot in HR circles but most employees still have basic questions about it. Is it actually a legal right in your state? Does your company have to offer it? What do you do if they do not? This guide covers all of that, including what changed in 2024 and 2025.
What is Menstrual Leave?
Menstrual leave is a separate paid leave category, distinct from sick leave, that lets employees take a day off each month when dealing with significant physical discomfort during their period, such as cramps, dysmenorrhea, endometriosis, or PCOS, without needing a medical certificate.
Understanding the menstrual leave meaning is simple: it is a separate leave category, distinct from sick leave, that lets employees take a day off each month when they are dealing with significant physical discomfort during their period.
Conditions like dysmenorrhea, severe cramping, endometriosis, PCOS, nausea, and fatigue can genuinely make it hard to work at full capacity. The whole point of a menstrual leave policy is to give people a dignified, stigma-free option that does not require them to obtain a doctor's certificate every single month or quietly use up their sick leave quota. Companies offer it to reduce presenteeism, support women's health, and demonstrate that their workplace inclusion commitments go beyond policy documents.
Is Menstrual Leave Mandatory in India?
When discussing menstrual leave in india, at the central level, no. There is no national law requiring private sector employers to offer menstrual leave. But the state-level picture has shifted considerably in 2024 and 2025, rapidly evolving the broader menstrual leave policy in india.
| State | Status | Who Is Covered | Days | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bihar | In force | State government women employees | 2 days per month | Since 1992 (establishing early menstrual leave in bihar) |
| Kerala | In force | Women students in state universities | Up to 3 days per month | 2023 (setting the standard for menstrual leave kerala) |
| Kerala | In force | Women trainees in ITIs | 2 days per month | 2024 |
| Odisha | In force, notified | State government women employees up to age 55 | 1 day per month | October 2024 |
| Sikkim | In force, limited scope | High Court registry employees | 2 to 3 days per month | 2024 |
| Karnataka | Cabinet approved | Government and private sector women employees | 1 day per month | October 2025 |
| Central government | No specific policy | No mandate | — | — |
| Private sector with no state law | Voluntary only | Company discretion | 1 to 2 days per month where offered | Varies |
What changed in 2025 in Karnataka
Karnataka's Cabinet approved the Menstrual Leave Policy, 2025 on October 9, 2025. It covers women in government offices, IT companies, MNCs, garment factories, and other private establishments. Estimated coverage is 60 lakh workers. The entitlement is one paid day per month, or 12 days per year. Karnataka is the first Indian state to mandate menstrual leave for private employers.
What changed in 2024 in Odisha
Odisha announced one day of paid menstrual leave on August 15, 2024. The October 2024 notification formalised the odisha government menstrual leave as 12 additional casual leave days per year for women state government employees up to age 55, on top of their standard 15 days of casual leave. Private sector adoption of menstrual leave odisha is encouraged but not mandatory under the current notification.
Supreme Court, July 2024
The Supreme Court dismissed a petition seeking a national mandate. It suggested the central government consider framing a model policy in consultation with states but did not direct any specific action.
Who Is Eligible?
Karnataka (2025): Women employees across government offices, IT companies, MNCs, garment factories, and most private establishments in the state.
Odisha (2024): Women state government employees up to age 55. Private sector is voluntary.
Bihar: Women state government employees.
Kerala: Women students in state universities and ITI trainees. Not a general employee policy.
Private companies with a policy: All menstruating employees as defined by company policy. Many progressive companies also include transgender and non-binary employees who menstruate.
If there is no state law and no company policy: No formal entitlement exists. Use sick leave. You are not required to state "menstruation" as the reason. "Health reasons" or "medical reasons" is sufficient.
How Many Days Are You Entitled To?
By state
| State | Days Per Month | Days Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| Bihar (government employees) | 2 days | 24 days |
| Odisha (government, up to age 55) | 1 day on first or second day of cycle | 12 days |
| Karnataka (government and private, 2025) | 1 day | 12 days |
| Kerala (university students) | Up to 3 days | Up to 36 days |
| Sikkim (High Court) | 2 to 3 days | Up to 36 days |
At private companies with no state mandate
| Policy Type | Days Per Month | Days Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 day per month (most common) | 1 day | 12 days |
| 2 days per month | 2 days | 24 days |
| Flexible or symptom-based | Self-declared | Varies |
Unused menstrual leave does not carry forward to the next month. It is a monthly entitlement that lapses if not used.
Is Menstrual Leave Paid?
Yes. All current state policies and most private companies that offer menstrual leave make it fully paid.
| Scenario | Salary Impact |
|---|---|
| Within monthly quota | Fully paid, no deduction |
| Quota used up, sick leave applied | Deducted from sick leave balance |
| No policy exists, sick leave used | Deducted from sick leave balance |
| All leave balances exhausted | LOP applies |
One detail worth knowing about Odisha: the 2024 notification adds 12 casual leave days specifically for menstrual leave. This brings women government employees' annual casual leave total to 27 days, compared to 15 days for male colleagues.
Menstrual Leave Rules Worth Knowing
No medical certificate is needed. Self-declaration is standard across all functioning state policies and most company policies. You state you are taking menstrual leave. That is it.
You do not need to describe your symptoms. "Taking my menstrual leave today" is sufficient. Sharing medical details with your manager is not required.
Confidentiality should be maintained. Menstrual leave should be logged as its own category in the HRMS without health details being visible to colleagues or team members.
Unused leave lapses at month end. You cannot accumulate it, carry it over to next month, or encash it.
Karnataka's 2025 policy has teeth. Unlike Odisha where private sector adoption is voluntary, Karnataka's policy applies to employers. Non-compliance can attract regulatory consequences.
Working from home is not a substitute unless the employee chooses it. The leave is there for people who genuinely cannot work, not as a default expectation to stay available remotely.
How to Apply for Menstrual Leave
By Email or Message
Send your manager a short message in the morning. No explanation of symptoms is needed.
Sample email for a menstrual leave application:
Subject: Menstrual Leave – [Your Name] – [Date]
Hi [Manager's Name],
Taking my menstrual leave today, [Date], as per company policy. I will be back on [Return Date].
Let me know if anything urgent needs my attention.
Regards, [Your Name]
Formal menstrual leave letter if required (This format also works well as a leave letter for menstrual period or a leave letter for first menstrual period. If your company requires sick leave to be used instead, you can easily adapt this into a menstrual pain sick leave letter):
Date: [Date]
To, [Manager's Name / HR Manager][Company Name]
Subject: Menstrual Leave Application
Dear Sir / Madam,
I am writing to apply for menstrual leave on [Date] as per [company policy / state government menstrual leave policy].
I will resume work on [Return Date].
Regards, [Full Name][Employee ID] | [Department]
Through the HRMS Portal
Log in to your ESS portal, go to Leave Management, and select Apply Leave. Choose Menstrual Leave or Period Leave from the leave type dropdown. Enter the date. A reason is optional in most systems. Submit. Depending on how the company has configured the policy, it either routes to your manager for approval or auto-approves. You will see the status immediately.
How HR Should Handle These Requests
Approve promptly and without questioning symptoms. Self-declaration is the whole point.
Log it correctly as menstrual leave in the HRMS, not as sick or casual leave. Miscoding depletes other balances unnecessarily.
Keep it confidential. Team members do not need to know what type of leave someone took.
Do not flag it in performance records. Using a benefit the company provides is not a conduct issue.
If uptake is consistently low, that usually points to a stigma problem or an awareness gap rather than a policy problem. HR should proactively communicate the policy and create space for it to be used without discomfort.
Can Menstrual Leave Be Rejected?
Under a valid policy, rejection should only happen if the monthly quota has already been used. A manager rejecting based on personal discomfort or scepticism about symptoms is not a valid reason. Requiring a medical certificate where policy explicitly allows self-declaration is also not acceptable.
In Karnataka, because the 2025 policy now covers private employers, wrongful rejection can attract regulatory consequences, not just internal HR escalation.
Menstrual Leave vs Sick Leave vs Casual Leave
| Feature | Menstrual Leave | Sick Leave | Casual Leave |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Menstrual discomfort | Any illness | Personal, short notice |
| Medical certificate | Not required | Required for 3 or more days | Not Required |
| Frequency | Monthly entitlement | Annual quota | Annual quota |
| Carry forward | No | Usually no | No |
| Who can use it | Menstruating employees | All employees | All employees |
| Legal mandate | Bihar, Odisha govt, Karnataka 2025 | Partial, state laws | Partial, state laws |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is menstrual leave mandatory under Indian law?
There is no central law mandating it for all private sector employees. Bihar has had it for government employees since 1992. Odisha formalised it for state government employees in October 2024. Karnataka approved the Menstrual Leave Policy, 2025 in October 2025, which is the first to cover private sector workers. The Supreme Court suggested the central government consider a model policy in July 2024 but did not make it mandatory.
What is Odisha's menstrual leave policy?
Odisha's October 2024 notification gives women state government employees up to age 55 one paid menstrual leave day per month, adding up to 12 extra days of casual leave per year. Leave can only be taken on the first or second day of the cycle. Private sector adoption in Odisha remains voluntary.
Does Karnataka have menstrual leave for private sector employees?
Yes. Karnataka's Menstrual Leave Policy, 2025 was approved by the Cabinet on October 9, 2025. Women employees in IT companies, MNCs, garment factories, and other industries get one paid day per month.
What if my company has no menstrual leave policy?
Use your sick leave. You do not have to state the specific reason. If you are in Karnataka and work in a covered establishment, you may have a right under the 2025 state policy.
Which companies that offer menstrual leave exist in India?
As of 2026: greytHR, Zomato, Swiggy, Byju's, Magicpin, FrontRow, Niine, Gozoop, and a growing number of startups. In Karnataka, all private sector employers covered by the 2025 policy are now legally required to offer it.
Managing Menstrual Leave in HRMS
A dedicated leave type in HRMS like greytHR, keeps menstrual leave separate from sick and casual leave so other balances stay untouched. Employees apply without health details being visible to colleagues. The monthly quota resets automatically. For companies in Karnataka, the system helps demonstrate compliance with the 2025 state policy. And if uptake is low, utilisation reports surface the issue so HR can act on it rather than guessing.
