PMS symptoms in the workplace - HR Magazine

ended 28. June 2021

OK, so a journalist at HR Magazine is putting together a news story based on new research that found 96% of UK women say their employers do not offer any sort of menstrual leave within the workplace, even for the most severe of PMS symptoms.

For more context: when asked if they would support or oppose a legal policy that would require employers to give women who are experiencing severe menstrual symptoms time off work, 84% of UK women stated they were in favour, with just 6% strongly against the idea. 

The journalist is seeking views from HR and workplace wellbeing experts on what kind of impact a change to employment law like this could have on the UK workforce? Would you welcome it or oppose it? If so, why?

Deadline is pretty tight (today) so please be short and punchy in your alert_responses. Soundbites not essays, please!

3 responses from the Newspage community

Star Quote
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Sarah Loates
Director at Loates HR Consultancy
"You should not have to legislate for common sense. Any employee, irrespective of their gender or reason for their illness, is entitled to time off from the workplace if they are unfit for work. Personally I think this is bordering on a nanny state approach."
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Helen Llewellyn
Director at Infinity Wellbeing
"As a wellbeing consultant, this idea is nothing short of archaic. If a person isn't fit to work, they should be able to have a day off — no questions asked. Making people give a reason could well trigger anxiety or worse. "Wellbeing should be part of culture and culture should be part of policies. Just as our wellbeing is a holistic thing, so policies should be. Drilling down into specifics like this is not helpful to anyone."
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Kate Underwood
Managing Director / HR Director at Kate Underwood HR and Training
"As there is the potential to 'plan' for menstrual leave, organisations could consider offering temporary flexible working around the time of the month for PMS sufferers. "And of course with Statutory Sick Pay, the three waiting days will only be applied to the first absence, so long as the periods of incapacity from work are less than 8 weeks apart. "So if it is a monthly occurrence, then the individual will be entitled to SSP for all the subsequent absences; this means they would be eligible for any time off work at the full absence rate rather than having to have three waiting days each time."