Larsen & Toubro (L&T), the engineering, procurement, and construction giant, has announced a one-day paid menstrual leave for its women employees.
The initiative unveiled a day ahead of International Women’s Day, is expected to benefit around 5,000 women employees within the company.
The decision, however, is limited to employees of the parent company and does not extend to its subsidiaries engaged in financial services or technology, as per sources cited by news agency PTI.
L&T currently employs around 60,000 individuals, with women making up approximately 9% of its workforce.
Workplace Inclusivity and Recent Criticism
The move is seen as a significant step towards fostering a more inclusive and supportive workplace environment.
It also comes in the wake of recent criticism faced by L&T’s Chairman and Managing Director, S. N. Subrahmanyan, regarding his remarks on employee work hours and workplace culture.
While companies like Swiggy and Zomato have previously introduced menstrual leave policies, corporate India has yet to see widespread adoption of such initiatives among major business houses.
L&T’s move sets a precedent for other large organizations to consider similar measures for employee well-being.
National Policy and Future Implications
At the policy level, four Indian states—Bihar, Odisha, Sikkim, and Kerala—have already implemented menstrual leave provisions for government employees.
Additionally, the Supreme Court of India had previously suggested that the government formulate a national policy on menstrual leave, highlighting its importance as a workplace issue.
By implementing this policy, L&T has taken a progressive step towards recognizing and addressing the health needs of its women workforce.
The initiative not only aligns with global conversations on workplace inclusivity but also sets a benchmark for other corporate entities to follow suit in creating equitable and employee-centric policies.
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