Menstrual leave: socialist and environmental deputies want to break a “taboo”

Green MPs proposed on Friday the introduction of menstrual leave in the event of painful or incapacitating periods, two weeks after the tabling of a socialist proposal in the same spirit, each group hoping to spark the spark of a cross-partisan movement to break a “taboo”. After ping a law in Spain , the subject is emerging in France. And the left is positioning itself.

In front of the press at the embly, the elected environmentalists presented a “serious and applicable” proposal to “break the taboo on menstruation”. Co-author of this proposal with her colleagues Marie-Charlotte Garin and Sébastien Peytavie, Sandrine Rousseau has “good hope” that it will be adopted “in a transpartisan way”, even if it is not on the agenda at this time. stadium.

Thirteen days of work stoppage without deficiency

Their text provides for the possibility of a work stoppage in the event of “incapacitating menstruation” (pain, nausea, headache, etc.), recognized by a doctor or a midwife. Over a period of one year, the persons concerned could deposit thirteen days according to their needs. The work stoppage would be fully covered by health insurance and exempt from waiting days.

It could be renewed once a year, bringing the maximum duration to 26 days “for the most serious cases”.

On the PS side, MPs Mickaël Bouloux and Fatiha Keloua Hachi tabled their own text in early May, and senators did the same in April. “We are ready to lift the taboo of the rules”, insists Mickaël Bouloux. The PS deputies also propose a work stoppage of 13 days spread over a year, and without deficiency. However, the leave would be limited to two days per month.

Allies of the ecologists in the embly, the Socialists called this Friday in a press release for “a convergence of all the initiatives”, and for the creation of a “transpartisan working group”. “There are public health subjects for which we must go beyond the parties,” pleaded Fatiha Keloua Hachi.

Create a cross-party working group

Each text has its specificities: the Socialist deputies propose a leave of 5 days in the event of miscarriage, and intend to force companies to introduce “material measures” for menstrual health.

Environmentalists want to enshrine in labor law the prohibition of all discrimination on the grounds of menstrual health, and require companies to organize awareness-raising actions “every three years”. They intend to extend the professional equality index to gender inequalities.

At this stage everyone defends his version, and hopes to convince even in the presidential camp. Environmentalists have called for a meeting with the government.

At the end of March, the city of Saint-Ouen (Seine-Saint-Denis) launched the experiment of a menstrual leave for its agents. On the government side, the Prime Minister, Elisabeth Borne, mentioned at the end of April the possibility of “facilitating” the menstrual leave arrangements already granted by certain companies. But MPs insist on going through the law.

If the two left-wing groups could include their texts in their reserved days during the next ordinary session (at the end of 2023 or in 2024), they invite the presidential camp to support their actions. This would make it possible to examine a bill during a “transpartisan” week, with several days of debate if necessary.