Zomato has announced that they are introducing a “period leave” for their menstruating employees. On Saturday, the Zomato Chief Executive Officer Deepinder Goyal mentioned in a note to the staff that this provision will not only be available for women but also for transgender employees.
He also added that Zomato has taken this decision to encourage a trustworthy and accepting culture at work.
There shouldn’t be any shame or stigma attached to applying for a period leave. You should feel free to tell people on internal groups, or emails that you are on your period leave for the day.
Deepinder Goyal further added that the employees will be able to report in case they face any harassment while applying for menstrual leaves.
To ensure there is no mismanagement in work, Deepinder added that the leaves should only be utilized if one is really unable to tend to work and shouldn’t be used to opt-out of pending commitments.
Going forward, women at Zomato can avail up to 10 period leaves in a year. This also applies to transgender people working at Zomato.????♀️
— Zomato (@Zomato) August 8, 2020
Read more here – https://t.co/GmP5rLkaNL pic.twitter.com/5f8z9xP5zk
Period leaves have been a subject of controversy and many are divided on this particular announcement as well. Netizens took to social media to express their divided opinions.
A great move by Zomato. I always wanted some company to start this as this is much needed. I hope that this is a trendsetter.
— Divyanshi Mangal (@divyanshimangal) August 8, 2020
This is an extremely dangerous precedent 2 set.Provide equal opportunities in appointments, promotions n pay structure. Providing holidays as period leaves will only work as a deterrence 2 employers in hiring women.I don’t think or support the idea tht women need period leaves.
— Madhubanti Chatterjee (@MadhubantiChat3) August 8, 2020
Tbh, I hope this doesn’t happen. Big org and startup will then have a hiring bias where they will prefer man over women just so that they can save few periods leaves
— Pradeep Jain (@pradeep5338) August 8, 2020
Good move! But as far as I know, Menstruation is a monthly occurence. 12 menstrual leaves every year would have been better. What say @miraigirls
— Samriti Goel (@GoelSamriti) August 8, 2020
This is great, but shouldn’t the men be allowed to take some leaves too? ????
— Nabamit (@nabamit_) August 8, 2020
At least 5 leaves could’ve been made available for men to take care of their partners’ in worst case scenarios. Unless that happens, it’s only a one way path to the “culture” that Zomato seeks.
Zomato isn’t the only company to announce the period leaves. Even Culture Machine and Media House Mathrubhumi also opted for a period leave policy. Do let us know your thoughts on the period leaves – whether they are means to embrace gender diversity or a stand against gender equality.