MENSTRUAL AND MENOPAUSE WELLBEING POLICY

At the Victorian Women’s Trust, we believe policies that support employees in all their diversity result in more productive and loyal workplaces. Our Menstrual and Menopause Wellbeing Policy is one way we support the health and wellbeing of our staff. Our policy is freely available and ready to be integrated into your workplace. Read more about why we created this policy and adopt it in your workplace.

We have been trialling this policy for 12 months and I can say that there has been a positive take up in the spirit in which it was intended without disruption or dislocation.

Mary Crooks AO, Executive Director, Victorian Women’s Trust, 2017

Policy Template

Rationale

[Insert organisation name] has introduced a menstrual and menopause policy. Experiences of menstruation and menopause can be very debilitating, yet we have been enculturated to mask their existence in the workplace, at schools and at home. This policy supports employees in their ability to adequately self-care during their period and menopause, while not being penalised by having to deplete their sick leave. Periods and menopause are not a sickness after all. This policy also seeks to remove the stigma and taboo surrounding menstruation and menopause.

Policy

This policy is designed to provide opportunities for restful working circumstances and self-care for employees experiencing symptoms of menstruation and menopause.

The policy is designed to be flexible depending on the employee’s needs, providing for the following options:

1. The possibility of working from home*;
2. The opportunity to stay in the workplace under circumstances which encourage the comfort of the employee E.g. resting in a quiet area; or
3. The possibility of taking a day’s paid leave.

In the case of paid leave, employees are entitled to a maximum of 12 paid days per calendar year (pro-rata, non-cumulative) in the event of inability to perform work duties because of menstruation and menopause, and their associated symptoms.

A medical certificate is not required.

*This provision should be incorporated into your organisation’s working from home policy.

Download Template (Word Doc)