On Saturday, Zomato shared that they are introducing a provision for period leaves for their menstruating employees.
In a note to the staff, Zomato Chief Executive Officer Deepinder Goyal mentioned that this provision will be available for women as well as transgender employees. He also mentioned the company took this decision to encourage a trustworthy and accepting culture at work.
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
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.
Goyal shared that employees have the liberty to report if anyone faces harassment while applying for menstrual leaves. It is because of this provision, menstruating women can have 10 extra leaves when compared to men.
To avoid any mismanagement in work, the CEO added that the leaves should only be utilised if one is really unable to tend to work and shouldn’t be used to opt out of pending commitments.
Here’s to making Zomato a little more inclusive every day. Thank you to all the women leaders at Zomato for driving this change. https://t.co/K2l9287QBj
— Deepinder Goyal (@deepigoyal) August 8, 2020
Seeing this, people had all kinds of reactions to it. Period leaves have been a subject of controversy as some might term this provision to be favouring one gender.
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 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
Great move! Hoping that the organisation will ensure that there is no bias (on hiring and advancement) as a result of this policy
— Priya Karnik (@karnik_priya) 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
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.
Dear woke Zomato,
— Arjun B (@ArjunBeNice) August 8, 2020
Men should get an equal number of leaves too so they can take care of their partners, since it’s that big a deal. 🙄
Seriously though, do you think every woman will talk to her manager about period leaves? Call it something else..
Welcoming Decisions👍🏻i hope this decision go as a step in comforting her most difficult days of month & shudn’t be used to judge the competency level,Many people will rant about Equality & All but only those women who work with such difficult pain will realize the value
— shruti sharma 🇮🇳 (@MsShrutiSharma) August 8, 2020
Earlier Culture Machine and Media House Mathrubhumi also opted for a period leave policy. Although the former received a very timid reaction regarding the same.
