TRADE UNION FÓRSA has called for the introduction of menstrual health policies in every workplace across the country.

According to results of a new survey from the union, just 1% of employees have such a policy in their workplace.

One-in-four survey respondents had been diagnosed with a specific condition – including premenstrual dysphoric disorder, endometriosis, or polycystic ovary syndrome – which resulted in symptoms including very heavy bleeding, migraines and nausea.

Over 70% of respondents had taken time off work because of their periods, while just six-in-ten of them felt able to tell their line manager the real reason for their absence.

A motion, which will call on employers to do more to address stigma and other issues around menstrual health through period and menopause-friendly policies in workplaces across the economy, will be adopted at the union’s national conference in Killarney today.

The union said women would welcome measures like access to flexible work arrangements, improved training for supervisors and line managers, action to address deep-seated stigma, and practical improvements in toilet facilities, office fabrics, and temperature control for those who experience hot flushes or other menopausal symptoms.

The research also revealed that taboos around menstrual issues are preventing women from raising health problems associated with periods and menopause with their line managers. Some 65% said they did not tell their supervisor about the difficulties they experience at work, though over 70% felt comfortable discussing the issues with colleagues.

Women experiencing menopause symptoms said access to flexible working arrangements, including ad-hoc remote working, would help. The ability to control the temperature in their workplace also emerged as an issue.

The motion on menstrual health was proposed by Fórsa’s Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown Branch. Branch secretary Roisin Cronin said Fórsa’s national survey had provided a rich insight into the difficulties that women currently face because of menstruation and menopause.

“We began discussing how much easier it was to manage some of our symptoms at home, when faced with difficult periods, menstrual health conditions and the effects of menopause,” she said.

“Not having to worry about finding an individual clean toilet or a private place to wash a menstrual cup was just a massive relief for so many. If working from home during the pandemic made such a positive difference, it seemed obvious that the issue was not being properly addressed in the workplace.”

Working at home

The research found that over 70% of those who worked at home during the pandemic found that remote working improved their experience of menstruation. Better access to measures to alleviate issues with menstruation and menopause was cited as the main reason, while avoiding commuting when experiencing cramps, nausea and hot flushes was also positive.

Other factors included not having to worry about leakages and staining, as well as having easy access to suitable places to change pads and tampons or wash a menstrual cup.

Fórsa’s equality officer, Ashley Connolly, said the issue was vital to the wellbeing and productivity of women workers.

“Remote working and other flexible work arrangements are key to a healthier, happier and more productive working life for many, many women. And it has broader consequences for the way sick leave is consumed by thousands of women across the country. This conversation needs to start, and we need to deliver results for women quickly,” she said.

Currently only a small number of countries including Japan, South Korea, Indonesia and Zambia grant menstrual leave.

Last week, the Spanish Government became the first European administration to consider a legal right to menstrual leave.

Its draft law would allow up to three days’ leave per month, as well as other measures to improve menstrual health including a requirement for schools to provide sanitary pads for girls who need them. It would also remove VAT from sanitary products, which would be provided free to women in marginalised circumstances.