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From September, the Eurometropolis of Strasbourg will be experimenting with “gynecological health leave”, allowing employees suffering from menstrual pain, endometriosis or symptoms related to the menopause to have 13 days of exceptional annual absence.
This experimental system is intended to be broader than the “menstrual leave” introduced by Saint-Ouen, Lyon, the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region or certain companies.
“We hope that this can include other phenomena related to gynecological health, such as symptoms related to menopause.“, which can cause “lack of sleep”, or even “hot flashes that can be literally incapacitating“, explained to AFP Christelle Wieder, deputy mayor of Strasbourg (EELV) in charge of women’s rights and gender equality.
“What is important for us is to send the message to our 3,500 agents that they can obviously be listened to by occupational health and by their manager.“, added Ms. Wieder.
They will be able to benefit from 13 days of annual “gynecological health leave”, with a ceiling of three consecutive days, upon presentation of a medical certificate issued by a gynecologist or midwife, valid for two years.
The operation of this exceptional leave is similar to special leave authorizations (ASA), granted for example to look after a sick child.
The experimentation of this system is combined with the establishment of training intended in particular for team leaders.
“Managers need to be informed about what it means to have heavy periods: it means going to the bathroom at least every hour, it means headaches, etc.“, explained Ms. Wieder.
The community is also seeking to improve working conditions for women, for example by “easy access to toilets for all agents, because not all of them have office jobs, some work in our green spaces or in the municipal police“, or even “more flexibility in teleworking“.
For women employed at the Eurometropolis of Strasbourg, “It’s about daring to take the step and talk about it in the workplace, which is not yet entirely easy.“, acknowledges Christelle Wieder, who hopes for a “ripple effect” from this measure “on other communities and perhaps on national legislation”.
In February, the Senate rejected a proposal from the socialist group to introduce specific sick leave for cases of dysmenorrhea (menstrual pain).