From painful periods to menopause, the life of a woman in business

Sabrina*, 33 years old, “disabling” endometriosis

A trainer, the thirty-year-old still remembers her incessant travels throughout Occitania and “excruciating pain“when (she) was driving,”because of vibrations“.

Diagnosed in 2019 with endometriosis”disabling“, Sabrina “takes on her” until a change of manager.

But despite repeated requests from occupational medicine for a “job layout“, her hierarchy does not hear and her health is worsening. She “will last six months” before accepting, exhausted, part-time therapy.

Many of the 2.4 million French women with endometriosis have no other solution than to take time off work. A senatorial proposal for “menstrual leave” was rejected in mid-February by the right and the government, who feared consequences, for example in terms of “privacy of the person”.

Little-known right, recognition of the status of disabled worker”often allows you to stay employed“, underlines Barbara Mvogoh, president of the association Justice Endometriosis.

At the end of her tether, Sabrina was finally declared “unfit” and fired.

Juliette*, 32 years old, pregnant and “in the closet”

During pregnancy and maternity leave, women benefit from legal protection against dismissal and discrimination. They must then find an equivalent position and salary.

However, Juliette has “been put in the closet“.

In 2018, manager in a personal service agency, this Toulouse woman works “broad functions“, between management and relationships with partners. But, when she announced her pregnancy, everything collapsed.

Juliette sees herself gradually removed “all interesting tasks“, until being “reduced to putting papers in boxes“.”I spent my day staring at the wall“, she sighs. “I felt like they just wanted me to leave“.

Informed that she is having stress-related contractions, her boss accuses her of “make a fuss“.

“Contract terminations“, “refusal of promotions“: discrimination based on pregnancy”are common“, according to the Defender of Rights.

Juliette will end up on sick leave, before a conventional breakup.

Lila, 35 years old, “tinkering” for her PMA

Despite the consultations “all week, all day“and patients who”matter a lot” on her, Lila, a liberal and hospital psychologist, carries out her work and her PMA in Spain.

“As a liberal, I have no rights” relating to PMA, and three waiting days (unreimbursed) on sick leave, she said. As an employee of a hospital, “I only have the right to be absent on the day of the insemination“. However, three days are necessary for the return trip to Barcelona, ​​and the interventions are always planned at the last minute.

“Additional examinations, pelvic ultrasounds and blood tests every two days” are not authorized reasons for absence.

“I’m going there, I’ll come back. I organize myself so that there is not too much impact on my colleagues, who are in the know“, she confides. “I tinker and cancel at the last minute“hoping that patients will be understanding.

Caroline, 46 years old, “no longer the same bandwidth”

Following breast cancer, Caroline began hormone therapy, plunging her into forced menopause.

“We are talking about chemical castration“, quips the human resources director in a medium-sized company, member of the RoseUp association, which supports women with cancer.

Since then, it’s been a tsunami: “I no longer have the same bandwidth as before“, continues Caroline, often too tired to follow endless meetings. “I feel like an old iPhone“, she illustrates: “When it charged overnight it was at 100%. At one point it goes to 60%, then, we don’t know why, after a quick call, it drops to 2%“.

Caroline obliges herself to a “high-level athlete lifestyle” to keep up the pace.

“When you have cancer, you can be stopped during treatments; afterwards we can be part-time therapeutic… And at some point, there are no other alternatives“in terms of leave, she laments, pleading for “an in-between” which would offer a few annual days”for exams or to rest“.

*first names changed