Odisha government has introduced an additional casual leave (CL) benefit specifically for its female employees to support them during their menstrual cycles.
As per the new policy, women employees are entitled to an extra 12 days of casual leave annually, which amounts to one day each month, in addition to the standard 15 days of casual leave.
The official notification states that this extra leave is available to female employees until they reach the age of 55. It is important to note that this leave is non-transferable; if it is not utilized within the given month, it will expire and cannot be accumulated.
This policy supersedes the earlier finance department memorandum from March 2024, which had provided an extra 10 days of CL in addition to the usual 10 days of casual leave and 5 days of special casual leave.
The initiative by the Odisha government signifies an increasing awareness and acknowledgment of the necessity for workplace policies that are supportive of the health and comfort of women employees, particularly to alleviate the physical discomfort during menstruation.
