Menstrual Leave

Let’s Talk Labor Laws—and Menstrual Equity.

Labor laws were created to protect workers from the grind of exploitative work culture. Think: “live to work.” Unsustainable. Dehumanizing. That’s why benefits like paid sick time were hard-won. But here’s the truth: if you have a uterus, you deserve more than just the bare minimum.

Take this in—minimum wage hasn’t budged since 2009. It’s still $7.25 an hour. Meanwhile, the cost of a dozen eggs hit $8.17 in 2023, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. What do eggs have to do with menstruation? Everything. The economy has changed. Our bodies haven’t. And our policies? Still stuck in the past.

It's time to upgrade our workplace protections. People who menstruate shouldn’t have to dip into limited sick time just to manage debilitating cramps, heavy bleeding, or hormonal migraines. Especially not when they’re also caring for kids, managing chronic illness, or balancing unpredictable life demands.

Menstrual Leave is not a luxury. It’s a necessity.

Imagine a workplace where menstrual leave is normalized, not penalized. Where a policy protects both the mother with endometriosis and the teen intern navigating her first painful period. Where menstruating employees don’t have to choose between dignity and a paycheck.

So here’s the ask:

If you had the power to shape a Menstrual Leave policy where you work, what would it look like? What would you demand?

Now’s the time to speak up. Draft it. Share it. Advocate for it. Let’s build a future where labor laws reflect the people they’re meant to protect.

And remember May is National Menstrual Health Awareness Month!