L&T Takes a Step for Women’s Wellness, Announces 1-Day Paid Menstrual Leave!

Larsen & Toubro (L&T), a leading name in engineering and construction, has taken a progressive step by introducing a one-day paid menstrual leave for its female employees. The announcement was made by the company’s Chairman and Managing Director, S. N. Subrahmanyam, during an International Women’s Day event. This policy will benefit approximately 5,000 women employees at L&T’s headquarters but will not extend to its subsidiaries in financial services or technology.  

With a workforce of 60,000, L&T’s female employees make up 9% of its staff. This initiative follows recent discussions around workplace culture, sparked by Subrahmanyam’s earlier remarks on long working hours. The move highlights L&T’s commitment to fostering a more inclusive and supportive work environment. A few private organizations in India have introduced menstrual leave policies, with Zomato leading the way in 2020 by implementing a 10-day period leave policy. Its competitor, Swiggy, followed in 2021 with a ‘no-questions-asked’ period leave policy, allowing its female delivery partners to take up to two days off each month.  

While there is no nationwide legislation on menstrual leave, some states, including Kerala, Bihar, and Odisha, have implemented such policies. Bihar has been a pioneer in this space, having introduced a two-day menstrual leave policy for women as early as 1992. Kerala has extended this initiative to female students across universities and educational institutions a commendable move, given the typically strict attendance requirements in academics.

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