L&T Chairman SN Subrahmanyan, who recently gained attention for advocating 90-hour work weeks, announced on Thursday that women employees within the L&T parent group will now receive one day of paid menstrual leave. Women make up approximately 9 percent of L&T’s workforce, which totals around 60,000 employees. This initiative is expected to benefit about 5,000 women at the company, as reported by PTI.
Subrahmanyan revealed this policy during a company event celebrating International Women’s Day, with further implementation details to be developed by the appropriate officials soon. With this announcement, L&T has positioned itself as the first major Indian company in its sector to offer paid menstrual leave to its female employees.
The decision has sparked considerable discussion on social media, with many users praising the initiative as progressive. One user remarked, “In a progressive initiative, L&T has introduced one day of menstrual leave each month for women staff. This should be adopted by other Indian firms.” Another user described the policy as a “welcome” move, suggesting that other corporations should follow suit, especially in light of the push for longer work hours.
Additionally, a user emphasized the importance of making menstrual leave a standard practice, stating, “This is a significant win for gender parity in the workplace. Kudos to L&T and Chairman SN Subrahmanyan for this progressive step in corporate India. Menstrual leave should be mandatory.”
However, some critics have suggested that Subrahmanyan’s announcement may be an attempt to improve his image following backlash from his previous comments on extended work hours. One user expressed skepticism, stating, “Introducing one paid menstrual leave for a small percentage of the workforce seems like a hasty and poorly conceived strategy to enhance his reputation. Dysmenorrhea is more complex than it appears.” Another user raised concerns about potential expectations for women to make up for the leave taken.
