On November 12, 2025, The Department of Labour and Employment (DoLE), Karnataka officially implemented the ‘Menstrual Leave Policy, 2025’. In doing so, Karnataka became the first Indian state to mandate one paid day of menstrual leave per month for women employees aged 18–52 across the formal economy.
This policy applies universally to both public and private sectors, including IT firms, multinational corporations, garment factories, plantations, and transport services. According to this policy, women employees may avail one day of paid menstrual leave each month which must be used within that month. In other words, the notification allows 12 paid days in a year, with no requirement for medical certification. It is however, clarified that these leaves cannot be carried forward to subsequent months.
The genesis of the Menstrual Leave Policy lies in a 2024 expert panel that drafted the Right of Women to Menstrual Leave and Free Access to Menstrual Health Products Bill. Initially, the panel recommended six paid leaves annually. The Labour Department later doubled this to twelve, citing worker welfare and productivity gains, before securing cabinet approval.
Unlike stalled central initiatives, Karnataka acted swiftly through executive power under existing labour statutes. The order by the state labour department mandates compliance under: Factories Act, 1948 – covering manufacturing and garment industries, Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1961 – encompassing IT/ and MNCs, Plantation Workers Act, 1951, Beedi and Cigar Workers Act, 1966 and Motor Transport Workers Act, 1961.This broad statutory foundation ensures coverage for over 60 lakh women in the formal sector, including nearly 30 lakhs in IT and 4.5 lakh in garment factories.
While this landmark development precludes the informal sector, the state’s menstrual leave policy is still being regarded as significant for being the first to include the private sector, applying to workers regardless of job type or contract. Furthermore, the Karnataka Menstrual Leave Policy 2025 faces two major challenges. First, the financial and administrative burden on MSMEs is significant. Unlike large IT firms and MNCs that can absorb the cost, smaller enterprises with limited HR capacity struggle to integrate twelve additional paid leave days per female employee each year. This strain risks subtle hiring bias against women, as employers may perceive them as more costly or less reliable. Second, the policy’s exclusion of the unorganized sector leaves millions of women in domestic work, agriculture, and construction outside its scope. Anchored in formal labour statutes, the policy cannot reach workers without fixed contracts, creating a two‑tier rights system.
Source: Menstrual Leave Policy – Government of Karnataka Notification (PDF, English)