Integrating reproductive and maternal health issues into your formal sick leave policy is a vital step in bridging the gap between employee needs and employer support. Many workers currently navigate the physical and emotional toll of menstrual symptoms, chronic conditions like fibroids, endometriosis, or PCOS, and the significant transitions of menopause and pregnancy without clear guidance on whether their leave applies. This lack of clarity often leads to "presenteeism," where employees suffer through work while unwell, or experience unnecessary anxiety over job security when attending essential prenatal, fertility, and other reproductive health appointments.

Employers can refine their policies to eliminate this ambiguity for their workers. By providing explicit guidance in workplace policies, employers can remove the stigma associated with reproductive and maternal health, and empower employees to prioritize their wellbeing without fear of judgement or penalty. Additionally, defining these protections mitigates significant business risk by providing clear, standardized guidance for both workers and people managers, thereby reducing the likelihood of inconsistent policy application that could lead to grievances or litigation down the road.

Updating your policies to acknowledge these specific health challenges – which primarily impact women but also include men through their family-formation needs – actively promotes workplace equity, demonstrates worker support, and drives long-term retention.

6 Steps for Implementation

1. Build awareness and engage key leaders. Engage senior leadership to establish a shared understanding of why explicit clarity in your sick leave policy is essential. Ensure leaders are aligned on the unique physical and professional challenges posed by reproductive and maternal health issues. Reference Why It Matters: The Business Case for Supporting Period Health in the Workplace for information on why this level of support – specifically when it comes to menstrual health and chronic conditions like fibroids, endometriosis and PCOS – is critical for building a culture of empathy and engagement.

2. Identify individuals responsible for policy design and implementation. Determine who from HR, legal, and/or other departments should be involved in outlining policy provisions and implementing changes. This core group will be tasked with drafting compliant language, auditing existing leave structures, and establishing a seamless rollout across the organization.

3. Establish an implementation timeline. Map out a plan to ensure accountability for timely implementation and communication. Define specific deadlines for when the employee handbook will be updated, when managers will be trained on the new policy, and when the policy change will be shared company-wide.

4. Design a clear policy that explicitly outlines how leave can be used to support reproductive and maternal health care issues. Update your sick leave and/or paid time-off policy to specify that leave can be used for reproductive and maternal health needs. This includes attending prenatal and fertility appointments, managing menstrual conditions like fibroids, endometriosis, and PCOS, or addressing symptoms of menopause. Ensure the language is simple and prioritizes employee privacy, removing the requirement for medical notes or invasive disclosures so that staff can access support without administrative hurdles. Refer to our sample policy language below as a foundation for your own policy.

5. Train leaders and people managers on the new policy. Conduct briefing sessions for managers to ensure the new PTO and sick leave standards are applied consistently across your organization. Provide education that de-stigmatizes reproductive health and addresses how to support employees without overstepping privacy boundaries.

6. Communicate the policy to all workers. Introduce the updated policy through company-wide updates and internal training sessions to ensure all employees are aware of the expanded support. Provide clear guidance on how to use PTO or sick leave for reproductive and maternal health, while establishing parameters that encourage responsible use. Position these changes as a key way the organization is investing in their overall well-being and providing the necessary flexibility to manage their health.

Case Studies: Our Standard in Practice

Reproductive Health Policy at Fast Track: Fast Track, a global technology company headquartered in Malta, launched a dedicated reproductive health policy in 2025 that provides paid leave specifically for menstruation and menopause for all employees. This initiative is designed to remove workplace taboos and ensure employees can manage hormonal health transitions without financial or professional penalty. Source: MaltaCEOs
Paid Period Leave at Zomato: Zomato, a multinational food delivery and restaurant discovery platform based in India, introduced a formal policy in 2020 that grants employees 10 days of paid “period leave” per year. The policy is built on a trust-based system where employees simply apply through an internal portal, aiming to foster a culture of health equity and support for all workers. Source: Forbes
Reproductive Health Leave in Australia: While not yet a national law, several Australian states provide public sector employees with roughly five days of paid reproductive leave covering menstruation, menopause, and IVF. As of 2026, there is significant momentum to expand this into a federal standard of ten paid days for all workers. Source: Western Sydney University

Customizable Sample Policies

Below are three sample policy excerpts aimed at providing clarity around how sick leave and paid time-off policies can be used for reproductive and maternal health needs. We encourage employers to consider which of these three examples best aligns with how their current policies are written, then customize the language for integration into their existing policies.

1. Reproductive and maternal health provisions that can be added into an existing sick leave policy:

“[Sick leave/Paid sick leave] may be used for preventative care, recovery, and medical appointments related to reproductive and maternal health, including but not limited to menstruation, family formation and fertility procedures, pregnancy-related conditions, and menopause symptoms.”

2. Separate reproductive and maternal health support policy that can be added as a new section in the employee handbook:

[COMPANY] recognizes that reproductive and maternal health are essential components of overall well-being. Employees may utilize accrued [Sick Leave/Paid Time-Off] for medical needs, preventative care, and treatments related to reproductive health.

This includes, but is not limited to:

Family Formation and Prenatal Care: Attendance at medical appointments, procedures, or recovery related to family-building and fertility treatments.
Menstrual Health: Management of acute or chronic symptoms associated with menstrual cycles and chronic conditions, including fibroids, endometriosis, and PCOS.
Menopause: Treatment or time off required to manage symptoms related to perimenopause and menopause.

To support employee privacy, medical documentation is not required for short-term absences related to these matters. We trust our employees to use this leave responsibly and, when possible, to provide advanced notice for scheduled appointments to ensure team continuity.

3. Reproductive Health Leave Policy:

Purpose

We recognize that reproductive and maternal health issues can impact an employee’s ability to work. This policy affirms that symptoms related to reproductive and maternal health are a legitimate health concern and supports employees in taking time off when needed.

Reproductive and maternal health is treated the same as any other physical or mental health condition. Employees who are unable to work due to discomfort or symptoms related to menstrual health, chronic menstrual conditions (such as PCOS, fibroids or endometriosis), pregnancy, family formation and fertility treatments, or menopause/perimenopause may take sick leave.

Use of Leave

Reproductive health-related absences are covered under standard sick leave.
No separate leave category is required.
Employees should follow the same procedures used for reporting sick leave.

Medical Documentation

No medical documentation is required for short-term absences (e.g., up to two consecutive days).
Standard sick leave documentation requirements apply for longer absences.

Privacy and Disclosure