What is reproductive health leave and why do we need it?

An increasing number of Australians are experiencing fertility problems. BaLL LunLA/Shutterstock^[14]

A National Action Plan for Endometriosis^[15] has set out a productive blueprint focused on improved awareness, education, diagnosis, treatment and research to address the condition’s insidious effects.

The current federal parliamentary inquiry^[16] into menopause and perimenopause further recognises the significance of reproductive health.

Why reproductive health is a work issue

As our research showed, the effects of reproductive health issues ripple through workplaces and extend to the Australian economy^[17].

Workplace rights in Australia are typically grounded in men’s experience of life and work. The “ideal” worker is an individual, typically a male, who has no external obligations or bodily demands outside their work.

Women’s bodies in the workplace are often seen as problematic, unreliable and weaker^[18] because they can menstruate, be affected by disorders of the menstrual cycle, and can experience menopause.

Due to their health needs, many women report experiencing harassment, career derailment, lack of career progression and underemployment. Some retire prematurely^[19] due to health problems.

Different views

Some women experiencing endometriosis and chronic pelvic pain reported extra leave, while important, was not necessarily their top priority. Instead, they preferred a focus on improving workplace culture, awareness and support.

Education and training of senior leaders was highly valued. Allowing workers to take bathroom breaks when needed together with quiet/rest areas were identified as ways to manage symptoms and remain engaged and productive in the workplace.

The inclusion of male specific issues, such as vasectomy and prostate screening, highlights the importance of inclusively of gender and sex in policy, however extra leave was unlikely to reduce barriers for these procedures.

Very few men report taking time off work was a barrier^[20] to getting a prostate screening, or for having a vasectomy.

Instead, barriers were mostly related to other factors. In the case of vasectomy this was often related to perceptions^[21] about lowered libido or the pain of the procedure itself.

Hiding the problem

Many employees go to significant lengths to conceal their reproductive health issues.

They remain at work “pushing through the pain”, choosing not to disclose their conditions, given the stigma and taboo associated with reproductive health^[22] issues.

A recent study found young people^[23] aged 13 to 25, in particular, are significantly affected by reproductive health issues.

While they report missing more days of work due to menstrual symptoms than their older counterparts^[24], younger workers are less likely to be entitled to reproductive health leave because they are often employed in casual roles.

Is extra leave the answer?

The most important consideration when assessing the value of a national plan for reproductive health leave, is there has been little research on its impact.

Our research showed there was a growing body of evidence aimed at understanding women’s experiences managing their menstrual and reproductive health in the workplace and how this affected their work/career trajectories.

However, we found a dearth of research centred on understanding interventions, and most research simply reported on menopause guidelines and focused on the United Kingdom and European Union member countries.

We currently don’t know how beneficial these entitlements may be, if they have unintended negative consequences or if people will feel like they can access them.

Before we enshrine reproductive health leave in the national employment standards, we must assess the impact this and similar leave has had in workplaces where it’s already available.

Read more https://theconversation.com/what-is-reproductive-health-leave-and-why-do-we-need-it-238581