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Victoria leads the way with paid reproductive and period leave for public sector employees

Public sector employees in Victoria will soon have access to 5 days of reproductive leave. This leave is intended for women and gender-diverse people experiencing issues related to period pain, menopause, perimenopause, and IVF treatment.

24 Apr 2024

Catherine Ngo

Content writer, presenter and podcaster

The entitlement is part of a new four-year pay agreement for public servants. This agreement includes an annual pay increase of 3% and a one-off $5600 cost-of-living payment for full-time workers.

Additionally, the deal ensures that superannuation payments will be made on primary caregiver parental leave for up to 104 weeks, up from 52 weeks. Shift workers on parental leave will continue to receive shift penalties they would have received had they not been on leave. Shift workers will also receive a one-off $1000 payment.

The Community and Public Sector Union concluded ongoing negotiations with the Victorian government and signed a heads of agreement recommending the deal. The agreement is subject to employee approval through a ballot.

Karen Batt, Community and Public Sector Union Victorian branch secretary emphasised that all agency-specific appendix negotiations must be concluded within the next four weeks. This timeframe is crucial to finalising agreement drafting and obtaining approval before conducting a ballot of all Victorian Public Sector employees.

Furthermore, the union secured an agreement for a feasibility study and working group to explore implementing alternative work arrangements within the public service.

Speaking about the deal, Premier Jacinta Allan expressed her support for the additional reproductive leave for women. According to Allan, this measure recognises that women require support at specific times to fully participate in the workforce.

In a groundbreaking move, the Victorian government initiated an enquiry into women's pain earlier this year. This enquiry was prompted by a survey that revealed a startling statistic: almost half of the state's women suffer from issues related to their periods, pregnancy, birth, postnatal care, and conditions such as endometriosis.

The enquiry also highlighted the significant impact these health conditions have on women's lives. One in three women reported that their medical issues hinder their ability to work and maintain employment.

In response to these findings, the Minister for Women, Natalie Allan, emphasised the urgent need to stop treating women's health as a "niche issue." She passionately advocated for women's right to have their pain acknowledged and addressed.

This enquiry is a crucial step towards recognising and addressing women's unique health challenges. It underscores the importance of prioritising women's healthcare and ensuring their voices are heard and their concerns are taken seriously.

Whilst this is a significant step forward in addressing the challenges faced by women and gender-diverse people with periods, as well as those undergoing fertility treatments, it is still inadequate in addressing the regular absenteeism experienced by those with painful period conditions such as endometriosis and PCOS.

Research conducted in Australia in 2019 revealed that individuals with endometriosis often take an average of four unpaid days off per month due to debilitating symptoms. Additionally, a 2021 study indicated that while 83% of women experiencing menopause were affected at work, only 70% felt comfortable discussing the matter with their manager.

Furthermore, those undergoing fertility treatment, including members of the LGBTQ+ community, are advised to take approximately eight days off work per cycle for scans, appointments, blood tests, and egg retrieval.

How Australia compares worldwide

Victoria has become the first state in Australia to introduce menstrual leave for public sector workers. This follows in the footsteps of Spain, the first European country to entitle employees to paid menstrual leave, in February 2023. Spain's menstrual leave policy allows women and individuals with periods to take up to three days of leave per month, with the option to extend it to five days for those experiencing painful cycles.

Other countries, including Japan, Indonesia, South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Zambia, have already implemented similar paid leave policies for workers.

What does this mean for employers?

As the emphasis on women's health grows, it is plausible that other states and private sector employers will follow the example of the Victorian Government, offering paid menstrual and reproductive leave.

Implementing such policies supports employee wellbeing and creates a more inclusive and accommodating workplace environment.