'Treat period leaves PIL as representation,decide in time bound manner'

The Delhi High Court on Monday asked the authorities to treat as representation a Public Interest Litigation seeking directions to the Centre and the Delhi government for granting paid leaves to women employees during menstruationThe petition filed by Delhi Labour Union through advocate Rajiv Agarwal sought direction to the Centre and Delhi government to grant paid leaves for four days a month to all classes of women employees including daily wage contractual and outsourced workers and to pay overtime allowance to menstruating women employees if they opt to work during that periodWe hereby direct the concerned respondents to treat this petition as a representation and decide the same in accordance with law rules regulations and government policies in a timebound manner said a division bench of the high court presided by Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan while disposing of the petitionThe plea said female employees form a significant part of workforce in the offices and establishments of the Respondents At present many employees employed with the are Respondents for performing various roles including that of officer employee and workerThese employees perform all kind of works including that of administrative managerial supervisory skilled unskilled manual operational clerical and technical nature These employees are employed through different modes of employment such as regular employees ad hoc deputation daily wage muster roll workers contractual workers and workers employed through independent contractorsoutsourcing agencies it addedThe petition further states that a significant number of these employees menstruate and there is very little consideration or even recognition for the emotional physical hormonal and physiological trauma that these employees undergo during their menstrual cycleThe petitioner stated that besides facing actual psychological trauma because of sudden hormonal fluctuation the release of a large amount of extremely inflammatory lipids called prostaglandins constrict the blood vessels in the uterus and make the muscle layer contract causing painful crampsIt added that some of the prostaglandins enter the bloodstream causing headache nausea vomiting and diarrhoea The pain is so extreme in some cases that it causes fainting and dizziness spellsIn our society menstruation and complications related to it are still considered as taboo they are shrouded in overwhelming shame and inability of female employees to discuss their bodily functions and impairments openly There is a stark absence of official recognition for this actual tangible physical condition that only the female employees have to undergo every month There is simply no opportunity or agency for female employees to frankly air their grievances and raise demands for menstrual benefits the plea concludedKeep scrolling to read more newsCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates MidDay is now on Telegram Click here to join our channel middayinfomedialtd and stay updated with the latest newsThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever