Your period at work: your rights, practical tips and the menstrual leave debate

Germany has no separate menstrual leave for your period at work. But if severe period pain stops you working, you can take ordinary sick leave, with full pay and without giving a reason. Countries like Spain show there are other ways to do it.

Contents

• Is there menstrual leave in Germany?
• What rights do you have when you have your period at work?
• What is menstrual leave, and where does it exist?
• How is the debate going in Germany?
• What helps when you have your period at work?
• What can employers do?
• Common questions about periods at work

Is there menstrual leave in Germany?

No. German employment law has no dedicated menstrual leave. There is no statutory right to days off set aside specifically for your period.

That does not mean you have to work through severe symptoms whatever the cost. If period pain makes you unfit for work, the law treats you exactly as it would with any other illness. You can take sick leave and keep getting paid. The difference from countries with menstrual leave is mainly the label and the visibility, not necessarily the outcome.

What rights do you have when you have your period at work?

More than many women realise. The key points:

You are allowed to call in sick. If the pain stops you working, you are unfit for work, just as you would be with a migraine or a cold. For milder complaints, a doctor can now often sign you off over the phone.

You do not have to name a diagnosis. What is wrong with you is your private business. Neither you nor your doctor has to tell your employer the reason. The sick note your company receives contains no diagnosis, only the dates.

You keep getting paid. Under the Entgeltfortzahlungsgesetz (the German sick pay act), your employer continues to pay your full salary for up to six weeks of illness, provided you have been employed for at least four weeks.

In short: you do not depend on a special law. Existing sickness rules cover you when the pain is genuinely bad.

What is menstrual leave, and where does it exist?

Menstrual leave means days off reserved for people with severe period symptoms. The idea is not new. Japan has had a statutory provision since 1947, and similar models exist in South Korea, Indonesia and Zambia, among others.

In Europe, Spain went first. Since 1 June 2023, people there with severe period pain can take time off, initially up to three days a month and longer if needed. A medical certificate is required, and the state covers the wages during that time. That makes Spain the first EU country with such a rule.

What happened next is telling: in practice, hardly anyone has used it so far. Many women worry about being stigmatised at work if they do. A law on its own does not change workplace culture overnight.

How is the debate going in Germany?

Contentious, and across all camps. Spain's example sparked discussion about menstrual leave here too. One political proposal called for two days off per month, explicitly without a medical certificate. No concrete bill has come out of it so far.

The case for menstrual leave: it takes symptoms seriously that were taboo for a long time, and it removes the pressure to drag yourself into work while ill. Criticism also comes from women themselves. The concern: a separate rule could disadvantage women professionally, in hiring for instance, and turn periods into even more of a special case instead of normalising them. The low uptake in Spain fuels exactly that argument.

There is no clear-cut answer, and that is fine. What is clear: the subject is finally on the table, at work and in politics.

What helps when you have your period at work?

On days when working is doable but you still feel rough, a few things can make the day easier:

• Keep heat handy: a heat patch under your clothes or a warm drink can take the edge off cramps, quietly, right at your desk.
• Plan the day: if you know when your period is due, move demanding meetings to other days where you can.
• Build in movement: a short walk on your break gets the blood flowing and does many women good.
• Stash supplies: a small emergency kit with period products and painkillers in your drawer takes the stress out of it.
• Talk about it if you want to: being open with someone you trust in the team can be a relief. It is not a must, it is your call.

And the most important point: if the pain is too much, calling in sick is not weakness. It is your right.

What can employers do?

Plenty, and no new law is needed. A workplace that takes periods into account helps the people affected and does the company good, inside and out.

In practice that means: free period products in the toilets, flexible hours or working from home on hard days, and a culture where nobody has to justify a sick day. Naming the topic openly, in workplace health programmes for example, also lowers the barrier.

For companies this is more than a nice gesture. Taking staff health seriously helps you keep skilled people and gives you a workforce that feels seen.

This article is for general information and does not replace medical or legal advice. If your symptoms are severe, unusual or persistent, please speak to your gynaecologist.