In a historic move towards workplace inclusivity, the Karnataka State Cabinet on Thursday, October 9, 2025, approved the Karnataka Menstrual Leave Policy-2025, granting women employees one day of paid menstrual leave each month across both government and private sectors.
With this progressive decision, Karnataka has become the first state in India to extend menstrual leave benefits beyond government institutions to include private organizations as well.
While Odisha and Bihar currently offer menstrual leave exclusively to government employees, and Kerala has implemented similar provisions for university staff, Karnataka’s new policy sets a national benchmark for gender-sensitive workplace reforms.
