21 Nov 2025
The Karnataka Government issued an order mandating employers in Karnataka to provide women workers between 18 and 52 years of age with one paid day of menstrual leave per month.
In a move to promote health, efficiency, and welfare of women at the workplace, the Karnataka Government has introduced paid menstrual leave for women employees through a Government Order dated 12 November 2025 (Order). The key aspects of the Order are as below.
| Applicability |
The Order applies to all establishments registered under: the Factories Act, 1948,
the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1961,
the Plantations Labour Act, 1951,
the Beedi and Cigar Workers (Conditions of Employment) Act, 1966, and
the Motor Transport Workers Act, 1961.
|
|---|---|
| Eligibility | All women workers aged between 18–52 years, who are either permanent employees, contract labour, or outsourced employees are eligible to avail of this policy. |
| Entitlement and conditions |
|
| Effective date | The Order does not prescribe any specific effective date and is therefore operative with effect from the date of publishing, i.e., 12 November 2025. |
Karnataka has become one of the first states in India to formally mandate paid menstrual leave across all establishments, marking a significant and progressive shift in the overall workplace health and welfare laws in India and strengthening protection for women workers in the State. While the Cabinet’s approval of the Menstrual Leave Policy 2025 in October indicated the State’s intention of supporting women employees, the present Order goes further by imposing a direct and immediate obligation on employers.
Notably, earlier policy drafts adopted gender-inclusive terminology such as “persons who menstruate,” but the current Order refers to “women employees.”
On the question of validity and enforceability of the Order, while ordinarily a change of this nature would follow the legislative process – introduction of a bill, passage through the state legislature, and assent by the Governor, in this instance the Order has been issued directly by the executive, exercising its constitutional powers.
The absence of a penalty framework or clear enforcement mechanism creates uncertainty for employers regarding compliance expectations. Additional notifications or clarifications are therefore likely, including those prescribing consequences for non-compliance. Officials have informally indicated that amendments to the Karnataka Maternity Benefit Rules, 1966, are under consideration, and the Karnataka Law Commission has previously recommended a standalone framework for menstrual leave.
Given that this is a significant shift in workplace leave practices, employers with offices in Karnataka (including in Bangalore, Mysore, and Mangalore) must evaluate how the new leave entitlement aligns with their existing internal policies and HR practices. This is particularly important because this benefit extends to contract workers and outsourced personnel, requiring closer scrutiny of vendor arrangements and workforce classification.
We are closely monitoring developments on this subject as additional modifications to the current regime are expected.
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