Zomato introduces 'period leave' for women, transgender employees to build a more inclusive work culture

Online restaurant guide and food ordering platform Zomato on Saturday announced that all its women employees (including transgender people) can avail up to 10 days of 'period leaves' in a year, to build a more inclusive work culture.

According to the company, women employees can take 1 period leave for each menstrual cycle.

"At Zomato, we want to foster a culture of trust, truth, and acceptance. Starting today, all women (including transgender people) at Zomato can avail up to 10 days of period leaves in a year," Zomato Founder and CEO Deepinder Goyal said in a blog post.

The food tech unicorn said that the company understands that men and women are born with different biological realities. There shouldn't be any shame or stigma attached to applying for a period leave.

"I know that menstrual cramps are very painful for a lot of women and we have to support them through it if we want to build a truly collaborative culture at Zomato," he added.

Going forward, women at Zomato can avail up to 10 period leaves in a year. This also applies to transgender people working at Zomato.

Read more here – https://t.co/GmP5rLkaNL pic.twitter.com/5f8z9xP5zk

— Zomato (@Zomato) August 8, 2020

In a note for the male employees in the blog, Goyal said, "Our female colleagues expressing that they are on their period leave shouldn't be uncomfortable for us."

The employees should feel free to tell people on internal groups or emails if they need period leaves, said the company.

However, the company also stressed not to abuse these leaves or use them as a crutch to take time out for other pending tasks.