Menstrual pain leave back in spotlight

A regulation in Yunnan province that stipulates one to two days of menstrual pain leave for female employees has reignited discussions on the sometimes problematic implementation of such policies across the nation. At least 20 provincial-level regions, including Beijing, Shanghai and the provinces of Shandong and Sichuan, have had menstrual pain leave in their local regulations since as early as the 1990s, but details vary. Shen Jianfeng, a law professor at the Central University of Finance and Economics in Beijing, said during an interview with media outlet ThePaper.cn that although rules on menstrual pain leave have been in place for a long time, it is difficult to ensure proper implementation, and many women have complained about difficulties in obtaining doctor's notes or consent from superiors, as well as workplace discrimination. Shen, the professor, said that local governments are suggesting clarifying prerequisites for being entitled to menstrual pain leave, such as whether taking days off would affect employees' income, as well as improving related regulations to address their difficulties in getting medical certificates.