From December 1, women who live and work in Spain will have a new labour right. Those who suffer from incapacitating health problems linked to the menopause will be able to request a specific medical leave and receive a benefit from the second day, without needing to have paid social security contributions for a minimum period.
The reform was approved by the government on October 20 and marks a further step in protecting women’s health at work. However, going through the menopause will not be enough to access this leave. A doctor will have to diagnose a condition associated with a secondary menopausal disorder that temporarily prevents the woman from carrying out her job.
The government believes this measure will help address health problems that for years have received little attention in the workplace. The minister for Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, Elma Saiz, defended the reform at the press conference following the cabinet meeting.
“More than ten-and-a-half million women are affiliated to Social Security and we are responding to situations that were made invisible,” she said. Spain had already moved in this direction in 2023, when it approved paid sick leave for incapacitating menstruation, considered a pioneering measure in Europe. The new rules now extend that protection to certain conditions linked to the menopause.
Severe hot flushes, sleeping problems, fatigue or difficulties concentrating can affect the daily lives of some women during the menopause. In some cases, these problems can also prevent them from working.
But not all symptoms will give a right to medical leave. To apply, the worker will have to undergo a medical assessment to determine whether she has an impairing condition related to a secondary menopausal disorder.
If the doctor determines that there is a condition associated with a secondary menopausal disorder that prevents her from carrying out her job, they will be able to issue the corresponding sick note.
As with other medical leave, the worker will not have to hand the paper sick note to her employer, since the information is sent electronically through Social Security. The new conditions will start applying on December 1, 2026. (Euro News)
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