In recent developments, the Government of Catalonia has advanced two new measures affecting roughly 154,000 public sector employees across the Catalan administration. One measure grants eight hours of leave for women during painful menstrual cycles, a policy that acknowledges the impact of debilitating rules on daily work life. The other introduces three days of paid leave in the event of a lost pregnancy, a provision that would also extend to parents who are Generalitat employees. Multiple sources familiar with the discussions confirm that the Presidential ministry plans to present these proposals to the most represented civil service unions at the upcoming Thursday meeting.
The government’s aim is to implement two targeted policies: support for perinatal grief and support for menstrual health, areas that have not previously received robust formal treatment in this context. The idea of allowing time off in the face of painful menstruation is part of a broader debate that touches on abortion policy at the national level, even though the new laws have not yet been enacted. A precedent already exists in Girona City Council, which in 2021 allowed female workers of childbearing age to stay away from work for no more than eight hours per month if they experienced menstrual-related health problems.
Following Girona’s lead, the Generalitat intends to expand options for civil servants during menstruation. Under the proposed plan, employees could request eight hours of leave, with the understanding that these hours would be counted as borrowed against future time off and must be recovered in the weeks or months that follow. The authorities hope to influence both the duration of the leave and the window for recovery. Nevertheless, there is some tension because the government’s approach left little room for negotiation and did not reflect a shared, negotiated framework. The measure has not yet received formal approval from the working group established to study reconciliation with workers’ needs.
The document circulated to the centers explicitly defines eligibility for individuals experiencing painful menstruation. This expands the potential benefit to include trans men employed by the administration. Union sources indicate that these provisions would cover administrative staff and departments, the Catalan Health Institute, and teachers.
A second measure, which will be discussed next Thursday by Conselleras Laura Vilagra and Tanya Edge, both representatives of ERC, envisions three days of mourning for the loss of a baby during pregnancy. According to the proposal prepared for central offices, the right to this leave would extend to any parent, male or female, whose pregnancy ended between the sixth week and the 179th day; the 180th day currently aligns with the possibility of taking temporary leave under Social Security provisions. Meetings may adjust these details as a result of negotiations and broader policy considerations.
In the broader context of pregnancy policy, the Generalitat previously approved a new protocol that allows pharmacological abortion up to 14 weeks, aligning with Spain’s legal maximum for voluntary termination of pregnancy. This development signals a broader shift toward more responsive and supportive measures for reproductive health within the public sector, reflecting evolving standards of worker welfare and family support across Catalonia.