How Employee Leave Policies Can Support Women’s Health

Leave policies are generally seen by employees and employers as valuable and important assets within any total rewards strategy, but according to a 2025 U.S. Leave Management and HR Trend Report by workforce advisory firm NFP, nearly one-third of surveyed employers (32%) said they don’t think their employees have a good grasp of these policies, and almost half (43%) conveyed their policies aren’t helping them retain talent.

An effective leave policy strategy is critical to retention, particularly when it comes to women. A 2020 report by research and consulting firm Abt Associates, utilizing 2018 Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) data supplied by the U.S. Department of Labor, found women say they need more leave in comparison to men (24% vs. 17%) and take more leave from work for a family or medical reason (18% vs. 14%), yet more women than men still have unmet need for leave (9% vs. 6%).

In a competitive talent market, organizations that can meet the needs of their employees tend to be viewed as employers of choice, said Patricia Toro, a senior director in the health, equity and well-being practice at WTW.

“Women are an important pool of talent and a growing proportion of the workplace,” she said. “As women’s influence grows in the workplace, their unique needs have been gaining priority by total rewards professionals.”

Maria Trapenasso, the head of human capital solutions at NFP, added, “This isn’t just a health issue — it’s a workforce retention challenge. This cohort is the backbone of most organizations, with knowledge and experience to drive business results.”

This article examines how total rewards (TR) professionals can educate employees about leave polices and ensure those policies meet and support the needs of the women in their workforce.

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Equity in Well-Being: Menstrual and Menopause Support Policies

The Healthcare Gap

Despite living longer than men, women spend 25% more of their lives in poor health, according to a joint report by the World Economic Forum and McKinsey Health Institute. The report also found nearly 50% of the burden affects women of working age (20 to 64).

“This health burden is not just related to reproductive health but all conditions or events that impact women uniquely, disproportionately or differently,” said Lindsay Bower, a senior partner, health and benefits at Mercer.

In addition, the economic impact of addressing, or not addressing, this healthcare gap is significant, Bower said — up to $1 trillion annually if it is addressed by 2040.

“Women experience some seemingly non-gender-specific conditions differently than their male counterparts, like headache disorders and depression, and the majority of that additional time women spend in ‘poor health’ is experienced during working age,” Bower said. “That means not only less healthy women but reduced presenteeism and increased absenteeism. It’s essential to consider the specific needs of women related to both conditions and potential barriers — such as financial inequities, health system bias, access to care and caregiving burdens — that may impact the way in which they seek care.”

Bower advised employers to address gaps by:

Examining organizational culture. Provide a supportive physical and virtual work environment. Train managers in how to identify needs their employees may be facing (both physical and emotional) and where to direct them for support. Design programs and policies with the end result in mind — a culture that enables people to take advantage of their benefits.
Reviewing providers available to women under the existing medical plan. Identify any potential gaps that could be addressed with specialty programs (e.g., virtual lactation networks, specially trained menopause care, women-focused primary care models, and availability of alternative or holistic practitioners.)
Underscoring the importance of preventive care. Encourage women in your workforce to obtain age-appropriate screenings (including with flexibility in time away from work to seek care), and ensure preventive care is covered appropriately (e.g., potential expansion of preventive-care coverage for ultrasounds as appropriate related to breast cancer screening).
Examining the current state. Conduct comprehensive gap analyses related to both reproductive health and women’s health more broadly to help employers understand and address these needs.

“Ensuring managers are trained in the policies of the organization and are able to articulate both how the leave works in practice and any alignment with the organizational culture of support for women’s health needs can be key to employee experience,” Bower said.

Innovative Leave Policies

By providing appropriate leave for women, employers can demonstrate their commitment to employee well-being, which can enhance job satisfaction, reduce turnover and foster a more inclusive workplace culture, said Rich Fuerstenberg, a senior partner for health and benefits at Mercer.

“It acknowledges the health experiences that are unique to women, such as pregnancy, postpartum recovery and menopause,” he said.

According to Fuerstenberg, some leave policies that support women’s health include:

Paid parental leave for both birthing and non-birthing new parents
Paid adoption leave
Foster leave
Surrogacy leave
Short-term disability leave for pregnancy-related health issues
Bereavement leave that includes miscarriage or pregnancy loss
General paid time off (PTO) policies that allow for incidental absences related to women’s health

There is also an increasing demand for menopause leave or flexible sick leave for managing menopause symptoms. Menopausal women are the fastest-growing workforce demographic, according to a Aon report, yet nearly half of women surveyed for that report said they don’t feel comfortable disclosing their status at work. Three in four women experiencing symptoms translates to global menopause productivity losses of more than $150 billion a year, according to a Bloomberg report. In the U.S., a Mayo Clinic study found menopause symptoms currently cost employers $1.8 billion annually in missed work, with total productivity losses estimated at $26 billion per year.

Despite this data, menopause leave is still rare among organizational total rewards offerings. In NFP’s report, only 5% of surveyed employers provide menopause-related benefits. Sixteen percent of TR practitioners said their organizations offered menopause benefits, according to WorldatWork’s latest Total Rewards Inventory of Programs and Practices.

“Unfortunately, many employers do not realize the impact that menopause-related challenges have on the overall business,” NFP’s Trapenasso said. “Additionally, there is still a stigma around bringing up menopause in the workplace. People are afraid of talking about what they don’t understand, but this is a natural and normal phase of an adult woman’s life and should be addressed.”

Fuerstenberg noted menopause leave is uncommon primarily due to a lack of awareness and understanding of how menopause impacts work performance. “Many employers may not have established frameworks for event-based leave that accommodate such personal health events, leading to reliance on traditional sick leave or PTO, which may not be sufficient for managing menopause symptoms,” he said.

Implementing Leave Policies

For employers to maximize workforce clarity and address talent retention issues, Fuerstenberg offered these best practices to consider when putting in place leave programs that support women’s health:

Pursue a holistic approach. Employers should view any specific leave policy in the context of all other leave policies and total rewards. If an employer provides extremely generous PTO, it may reduce the need for a leave targeted at a specific event.
Establish clear policies. Develop and communicate clear leave policies that specifically address women’s health issues, including menopause leave, parental leave and other relevant health-related absences. Ensure that these policies are easily accessible.
Differentiate leave types. Clearly distinguish between incidental absences (e.g., sick leave, vacation) and event-based leaves (e.g., short-term disability, parental leave). This may help employees understand when they can request time off without manager approval and what documentation may be required.
Provide training. Train managers on the importance of these leave policies and how to handle requests sensitively. Ensure they understand the legal implications and the need for empathy when discussing health-related leave with employees. For example, some paid sick leave mandates do not allow the employer to ask why the employee is requesting leave. An empathetic manager can inadvertently cross a line into requesting or collecting information about an employee’s reason for leave that may create legal risk.
Encourage open communication. Foster a workplace culture that encourages open dialogue about health issues. Employees should feel comfortable discussing their needs without fear of stigma or negative repercussions.
Consider predictability and flexibility. Recognize that while some health events may be predictable (like pregnancy and delivery), others (like menopause symptoms or migraines) may not be. Implement flexible leave options that allow employees to take time off as needed without excessive barriers.
Monitor and evaluate. Regularly review and assess the effectiveness of leave policies. Gather feedback from employees to understand their experiences and adjust as necessary to better meet their needs.
Align with company values. Ensure that the leave policies align with the organization’s core values and culture. This alignment can enhance employee buy-in and support for the policies.
Monitor additional leave trends. Grand-ternity leave (bonding leave for grandparents) and pet-ernity leave (paid leave when an employee adopts a new pet) are emerging paid leaves that reflect employers’ commitment to fostering a supportive and inclusive workplace. By accommodating diverse life experiences, these policies help promote employee well-being and work-life balance. Embracing such innovative leave options may allow organizations to address workforce needs and develop a culture that values personal and family commitments, ultimately enhancing talent attraction and retention. This approach can bolster talent attraction and retention, as prospective and current employees are more likely to be drawn to employers that demonstrate a genuine understanding of priorities in workers’ lives.
Provide additional support. Consider offering additional resources, such as wellness programs, mental health support and workplace accommodations (e.g., flexible hours or remote work options) to further support women’s health.

Supporting Women’s Health May Benefit Everyone

Benefits that target the health needs of women may help an organization attract and retain female talent, said Susan Mueller, a senior director in the health, equity and well-being practice at WTW.

“Female employees benefit from accessing these enhanced benefits, and companies that invest in these types of benefits will highlight them on their benefits pages or when they are recruiting,” she said.

Mercer’s Fuerstenberg added both employees and the employer benefit by:

Enhancing employee morale and loyalty, leading to higher retention rates;
Attracting top female talent who seek supportive workplace policies;
Reducing absenteeism and increasing productivity by allowing employees to manage their health effectively; and,
Fostering a culture of inclusivity and support, which can enhance the organization’s reputation as a desirable employer.

“Accommodating [female workers] will provide vital employees with the ability to still get the job done in a supportive environment,” Trapenasso said. “These actions benefit the organization as a whole. It sends a clear message that the employer cares about the employee’s well-being, and that goes a long way in attracting and retaining employees.”

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