Diagnosed with endometriosis two years ago, 21-year-old Zoe Kapolos is petitioning the Federal Government for specific menstrual leave for women with endometriosis and adenomyosis to be enshrined in Australian law.
Kapolos is the founder of The Ovary Office which provides accessible and free educational resources aimed at improving menstrual health literacy.
Her petition comes after years of missing school and work shifts due to being bedridden from period pain.
“My first few jobs, I had to call in sick once or twice a month just because I couldn’t stand up because of the pain and the sickness and the dizziness, unfortunately, that comes with [my] endometriosis,” she told The Sydney Morning Herald.
Kapolos is a recently graduated nurse and works at a Victorian women’s hospital where she sees many patients having to prove their chronic pain to employers.
“It breaks my heart… so many people [are] anxious about medical certificates, about their employers thinking that they’re always taking sick leave,” she said.
About one in seven Australian women has endometriosis and one in five has adenomyosis — both are incurable conditions caused by abnormal growth of endometrial tissue that can lead to debilitating pain and fatigue which prevents the ability to work.
Kapolos’ petition has been live for four weeks and reached nearly 30,000 signatures. Health Minister Mark Butler has been left with 90 days to respond to the proposal.
Spain, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea have already implemented variations of menstrual leave.
Queensland introduced a law in 2024 giving public sector workers 10 days of paid reproductive health leave annually for conditions such as menstruation, menopause, endometriosis and IVF.
A national push is also underway, with the Australian Council of Trade Unions proposing 10 days of paid reproductive leave for all workers under Australia’s National Employment Standards, covering a wide range of reproductive health needs for all genders.
The proposal has drawn criticism over potential hiring discrimination and concerns about costs, though economic modelling suggests the broader financial burden of reproductive health conditions on the economy is far higher than the cost of providing the leave.
Source: Sydney Morning Herald
