Image credit: Bobrick Washroom Equipment, Inc.
Beginning next month, federally regulated employers will be required to make menstrual products available to workers at no cost while they are in the workplace.
The initiative, which was announced in the spring by Minister of Labour Seamus O?Regan Jr., will require federally regulated employers to put pads and tampons in washrooms (and other spaces controlled by the employer) so that workers have access to them when needed.
“Menstrual products like pads and tampons are as necessary as toilet paper and soap, but they are not treated that way in most workplaces,” reads a release by the Government of Canada. “That is why, in 2021, the Government of Canada committed to making changes to the Canada Labour Code to ensure access to menstrual products in all federally regulated workplaces.” This initiative is inclusive to all workers who menstruate, and it aims to improve the well-being of workers who may require menstrual products during their workdays. This includes cisgender women, non-binary individuals, transgender men, and intersex individuals.
“Treating pads and tampons as basic needs will help improve equity, reduce stigma, and create healthier, more inclusive workplaces. It also aligns with other efforts by the Government to break down barriers to equality, such as the Menstrual Equity Fund, through which women?s shelters, not-for-profits, charities, community-based organizations and youth-led org...