The Spanish government will on Tuesday officially present a draft bill giving workers the right to take sick leave due to severe period pain.

 

The cost of a loss of working hours in such cases would be covered by the state for as long as the pain lasts, the government confirmed on Monday on request.

 

A consultation with a doctor is required to get the time off work.

 

Adopting the legislation would make Spain the first country in Europe with such a law.

 

Equality Minister Irene Montero of the smaller left-alternative coalition partner Unidas Pomedas is one of the main forces behind the bill.

 

It is due to be introduced as part of a new regulation on abortion law, which will allow all over-16s to terminate a pregnancy without parental consent.

 

Some lawmakers from Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s Socialist Party (PSOE), which leads a minority government, expressed reservations about the bill.

 

Economy Minister Nadia Calviño warned that the regulation could put women at a disadvantage when competing for jobs.

 

The government would never approve measures that could “stigmatize women,” she said.

 
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