Spain to offer paid leave for menopause-related conditions

Spain will let female workers request paid medical leave for menopause-related conditions that affect their ability to work, starting 1 December 2026, according to government approval. The leave does not require a minimum period of paid social security contributions, but applicants must hold a medical diagnosis of a secondary menopausal disorder. Elma Saiz, the minister for Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, defended the reform at a press conference. The measure follows Spain's 2023 approval of paid sick leave for incapacitating menstruation and aims to address health problems that have received little attention at work.