Democratic lawmakers are promoting new legislation that would provide paid leave for a range of reproductive health needs, arguing that workers should not have to choose between their health and their paycheck.
During a May 21 press conference, Rep. Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.) described the lack of paid leave for reproductive health issues as a form of “economic violence.”
“Forcing a worker to choose between paying her rent or losing a day’s pay to recover from a grueling gynecological procedure is not a choice. It’s economic violence,” Grijalva said.
Grijalva was joined by Reps. Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) in support of Ansari’s Reproductive Healthcare Leave Act, a proposal that serves as the centerpiece of her Healthy, Equity, Rights (H.E.R.) Agenda.
The legislation would provide workers with up to 12 days of paid leave annually for reproductive health-related needs. Covered situations would include severe menstrual pain, menopause symptoms, miscarriages, abortions, vasectomies, biopsies, and other reproductive health procedures or conditions.
Supporters of the bill say many workers face significant physical pain while lacking adequate workplace protections.
“No one should have to choose between their paycheck and their health to be able to manage that kind of incredible pain,” Tlaib said during the press conference.
Ansari has also spoken publicly about her own experiences with severe menstrual pain. In an interview with TIME published Sunday, the Arizona congresswoman recalled a medical emergency related to her symptoms and described the recurring pain she experiences each month.
The bill was introduced with 28 Democratic co-sponsors and no Republican co-sponsors. While supporters argue the proposal addresses an overlooked workplace issue, critics have raised questions about its scope and potential consequences.
Rhode Island state Rep. Marie Hopkins (R.) criticized the proposal in a post on X, arguing that Democrats have sent conflicting messages regarding sex and gender issues.
Others on social media questioned whether expanded reproductive health leave could create hiring concerns for employers or lead to unequal treatment between male and female health conditions. Some critics pointed out that while the bill includes leave for vasectomies, it does not specifically reference other male health issues such as prostate conditions or testosterone-related treatments.
Questions have also been raised about whether employers would be required to provide paid leave for workers recovering from abortion procedures.
The proposal has received support from several major advocacy and medical organizations, including Planned Parenthood, the National Organization for Women (NOW), and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
Despite facing significant political hurdles, supporters say introducing the legislation remains important.
Angela Vasquez-Giroux, vice president of communications for Planned Parenthood Votes, told Bloomberg that lawmakers should continue advancing policies they believe would benefit workers, even if the current political landscape makes passage unlikely.
“We’ve seen overwhelming success from candidates who have a plan and have a point of view,” Vasquez-Giroux said. “Just because we can’t get something passed over the opposition of the majority at the time doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t be putting forward our vision for the world we want to create.”
