Swiggy announces two-day paid leave for its female delivery partners during menstruation

Women have been voicing their opinions around menstrual issues for a long time, demanding paid leave for the few difficult days of the month. In what comes as a first, online food delivery firm Swiggy has announced a monthly two-day paid leave policy for its female delivery partners. The woman delivery partners who choose to take two days off will receive a minimum earning guarantee. This move from Swiggy is an initiative to support and increase its women workforce. The company also thinks that this decision will encourage women to look at Swiggy as a viable delivering option. The Vice President of Operations at Swiggy, Mihir Shah, said that women faced discomfort from being out on the road while menstruating and this is a major reason for them not considering delivery as a work option. Shah also added that the monthly two-day paid leave period for female delivery partners comes under Swiggy’s no-questions-asked policy. He also said that the company understands the challenges faced by women delivery partners and is also trying to create an environment that encourages them to consider delivering food as a job option. In order to take good care of its female employees and ensure maximum facilities for them, Swiggy is working to provide them with bikes or EV cycles on rent by collaborating with electric mobility partners. This initiative of Swiggy is two-fold as the company is also opting to deliver food through bicycles for short distances. Adding to these initiatives, Swiggy has also realized that the safety of its female delivery partners is imperative and in order to ensure maximum security, the company has begun an SOS service where delivery partners can contact the Swiggy helpline or local police through the Delivery Partner App. Employees can also contact an ambulance or can call for medical emergency through the app. The food delivery platform is also making provisions to provide hygienic restrooms to male and female delivery partners, keeping in mind that they do not have access to clean restrooms while they are on duty outside. Hence, Swiggy has partnered with Shell to give its employees access to restrooms on Shell’s petrol station.