Reproductive Health Leave

Reproductive health issues can affect anybody, at any stage of their working life

Normal leave entitlements often aren’t enough, and people end up having to take unpaid leave, and jeopardising their jobs.

That isn’t fair. Which is why we’re campaigning for every worker to have the right to Reproductive Health Leave – this would be a hugely positive step in fostering a healthy and supportive workplace, for all.

Let's talk about it

What is the Reproductive Health Leave campaign?

The RHL campaign is the Health Services Union’s national campaign, with HACSU as part of the HSU national union, advocating for a minimum of 12 days paid leave for reproductive health issues to be made available to all workers through the National Employment Standards.

We’d also like to see flexible work arrangements and reasonable adjustments made available for all those experiencing reproductive health issues.

Sign the petition to show your support

Click below to visit the official Reproductive Health Leave campaign website, and help us make a huge change that will benefit all Australians. Link will open up in a new page

Show Your Support

You can also download this PDF flyer below to either print out and distribute at your workplace or to show it to friends and family.

Download PDF Flyer

About the campaign

Since 2020, HACSU has been campaigning to ensure any person, regardless of their reproductive health challenges, can fully and meaningfully participate in work, and in turn are afforded the social and economic security they rightfully deserve.

Since then, there have been significant wins in the Reproductive Health Leave (RHL) campaign.

Thanks to the work of all the union branches that make up the HSU, many employers have adopted variations of the leave clause into their workplace agreements. We want to see a consistent 12 days of paid leave made available to all workers through the National Employment Standards.

We’re also looking to expand the rights to flexible work arrangements to include reproductive health issues. We believe appropriate and reasonable adjustments to how the individual works will benefit both the worker and their employer.

In Queensland, ten days of RHL was introduced for public servants. We want to see RHL go national, for all Australian workers.

Through RHL, all workers (not only women) will have time and space to deal with a range of reproductive health issues, including: