The Business Case for Period Leave, and Why Your Workplace Isn't Ready

In this episode, you'll hear from Dr. Moriah Brewer (sociologist, researcher, and founder of Like Home) about one of the most overlooked workplace equity issues hiding in plain sight: menstrual care. Only 2% of US companies offer any form of period leave, yet menstruation affects roughly half the workforce for decades of their working lives. Becky and Moriah dig into why that number is so low, what the equity vs. equality argument actually means for HR policy, and how period poverty, medical dismissal, and the $40 billion period care industry all point to the same problem — we've invested in discretion, not care. If you're building a feminist business, this conversation will challenge you to examine your own policies. Topics Covered: • The business case for menstrual/period leave, only 2% of US companies currently offer it, but Moriah argues it's both an equity issue and a long-term investment in workforce wellbeing and retention • Equity vs. equality in workplace policy, why "giving everyone the same thing" doesn't close gaps, and what targeted support actually looks like for menstruating employees • Period poverty as a workplace issue, in Michigan alone, 2 in 5 women experience period poverty, causing them to miss work or school due to lack of access to basic products • The $40 billion period care industry gap, the entire industry is built around products and discretion, not care; Moriah is building Like Home to change that with virtual services, cycle syncing support, and in-home care options • Medical dismissal and the cost to workers, Moriah's own experience with PCOS, fibroids, and years of being brushed off by the medical system speaks to a broader pattern that impacts worker productivity and health • Why period equity lifts all workplace benefits, the same political and cultural fight that wins period leave also opens the door to better mental health leave, disability leave, and paternity leave • What feminist business ownership demands, how "permission structures" in workplaces signal ownership dynamics, and what it looks like to lead differently LEARN MORE: • Like Home: https://joinlikehome.com/ • Dr. Moriah Brewer on Instagram, Threads, and Substack: @MariahLynnJoe 🎤 JOIN US IN THE FEMINIST PODCASTERS COLLECTIVE: http://feministpodcastcollective.com/