Companies in Wuhan, capital of Hubei province, are allowing female employees to take half a day off every month if they complain of menstrual pain.

The move is part of efforts by firms to attract more women to work for them.

A graduate who gave only her family name, Zhou, visited a job fair on Oct 15 and said she was left with a good impression of companies that offered the extra leave.

Organizers of the Wuhan fair said it was the first time they had heard of such an offer.