Islamabad: The Federal Ombudsperson for Protection Against Harassment (FOSPAH) has fined a private organisation Rs1.2 million for terminating a female employee during her approved maternity leave, declaring the action unlawful, gender discrimination and psychological harassment.
According to the ruling, the complainant, who worked in the organisation’s accounting department, was informed by phone that her employment would be terminated at the conclusion of her maternity leave.
No formal termination order or written explanation was provided. After reviewing evidence and witness testimonies, FOSPAH concluded that dismissing a woman during maternity leave constituted adverse treatment prohibited under the law.
She noted that pregnancy, childbirth, maternity leave and postnatal recovery were conditions unique to women and that any negative treatment linked to them amounts to gender discrimination.
