Islamabad:The Federal Ombudsperson for Protection Against Harassment (FOSPAH) has provided relief to female by holding a private organization liable for harassment after it terminated her during her maternity leave, imposing a fine of Rs500,000 and directing her reinstatement.
According to the complaint filed before the Ombudsperson, the complainant had joined the organization as an HR Executive in November 2024 and was granted six months' paid maternity leave from 13 November 2025 to 13 May 2026 with the express approval of management. During her leave, management repeatedly pressured her to resume duties before the expiry of her approved leave period. She explained that due to recovery from a C-section, the young age of her child, and the absence of adequate childcare arrangements, she was unable to return early.
Before the expiry of her sanctioned leave, she was informed via WhatsApp that management had decided she should resign and that her notice period had already commenced. She was subsequently given the option to either resign or face termination. Remarkably, despite being on approved maternity leave, and without any disciplinary proceedings, warning, or show-cause notice, her official email account and access to workplace systems were revoked.
During the inquiry, it was found that the decision to discontinue her employment was taken while she was lawfully availing approved maternity leave, that she was pressured to resign before its expiry, and that her workplace access had been withdrawn during that period.
