Islamabad: Federal Ombudsperson for Protection Against Harassment (FOSPAH) on Tuesday declared the dismissal of a female employee during her approved maternity leave as an act of gender-based discrimination and harassment, ordering her reinstatement and imposing a fine of Rs500, 000 on the private employer.
According to FOSPAH, the complainant had been granted six months of paid maternity leave from November 13, 2025, to May 13, 2026. During her leave, the management directed her to resume duties before the expiry of the approved leave period.
The employee informed the employer that she was unable to return early due to recovery from surgery, the young age of her newborn child and the lack of suitable childcare arrangements.
FOSPAH noted that despite being on legally approved maternity leave, the complainant’s official email access was revoked without any disciplinary proceedings, and the decision to terminate her employment was taken while she was still on leave.
The Ombudsperson further observed that the employee was pressured to resign before the expiry of her maternity leave and ruled that discrimination on the basis of maternity constitutes gender-based discrimination.
The private institution has been directed to reinstate the complainant and submit a compliance report, supported by documentary evidence, to the Registrar within 15 days.