Ombudsperson orders reinstatement of woman who was fired while she was on maternity leave

The Federal Ombudsperson for Protection Against Harassment (FOSPAH) has declared the dismissal of a female employee during her approved maternity leave as an act of workplace harassment and gender discrimination.

In a landmark decision, the ombudsperson ordered the private organization to reinstate the employee and imposed a fine of Rs500,000 for unlawfully terminating her employment.

According to FOSPAH, the complainant had been granted six months of paid maternity leave from November 13, 2025, to May 13, 2026. However, the employer instructed to return to work before the approved leave period had ended.

The employee informed the management that she was recovering from surgery, caring for her newborn child, and unable to resume duties early due to health concerns.

Despite being on legally approved maternity leave, the organization reportedly revoked her access to her official email account without initiating any disciplinary proceedings.

The decision to terminate her employment was made while she was still on maternity leave and that she was pressured to resign before the expiry of her leave.

The ombudsperson ruled that discrimination based on maternity constitutes gender-based discrimination and falls within the workplace harassment under the law.

FOSPAH has directed the organization to reinstate the employee and submit a compliance report along with documentary evidence to the Registrar within 15 days.