By Asif Naveed
The Federal Ombudsperson for Protection against Harassment (FOSPAH) has ruled that terminating a woman’s employment during her maternity leave constitutes gender discrimination.
In a landmark decision on the petition filed by Zainab Zahra Awan, the ombudsperson Fauzia Viqar imposed a fine of Rs1 million on a private IT company for dismissing her during maternity leave. The company was ordered to reinstate her to her previous position.
The verdict states that Rs800,000 will be paid to the complainant as compensation, while Rs200,000 will be deposited in the national treasury.
The ombudsperson observed that motherhood should never be considered a hindrance to a woman’s career and that job security during maternity leave is a fundamental right.
Zainab was appointed as an HR Manager on July 20, 2022. She formally applied for maternity leave in 2024, which was approved from March 14 to June 14. However, on April 24, during her leave, she received a termination notice. She subsequently approached FOSPAH, which annulled the dismissal order and directed her reinstatement.
FOSPAH also instructed all institutions to fully respect women’s constitutional and legal rights, ensuring them a safe, dignified, and supportive work environment with maternity protection, paid leave, respect, and equal opportunities.
