After maternity leave, women have right to resume at same functional status: HC

New Delhi: Noting that maternity leave can’t cost a woman her job or promotion on return, Delhi High Court has held that statutory protection extends to her duties, functional status, reporting hierarchy, supervisory responsibilities and prospects of appraisal.Granting over Rs 10 lakh as compensation to a chartered accountant who was subjected to professional disadvantage on disclosing her pregnancy and returning from maternity leave, the court stressed that protection to women in such cases can’t be reduced to merely retaining their salary and designation.Justice Sachin Datta said Monday that a woman returning from maternity leave is ordinarily entitled to be restored to the post she held immediately before going on leave. “Motherhood cannot be permitted to become a basis for unequal treatment or professional disadvantage in the workplace,” it said.