HIAL Faces Labour Court Proceedings Over Alleged Denial of Maternity Benefits to Former Employee
LEH: The Himalayan Institute of Alternative Ladakh (HIAL), founded by climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, is facing legal proceedings before the Labour Court in Leh over allegations of withholding statutory maternity benefits and unfair treatment of a former woman employee.
Amina Khatoon, who reportedly worked with HIAL since 2023, has approached the court alleging that the institution withheld her 26 weeks of maternity benefits, deactivated her official email account and removed her from corporate communication groups shortly after she gave birth in March 2024.
According to her complaint, Khatoon continued working throughout her pregnancy before proceeding on maternity leave on March 9, 2024. She maintains that despite submitting the required medical and delivery documents, her maternity salary was not released.
The employee has further alleged that after childbirth, she was denied clarity regarding her employment status. When she attempted to resume duties, she was reportedly asked to wait for an update from the Human Resources department, which never materialised.
She has also accused the management of withholding her experience certificate, adversely affecting her professional prospects, including an opportunity with Engineers India Limited (EIL).
Following her complaint, Case No. 22 was registered before the court of the Assistant Labour Commissioner, Leh, on June 27, 2026. The proceedings were initiated under Section 15 of the Payment of Wages Act, 1936, and relevant provisions of the Code on Wages, 2019.
The court issued multiple notices to HIAL CEO Gitanjali Angmo and its HR representative Deachen, directing them to participate in the proceedings. According to the complaint record, the two appeared before the authority only once, on July 13, 2026, despite several subsequent hearings and notices.
A final notice dated September 8, 2026, reportedly directed the concerned management representatives to appear before the court. The authority also warned of permissible legal action in the event of continued non-compliance.
However, the proceedings remained unresolved following the alleged failure of CEO Gitanjali Angmo to appear on the scheduled date of September 15. The matter has now been listed for November 7, 2026, for final orders.
Khatoon had sought the intervention of the Labour Court for the release of her withheld maternity benefits and appropriate relief over the alleged arbitrary handling of her employment.
The labour dispute comes amid other administrative and legal controversies surrounding HIAL. In August 2025, the Ladakh Administration cancelled the institute's land allotment of 1,076 kanals, citing issues including non-execution of the lease deed, non-payment of licence fees and alleged violations of land-use conditions.
More recently, on November 1, 2026, the Leh Administration issued a notice to HIAL CEO Gitanjali Angmo directing the institution to immediately stop classes and activities at its newly opened Desert Flower School, pending the final outcome of the matter before the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
The allegations concerning the employee's maternity benefits and employment status remain subject to adjudication before the competent authority. ANB
