Is sitting in a respectable restaurant with a non-mahram person for work purposes considered khulwa or forbidden in Sharia?

A woman sitting alone with a non-mahram man in a restaurant or similar place is considered an unlawful khalwa (seclusion) if they are in a situation where no one can see them, or if their gathering is not safe from suspicion. Even if khalwa is not fully realized, a woman's gathering with a non-mahram man in this manner is a gateway to temptation (fitna) and a means to corruption. The default for a woman's work is that it should be in a place where she does not mix with men. If she is compelled to work in mixed environments, she must avoid khalwa and limit her interactions with men to strict necessities, avoiding softness in speech, adhering to the Islamic hijab, and lowering her gaze.