Labour Officials Probe Foxconn's Hiring Practices At TN Plant Amid Discrimination Allegations

The officials are in the process of gathering information and have requested the company to provide documentation such as company policies, recruitment procedures, and more

Indian labour officials visited the Foxconn factory earlier this week located in Tamil Nadu, where they engaged in discussions with company executives regarding their hiring policies, according to a Reuters report.

Narasaiah, the regional labour commissioner, told the news agency that a delegation comprising five members from the federal government's regional labour department visited the Foxconn facility near Chennai on July 1. They specifically interacted with company directors and human resources officials to address concerns following the report alleging that the major Apple supplier had been rejecting married women applicants for iPhone assembly roles.

The investigations were initiated in response to government directives, which instructed state officials and the office of the federal government's Regional Chief Labour Commissioner last week to submit comprehensive reports regarding the issue. This action followed Reuters' investigation into the hiring practices observed at the manufacturing facility.

The officials are in the process of gathering information and have requested the company to provide documentation such as company policies, recruitment procedures, and evidence of adherence to labour laws, including details on maternity and retirement benefits, stated Narasaiah.

 "Foxconn has informed us that they do not discriminate,” he said. According to Narasaiah, Foxconn informed labour officials that their factory employs 41,281 individuals, of which 33,360 are women. Of this female workforce, approximately 2,750, constituting about 8 per cent, are married, as per the information provided by Foxconn.

Narasaiah mentioned that Foxconn did not provide specific breakdowns of staffing numbers for areas like iPhone assembly, where the report highlighted alleged discriminatory practices. He noted that during their inspection, labour inspectors spoke with 40 married women within the facility, none of whom expressed concerns about discrimination.

Narasaiah stated that there are currently no immediate plans to interrogate Foxconn's third-party recruitment agents, who are responsible for sourcing candidates and facilitating interviews at the plant.

A recent Reuters report claimed that Foxconn systematically excluded married women from assembly positions at its primary iPhone manufacturing facility in India. Sources within Foxconn's HR department and its third-party recruitment agents cited reasons such as family responsibilities, potential pregnancy, and higher rates of absenteeism as grounds for this discriminatory hiring practice.