Are you a married woman seeking employment at key iPhone supplier Foxconn? Then you might face challenges, says a new report by news agency Reuters. The report mentioned that Foxconn has been systematically excluding married women from positions at its primary iPhone assembly plant in India. The report, based on accounts from former and current employees, revealed that Foxconn did not hire married women at its plant in Sriperumbudur, near Chennai, due to concerns over family duties, pregnancy and higher absenteeism.
A former HR executive at Foxconn was quoted as saying by Reuters that they avoided hiring married women due to "cultural issues" and the "many issues" that arise post-marriage. He further cited having children, among other concerns, as reasons for not employing married women, describing it as a "risk factor." Some employees also pointed to the traditional jewelry worn by married Hindu women, suggesting it might interfere with production and thus contribute to their ineligibility for these jobs.
On Wednesday, the central government requested a "detailed report" from the Tamil Nadu government following the story that exposed Apple supplier Foxconn's practice of rejecting married women for iPhone assembly jobs in the country. The Ministry of Labour and Employment, in a statement calling for the investigation, referenced the Equal Remuneration Act of 1976, which mandates that no discrimination should occur in the recruitment of male and female workers.
Apple was quoted as saying that 'when concerns about hiring practices emerged in 2022, it took immediate action and collaborated with its supplier to conduct monthly audits, ensuring that its high standards are maintained'.
It emphasised that all their suppliers, including Foxconn, do hire married women.
Meanwhile, Foxconn was quoted as saying a statement that it 'vigorously refutes allegations of employment discrimination based on marital status, gender, religion or any other form'.
The Apple supplier further added that in its latest round of hiring, almost 25 per cent of the women it hired were married, without specifying the number or where they were employed.