Moments after the Central government asked the Tamil Nadu government to submit a “detailed report” on allegations that Apple iPhone supplier Foxconn has rejected married women for jobs at its facility in Tamil Nadu, the company clarified that 25 per cent of its new hires are married females.
As per sources to PTI, an informal note has been shared by Foxconn with the government in which it said that the media report was based on anecdotal comments by 5-10 people or potential job seekers.
It further alleged that the comments would also have possibly been made by candidates who did not get the job or no longer work at Foxconn.
On Tuesday (25 June), Reuters published an investigation report in which it alleged that Foxconn systematically excluded married women from jobs at its main India iPhone assembly plant near Chennai.
What Foxconn said in its defence?
As per sources, the iPhone manufacturer in India, in a note to the government, said media reports claiming that Foxconn India Apple iPhone plant has been “rejecting married women” for jobs at its facility in Chennai “malign the fast-growing Indian manufacturing sector.”
One of the sources said that Foxconn had clarified in the note that 25 per cent of the latest hires are married women. This would mean nearly one-fourth of the total women are married.
“This ratio compares favourably to any factory in this sector currently operating in India,” the source was quoted as saying by PTI.
The sources further said that currently, the Foxconn factory has about 70 per cent women and 30 per cent men and the Tamil Nadu plant is the largest factory for women employment in India with the total employment having touched 45,000 workers during peak periods.
Foxconn also said it “vigorously refutes allegations of employment discrimination based on marital status, gender, religion or any other form.”
Discrimination against wearing metals ’entirely slanted’
Foxconn further said that the discussion around Hindu married women being discriminated against for wearing metals (ornaments and jewellery) is “entirely slanted”.
It said that wearing metal in such factories is a safety issue, a fact well recognised by both the industry as well as the government.
“Any person wearing metals – man or woman – regardless of their status (single or married) and their religion (Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh etc.) are required to remove metals while working in the factory,” the source said quoting the company’s informal note.
Reasons reported for Foxconn not recruiting married women
For its report, Reuters interviewed Foxconn hiring agents and HR sources who said the company does not hire married women on the grounds they have more family responsibility than their unmarried counterparts.
They also allegedly cited family duties, pregnancy and higher absenteeism as reasons why Foxconn does not hire married women at the Sriperumbudur plant near Chennai.
The report quoted S Paul, a former human resources (HR) executive at Foxconn India who left the company in August 2023, saying, “Risk factors increase when you hire married women. Foxconn typically doesn’t hire married women because of cultural issues and societal pressures. The company’s view was that there were many issues post-marriage. Among them is that women have babies after marriage.”
In addition to Paul, 17 other employees from more than a dozen Foxconn hiring agencies in India and four current and former Foxconn HR executives backed the claim.
Centre seeks ‘detailed report’ from Tamil Nadu govt
On Wednesday (June 26), the Union government asked the Tamil Nadu government to submit a “detailed report” after the Reuters story
The Ministry of Labour and Employment, in a statement said that it has taken note of the “media reports on married women not being allowed to work at Foxconn India Apple iPhone plant” and “requested a detailed report” from the state’s labour department.
The ministry cited the Equal Remuneration Act 1976, saying that the law bars discrimination between men and women when recruiting workers.
It has also asked the regional chief labour commissioner, a federal authority, to provide a “factual report”.
With inputs from agencies
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Does Foxconn ‘not hire married Indian women’? Not our policy, says iPhone maker in note to govt
