An unwritten rule that bars married women from seeking jobs at Foxconn's iPhone assembly plant in Tamil Nadu has been uncovered through an investigation by Reuters, reported The News Minute.
According to the report, which examined operations from 2023 to 2024, married women were allegedly barred from entering the premises and questioned about their marital status by security personnel. This discriminatory practice, the investigation found, contravenes both Apple's and Foxconn's policies that prohibit discrimination within their supply chains.
Former and current employees cited reasons such as family responsibilities, pregnancy concerns, and higher absenteeism as grounds for the exclusion of married women from employment at the Sriperumbudur plant near Chennai.
One former HR executive defended these practices, attributing them to "cultural issues" and suggesting that married women pose a "risk factor" due to potential childbirth and other post-marriage challenges. Some employees even cited traditional Hindu jewellery worn by married women as a reason for their ineligibility, claiming it could interfere with production processes.
Despite claims of resolving previous lapses in hiring practices in 2022, both Apple and Foxconn have come under scrutiny for continuing discriminatory practices. The report highlighted instances where hiring norms were relaxed during periods of high production or labour shortages in Taiwan.
It also noted that some third-party hiring agencies aided women in concealing their marital status to circumvent discriminatory hiring practices.
Apple responded by asserting that all their suppliers in India, including Foxconn, hire married women. They emphasized taking immediate action upon initial concerns raised in 2022, instituting monthly audits to uphold their standards. However, the report indicated that discriminatory practices persisted despite these assurances.
The hiring process at Foxconn's Sriperumbudur facility involves outsourcing to third-party vendors registered with the Tamil Nadu government. Despite questions from journalists regarding governmental oversight, responses from both the Union and State governments were not forthcoming.
After the Reuters report came out on Tuesday, the Centre asked the Tamil Nadu government to submit a detailed report on the matter.
The Ministry of Labour and Employment cited the Equal Remuneration Act of 1976 which clearly bans gender-based discrimination.