The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has expressed dissatisfaction with the investigation conducted by labor officials regarding reports of discriminatory hiring practices at Foxconn and has ordered a fresh probe. Foxconn, which manufactures Apple iPhones and operates a plant in Tamil Nadu, was accused of discriminating against married women during the hiring process for assembly-line jobs.
The controversy began when a Reuters investigation revealed that Foxconn systematically excluded married women from assembly roles at its primary Indian iPhone plant, citing reasons such as family responsibilities, pregnancy, and higher absenteeism. The investigation also noted that Foxconn relaxed this practice during peak production periods. This report sparked widespread debate on television, in newspaper editorials, and among women’s groups, leading to demands for a thorough investigation. In 2022, both Apple and Foxconn acknowledged flaws in their hiring practices and claimed to have addressed the issues.
On July 1, a five-member team from the regional labor department of the Central government conducted an inspection of the Foxconn facility near Chennai, Tamil Nadu. At that time, Foxconn stated that it employed 41,281 people, including 33,360 women, of whom approximately 2,750, or about 8%, were married. During the inquiry, the team questioned company directors and human resources officials.
These inquiries were initiated after directives from the government requested detailed reports on the matter from state officials and the Office of the Regional Chief Labour Commissioner at the federal level. However, Foxconn did not provide a specific breakdown of staffing figures for iPhone assembly, where the alleged discrimination supposedly occurred. Labor inspectors interviewed 40 married women inside the plant, who reportedly did not raise any concerns about discrimination.
Now, the NHRC has mandated that the findings of the previous investigation be revisited, as it realized that officials did not examine the plant’s recruitment records or documents. Consequently, the central issue of discrimination against married women was not adequately addressed. The NHRC pointed out that merely questioning existing employees was insufficient for investigating the hiring process that allegedly discriminated against women based on their marital status. The Equal Remuneration Act prohibits discrimination based on gender or marital status in hiring.
